Zercon curryi Moraza, Arroyo & Bolger

Moraza, María Lourdes, Arroyo, Julio & Bolger, Thomas, 2009, Three new species of mites (Acari: Zerconidae) from canopy habitats in Irish forests, Zootaxa 2019, pp. 29-39 : 30-32

Zercon curryi Moraza, Arroyo & Bolger sp. nov.

( Figs 1–5 )

Material examined Holotype: Female: Ireland, Co. Offaly, Kinnity oak ( Quercus petraea ) forest (~ 53º 10'N, 7º 26' W), slide SBO- MCM, from moss collected in the middle canopy, altitude 200 m., 2 August 2007 (deposited at MZUNA). Paratypes: 6 females, 1 male, same locality and date as holotype, collected from moss mats occurring at different heights in the tree canopy (4 females and the male deposited at MZUNA, 2 females at UCD); 8 females, Ireland, Co. Kerry, Rennadinna Wood ( Taxus baccata ) in Killarney National Park (~ 52º 02' N, 9º 31'W), altitude 30 m., 6 July 2007, 2 from canopy branches (deposited at MZUNA) and 6 from moss in the canopy (3 deposited at UCD, 3 at MZUNA); 2 females, Ireland, Co, Kerry, Tomies Wood ( Quercus petreae ) in Killarney National Park (~ 52º 03'N, 9º 35'W), altitude 60 m., 5 July 2007, from moss mats in the lower canopy (deposited at UCD).

Diagnosis Anterior margin of ventri-anal shield with two pairs of setae. Dorsal fossae of general size and appearance, with smooth margins. Glands gdJ4 (Po3) situated between J and Z setal rows, on the line connecting setae J4 and Z4; glands gdZ2 (Po2) on the line connecting setae Z2 and S3. Setae J1-J5, Z1, Z2 and S2 smooth or with 1 or 2 pinnules, nearly equal in length and not reaching the bases of following setae. Setae Z3-Z5, S3-S5 strongly thickened at the end, solid club-like setae and longer than other opisthonotal setae; marginal setae R similar in shape other podonotal setae. Opisthonotal shield with reticulate pattern of small fossae (pits).

Description FEMALE. Length of idiosoma: holotype 553 (509–558 in 4 paratypes), width 377 (313–380 in 4 paratypes). Podonotal shield: 264 μm long, 377 μm wide. Opisthonothum: 289 μm long, 377 μm wide. (n = 5).

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ). Podonotal shield with reticulate pattern; anterior corners and border of opisthonotal shield with reticulate pattern; central and posterior half of opisthonotum with small pits arranged in a reticulate pattern. Podonotum with 20 pairs of smooth, rod-like setae, uniform in length; setae r1 and r3 on dorso-peritrematal shields. Setae s 6 may be club-like in shape or similar in shape to other marginal podonotal setae. Gland openings distinct; gdj2 (po1) situated near j2; gdj4 (po2) on line connecting j4 and z4; gds4 (po3) posterior and paraxial to insertion of setae s4. Four pairs of podonotal lyrifissures. Opisthonotum with 20 pairs of setae: J setal rows with 5 pairs of short, uniform setae ( Fig. 2 ); setae J5 shortest; Z setal rows with five pairs of setae: setae Z1, Z2 and S2 similar in shape and length to J1, setae Z3 = S3, club-like in shape and longer than Z1; setae S4 reaching beyond lateral margin of idiosoma and similar in length and shape to setae Z4; setae Z5 club-like, twice as long as than setae J. Marginal setae S1 and R1-R6 not reaching beyond bases of following marginal setae, similar in shape to other marginal podonotal setae ( Fig. 2 ). Glands gdz6 (Po1) on line connecting setae z6 and Z1, glands gdZ2 (Po2) on line connecting setae Z2 and S3; glands gdJ4 (Po3) on line connecting setae J4 and Z4, and enlarged glands gdS5 (Po4) ( Fig. 3 ) behind line connecting setae Z5 and S5. Dorsal opisthonotal fossae rounded, of general appearance, similar in size, saddle-like and with smooth anterior margin. Dorsal lyrifissures as in Fig. 1 .

Length of the opisthonotal setae and distance between setal bases within longitudinal I-, Z-, and S-rows as follows: J1 – J5 (20–23), Z1 = Z2 (22), Z3 (30–31), Z4 (34), Z5 (43–44), S1 (16–18), S2 (22), S3 (29), S4 (34), S5 (44), R (18); J1-J2 = J2-J3 = J3-J4 = J4-J5 (40), Z1-Z2> Z2-Z3 (34) <Z3-Z4 <Z4-Z5 (74), S4-S5 (54); J1- J1<J3-J3 = J4-J4 = J5-J5<J2-J2.

Venter ( Fig. 4 ). Ventral chaetotaxy, adenotaxy, poroidotaxy and shape of ventral shields are typical for the genus. Sternal shield 76 long, 83 wide at level of setae st2; posterior margin slightly concave. Sternal setae smooth and thin, with filiform ends; st1 and st2 34 long; st3 and st 4 20–23 long; st4 off the shield. Ventri-anal shield with scamous ornamentation in posterior area and fused to dorsal shield; anterior margin of ventri-anal shield with two pairs of setae; 7–8 pairs of thin and smooth pre-anal setae (20–22 long). Setae JV5 have similar shape to other dorsal thickened setae (32 long). Post-anal seta slightly pilose. Anal valves with vestigial euanal setae and anal lyrifissures present. Glands gv2 double and gv3 conspicuous. Peritreme straight with bent anterior tip. Dorso-peritrematal shield with lines of ornamentation.

MALE. Body length 408 μm, width 270 μm. Dorsal chaetotaxy, adenotaxy and poroidotaxy as in the female. Sternogenital shield fused with endopodal elements between coxae II–III and III–IV ( Fig. 5 ); with five pairs of setae (st1–st5), and a lightly sclerotized band between setae st1 and st2. Ventri-anal shield with 8 pairs of ventral setae, two pairs on the anterior margin.

Notes Z. curryi belongs to a group of species with a full complement of opisthonotal setae which are heterogeneous in size and shape (series J uniform), glands Po 2 in position gdZ2, glands Po 3 in position gdJ4 (on the line connecting setae J4 and Z4), and setae Z1 and Z2 shorter than the other setae of this series. Within this group, four species have several opisthonotal setae with modified (spatulate or oar-like) tips: Z. andrei Sellnick , Z. berlesei Sellnick , Z. foveolatus Halašková and Z. pinicola Halašková. All of these species are distinguished from Z. curryi by the different shape of longer opisthosomal setae and in the similar shape and length of setae S2 and S3, among other characters. In Z. andrei the greater part of the opisthonotal surface is densely covered with large pits, longer setae are bicarinate before the apical thickened ending, and setae Z3 are about 3 times as long as needle-like Z2; Z. berlesei has longer opisthonotal thickened setae, smooth, apically flattened and rounded; setae Z3 are twice as long as than needle-like setae Z2; in Z. pinicola the longer thickened setae are apically flattened with hyaline ends and setae Z3 are about 2.5 times as long as smooth setae Z2; Z. foveolatus also has longer thickened setae apically flattened with hyaline ending and Z3 are three times as long as Z2.

Etymology The species is named in honor of Prof. James P. (Jim) Curry (University College Dublin), colleague and friend.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Zercon curryi Moraza, Arroyo and Bolger sp. nov. 1. Female, dorsal idiosoma; 2. Female, detail of several dorsal setae; 3. Female, detail of dorsal gland gdS 5; 4. Female, ventral idiosoma; 5. Male, sternogenital sheld.