Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979

Gheblealivand, Saeide S., Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Magowski, Wojciech Ł. & Manzari, Shahab, 2018, The genus Tarsonemus Canestrini and Fanzago, 1876 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Tarsonemidae) in East Azerbaijan, Iran, with a description of T. lenticulatus sp. nov. and re-description of T. annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979, Zootaxa 4446 (1), pp. 13-38 : 22-27

Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979

( Figs. 10–17 , 18B, D )

Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979: 19 -20, Fig.22.

Material examined: 2 females, Jolfa, Iri village commune, 38°46' 35"N, 45°59'51"E, 1,085 m.a.s.l., ex soil and litter, 26-March-2014 ; 7 females, Marand , Osdaghi village commune, 38°24'38"N, 45°52'01"E, 1,485 m.a.s.l., ex apricot leaves, 25-April-2014 ; 3 females, Jolfa, Gordian plain commune, 38°52'33"N, 45°42'26"E, 970 m.a.s.l., ex apricot leaves, 29-May-2014; 2 females, Jolfa , Kordasht village commune, 38°50'10"N, 46°13'43"E, 724 m. a.s.l., ex pomegranate leaves, 29-May-2014 ; 11 females, Jolfa, Novje–Mehr village commune, 38°52'16"N, 46°01'34"E, 1,064 m.a.s.l., ex mulberry leaves, 30-May-2014; 2 females, Sufiyan , Sar village commune, 38°20'51"N, 46°06'18"E, 1,624 m.a.s.l., ex apple leaves, 10-October-2014; all coll. S. Gheblealivand.

Diagnosis. Females. Pharynx oval, without constriction. Dorsal setae c 1 and c 2 tapered, setiform, pointed. Setae 1a, 2a, 3a and 3b smooth, attenuated. Tegula subtrapezoidal in shape with rounded posterior edge. Tarsal part of Tbt I with two attenuated setae.

Redescription- FEMALE ( Figs. 10–18B, D ). Gnathosoma ( Figs. 11–12 ): capsule triangular-ovoid. Pharynx ( Fig. 18B ) with sclerotized lateral walls, oval in outline, as wide as 0.4x maximum width of gnathosoma and as long as 0.65x of ventral length of gnathosomal capsule, with hardly discernible transverse striation and with a pair of glandular bodies moderate in size. Postpalpal (pp) setae indiscernible. Setae dgs visibly longer than vgs. Cheliceral stylets and levers fine but pronounced. Palpi moderately large, straight, slightly convergent, each with small palptarsal processes and two minute setae.

Idiosomal dorsum: (average length: 214 (SD ± 13), width: 122 (SD ± 14); length = 1.8x width; Fig. 10 ); relative length of setae (v1: sc2: c2: c1: d: e: f: h): 1: 2.2: 0.9: 0.8: 0.3: 0.4: 0.4: 0.4. Rostral shieldlet 2.5– 3x wider than long, round - sub trapezoidal. Vertical setae (v1) setiform, pointed, smooth, separated by a distance of their length. Prodorsal shield (PrS) with concave posterior edge, 1.4x wider than long. Stigmata located posterolaterally of setae v1, tracheal tubes with internal atria followed by post-atrial segments with sclerotized post-atrial sacs. Sensilla sc1 clavate, covered with fine spines. Pits v 2 in mid-length of line between stigmata and setae sc2 on each side, separated by distance slightly smaller than that between sc2. Setae sc2 located posteriad mid-length of prodorsal shield (measured from line of stigmata to posterior edge), reaching with their tips 1/2 their length beyond posterior edge of PrS, separated by distance of ca. 0.9x their length. Setae c2 slightly longer than c1, both pairs slender, sharp. Setae c1, located posteriad of level of c 2, reaching to 2/3 of distance between their bases and posterior edge of tergite C; separated by transverse distance of ca. 4x their length. Posterior edge of tergite C straight, waved irregularly. Setae d, e, f and h short, stiff and blunt. Setae d separated by transverse distance of ca. 4– 5x their length, not reaching posterior edge of shield D. Posterolateral margin of shield D emarginated corresponding to bases of setae e. Setae f slightly shorter than e but slightly longer than d, separated by a distance of over 2x their length. Distance between setae e and f on each side ca. 1.5x that of between f. Setae h subequal to e and slightly longer than f, located in distance of ca. 5x their length each to another. Dorsal shielding with fine uniform dimpled ornamentation.

Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 11 ): apodemes 1 poorly defined, joined with anteromedian apodeme; the latter well defined, consisting of very short segment near bases of 1a, and another one continuous from a level near anterolateral ends of apodemes 2 to sejugal apodeme, with diffused junction area. Sejugal apodeme with slight inflexions in lateral parts; together with anteromedial apodeme forming shape of anchor. Ridge of ventral propodosomal plate between trochanters I and II angular. Setae 1a -3b slender, sharply pointed; 1a located posteriad apodemes 1 at distance barely longer than their length to each other. Setae 2a inserted on medial parts of apodemes 2, in distance of over 2x their lengths between their bases. Apodemes 3 strongly sclerotized, extended from anterior margins of trochanters III anteromedially and widened towards bases of 3a; apodemes 4 weak, separated from posteromedial apodeme medially; latter one bifurcated anteriorly. Setae 3a separated by distance of ca. 1.4– 2x; 3b slightly shorter than 3a, separated by distance of 2.5– 3x their lengths, but similar to that between 3a. Ventral metapodosomal plate with anterior edge weakly concave. Tegula ( Fig. 18C ) round-trapezoidal in outline, with rounded posterior edge ca. 1.7x wider than long. Setae ps stiff, slightly barbed and blunt, their bases separated by distance of ca. 2x their lengths. Surface of ventral plates covered with fine uniform dimpled ornamentation.

Legs ( Figs. 13–16 ): Proportions of free segments of legs (I: II: III: IV): 1.0: 0.9: 1.0: 0.7.

Leg I: Chaetotaxy: 4–4–6(2 φ)+7(1 ω). Tarsal claw hooked, slightly stronger than those of tarsi II and III. Subunguinal seta s tapering, blunt, apparently smaller than u’ of tarsi II and III. Tarsal unguinal setae u’ – u” indiscernible. Tibiotarsus ca. 3.3x longer than wide at base. Eupathidion p” subequal to p’, both located apically; eupathidion tc’ slightly longer than tc”, the latter similar in length to p’ and p”, located in distal 1/3 length of segment. Two tarsal setae pv’, pv” slender and pointed (pl" absent). Solenidion ω clavate, larger than Ta II ω. Solenidion φ2 with striated head, shorter than φ1, famulus k longer than φ1. Setae Ge v’, l’ and l” stiff and pointed. Seta Fe d short, stiff, and sharp, seta l’ strong, stiff and pointed. Leg II: Chaetotaxy: 3– 3– 4– 6(1 ω). Claws on tarsus hooked, well developed. Seta u’ spine-like, u" indiscernible. Spine-like seta pl” slightly longer than solenidion Ta II ω, located at same level. Seta tc” about 1.3x longer than tc’ and other tarsal setae, reaching somewhat beyond tip of empodium. Tibial setae l’, v’ and v” weakly barbed; l’ the shortest. Seta Ge l’ stout, smooth, pointed. Femur with a latero-ventral lobe; seta l’ tapering, weakly barbed and bluntly ended, seta d moderately stout. Leg III: Chaetotaxy: 1+3–4–5. Tarsal claws similar to those of leg II, though thinner. Seta u’ similar to that on tarsus II; u” indiscernible. Seta tc” over 2x longer than other setae on segment. Seta Ge l’ simple, weak. Genual part of femorogenu on right leg of one specimen has one extra seta, probably v”. Leg IV: free segments of leg IV slightly longer than femorogenu and tibia III. Femorogenu over 3x longer than tibiotarsus. Femoral seta slightly shorter and clearly weaker than genual one. Seta Tb v’ as long as femorogenu; stout, very weakly barbed. Seta Ta tc” ca. 1.6x as long as whole leg IV.

Measurements (5 specimens): body and tagmata: length of body: 225–240; length of idiosoma: 195-227; width of idiosoma (approx.): 110–145; length of gnathosoma: 31–33; width of gnathosoma: 21–23; length of pharynx: 20–24; width of pharynx: 8–9; dgs: 12–17; vgs: 8–10. Dorsum - length of PrS: 70–76; width of PrS: 95–110; distance between stigmata: 44–46. Lengths of setae: v1: 25–31; sc 1 11–15; sc2: 60–65; c2: 25–30; c1: 18–26; d: 8–10; e: 11–13; f: 10–12; h: 11–13. Distances between setae: v1-v1: 27–28; sc1-sc1: 42–50; sc2-sc2: 57–61; c2-c2: 100–115; c1-c1: 81–92; d -d: 38–40; e -e: 85–95; e -f: 30–40; f -f. 22–30; h -h: 53–60. Venter: lengths of setae: 1a: 9 –10; 2a: 12–15; 3a: 14–18; 3b: 10–12; ps: 9–10. Distances between setae: 1a -1a: 10; 2a -2a: 30–32; 3a -3a: 22–27; 3b -3b: 26–30; ps -ps: 19–22. Length of PrP: 55–60; width of PrP: 90–110; ap. 1–1: 7–10; ap. 2– 2: 38–40. Length of tegula: 6–9; width of tegula:12–15. Leg segments and leg setae (lengths): Tbt I: 24–25; ω I: 6–7; φ1: 2–3; φ2: 4–5; қ: 6; ω II: 4–5; FeGe IV: 30–34; Tbt IV: 9–11; Fe v’: 12–15; Ge v': 14–17; Tb v': 28–35; Ta tc": 62–70.

MALE and LARVA unknown.

Distribution. Eastern Europe: Crimea (Livshitz et al. 1979) and Northwestern Iran.

Differential diagnosis. Females of T. annotatus are similar to Tarsonemus bilobatus Suski, 1965a in having a similar structure of the sejugal apodeme, sclerotized post-atrial sacs, and slender 3b setae. However it differs from the latter by (1) apodemes 2 ending medially in the distance of 1/ 2x their length to anteromedial apodeme (vs. apodemes 2 clearly reaching to anteromedial apodeme); (2) bifurcation of posteromedial apodeme expressed (vs. bifurcation of posteromedial apodeme absent); (3) Setae ps separated by distance of ca. 2x their lengths (vs. ps separated by distance apparently larger than 2x their lengths).

Remarks. Previous records from Iran: East Azerbaijan (Sufiyan, the soil of alfalfa cultivations, Lotfollahi & Haddad Irani-Nejad 2010).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979—female dorsum.

FIGURE 11. Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979—female venter.

FIGURES 12–13. Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979—female gnathosoma: 12—dorsum, 13— venter.

FIGURES 14–17. Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979—female legs: 14—leg I (dorsal aspect), 15—leg II (dorsal aspect), 16—leg III (16a-ventral aspect, 16b—femorogenu III—female specimen), 17—leg IV (ventral aspect).

FIGURE 18. Details of morphology, Tarsonemus lenticulatus sp. nov.: A—pharynx, C—tegula; Tarsonemus annotatus Livshits, Mitrofanov and Sharonov, 1979: B—pharynx, D—tegula. Scale bars are 10 µm.