Theriadania venusta, Khaustov & Whitaker, 2019

Khaustov, Alexander A. & Whitaker, John O. Jr., 2019, Two new genera and two new species of the mite family Neopygmephoridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with small mammals from USA, Acarologia 59 (3), pp. 308-322 : 316-319

Theriadania venusta sp. nov.

Zoobank: 728BAA7F-660C-455A-80A7-BA63F332DECA ( Figs 6–11 )

Description

Female ( Figs 6–11 ) — With the character states of the genus as described above. Length of idiosoma 235 (220–225), width 155 (125–135). Gnathosoma ( Figs 7A, B ). Length of gnathosoma 26 (24–26), width 15 (14–15). Dorsal median apodeme absent. Cheliceral setae cha 17 (15–17) weakly barbed in basal part and pointed. Setae dFe located ventrolaterally, blunt-ended and distinctly shorter than dorsolateral pointed dGe. Subcapitular setae m 10 (10)

and pharyngeal pumps in ventral view, C – anterior part of prodorsum.

smooth and pointed. Php1 very small, smooth, distinctly separated from transversely striated subrectangular php2 and smooth oval php3, which is about three times shorter than php2 ( Fig. 7B ). Accessory setigenous structure (ass) rod-shaped. Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 6A , 10A–C ,

11A, B ). All dorsal shields with numerous small round dimples ( Figs 10A–C , 11A, B ). Anterior part of prodorsum with distinct sculpture lines forming polygonal cells ( Figs 7C , 11A ). Tergite

C with three pairs of oval porous areas ( Fig 6A ). All dorsal setae pointed and distinctly barbed. Setae v 2, e, h 1, h 2 distinctly lanceolate. Setae sc 2 and f narrowly lanceolate; other dorsal

setae long and slightly thickened. Trichobothria with long stem, clavate, sparsely barbed, with rounded apex. Cupules ia on tergite D situated laterally to bases of setae d; cupules ih on

tergite H situated anteriorly to bases of setae h 2. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 13 (13–16), sc 2

50 (49–51), c 1 95 (90–98), c 2 115 (115–125), d 80 (74–83), e 37 (35–42), f 41 (43–48), h 1

23 (23–26), h 2 25 (25–26). Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 39 (39–40), sc 2 –sc 2 33 (33–34),

c 1 – c 1 10 (9–11), c 1 – c 2 39 (38–39), d–d 18 (16–18), e–f 18 (16–18), f –f 45 (47–48), h 1 – h 1 16 (16–17), h 1 – h 2 24 (24–25).

Idiosomal venter ( Figs 6B , 10D–E ). Ventral plates with numerous small dimples ( Figs 10D–F ), dimples on anterior half of coxal fields II slightly larger than others ( Fig. 10D ). Lateral plates lateral to legs II and IV and lateral parts of aggenital plate with weak longitudinal striation ( Fig. 10F ). All ventral setae distinctly barbed and pointed. Posterior margin of aggenital plate straight. Setae 3 a, 3 b, 3 c located in transverse row. Lengths of ventral setae: a 1 41 (37–43), 1 b

25 (23–26), 2 a 32 (32–34), 2 b 47 (46–48), 3 a 48 (46–49), 3 b 60 (56–61), 3 c 35 (33–36), 4 a 75 (73–78), 4 b 85 (89–99), 4 c 66 (65–74), ps 1 13 (13–14), ps 2 12 (12–13), ps 3 14 (14–15).

Legs ( Figs 8 , 9 , 11C ). Leg I ( Figs 8A , 11C ). Lengths of solenidia ω 1 11 (11), φ 1 9 (8–9),

φ 2 4 (4); solenidion ω 1 finger-shaped, solenidion φ 1 baculiform, solenidion φ 2 clavate. Setae v’

of trochanter and pl () of tarsus slightly thickened basally, pointed and barbed; other leg setae (except eupathidia and u) strongly barbed, flattened and widened with pointed tips. Leg II ( Fig. 8B ). Solenidia ω 9 (9) and φ 4 (4) finger-shaped. Seta tc” smooth, other leg setae distinctly barbed. Setae tc” and u’ not thickened; seta v’ of trochanter slightly thickened; other leg setae distinctly thickened and flattened; seta d of tibia distinctly bifurcate; seta l” of genu fan-shaped. Leg III ( Fig. 9A ). Solenidion φ 3 (3) weakly clavate. All leg setae pointed; seta tc” smooth, other leg setae distinctly barbed. Setae tc” and u’ not thickened, other leg setae distinctly thickened and flattened. Leg IV ( Fig. 9B ). Solenidion φ 2 (2–3) weakly clavate. All leg setae distinctly barbed. Seta v” of tibia weakly blunt-ended; other leg setae pointed.

Male and larva unknown.

Type material — Holotype (female) and 3 paratypes (females): USA, Texas, Culberson County, on Merriam’s kangaroo rat, Dipodomys merriami , 19 June 1976 (J. Whitaker).

Type deposition — The holotype and 1 paratype are deposited in the United States National Museum , Washington, USA ; other paratypes are deposited in the mite collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia .

Etymology — The name of the new species is derived from Latin venustus meaning beautiful, and refers to the presence of many modified setae on idiosoma and legs.

Figures

Figure 6 Theriadania venustasp. nov., female: A – dorsum of the body, B – venter of the body. Legs omitted.

Figure 7 Theriadania venusta sp. nov., female: A – gnathosoma in dorsal view, B – gnathosoma

Figure 8 Theriadania venusta sp. nov., female: A – right leg I in dorsal view, B – right leg I in ventral view, C – right leg II in dorsal view, D – genu, tibia and tarsus of right leg II in ventral view.

Figure 9 Theriadania venusta sp. nov., female: A – left leg III in dorsal view, B – left leg IV in dorsal view.

Figure 10 DIC micrographs (AxioCam 506 color) ofTheriadania venusta sp. nov., female: A – prosoma and tergite C, B – tergites C and D, C – tergites EF and H, D – prosoma in ventral view, E – posterior sternal plate, F – lateral and aggenital plates in ventral view.

Figure 11 DIC micrographs (Hitachi KP-HD20A) ofTheriadania venusta sp. nov., female: A – prodorsum, B – part of tergite D, C – right