Ptilonyssus vossi

Greg S. Spicer, 1977, Two New Nasal Mites Of The Genus Ptilonyssus (Mesostigmata: Rhinonyssidae) From Texas, Acarologia 18 (4), pp. 594-601 : 595-597

Ptilonyssus vossi n. sp.

Type host: house wren ( Troglodytes aedon ), family Troglodytidae

Type material: Holotype female (F.W. M. S.H. no. i o i), eleven paratype females and one paratype nymph from Fort Worth, Tarrant Co., Texas, 16 Oct. 1975 and five paratype females from the same locality, but 24 Oct. 1974 are deposited in the Forth Worth Museum of Science and History. A paratype female is deposited in the United States National Museum.

F e m a l e ( Figs. 1-6 )

The idiosoma is 650 (500-750) in length and 370 (270-441) in width.

Dorsum: Podosomal plate is very irregular in shape, margins eroded, rounded anteriorly and bilobed posteriorly. The podosomal plate is 138 (120-144) in length and 130 (120-142) in width. The plate contains four pairs of setae. In addition, one pair of setae are located anteriorly; one pair posteriorly and seven pairs flanking the podosomal plate. Two pairs of small platelets are positioned posterior to the podosomal plate. The peritreme is 34 (30-36) in length and is found at the level of Coxa III. The opisthosoma has eight pairs of setae and six pairs of pores. Pygidial plates contain one pair of setae and vary from one to three in number, three being the most common. The margins are often so eroded it is difficult to determine the number of plates.

Venter: Sternal plate absent or very poorly sclerotized, with three pairs of large sternal setae. Genital plate large, 155 (144-163) in length and 86 (77-96) in width, bearing one pair of setae on and one pair of pores posterior to the plate. Seven pairs of spinose setae present on the ventral opisthosoma. Anal plate elongate, 123 (114-132) in length and 57 (52-60) in width, with three large setae, two anterior and one posterior to the anal opening; cribrum present.

Gnathosoma: The gnathosoma is 184 (156-192) in length and 99 (76-108) in width, the palps are 67 (66-70) in length. Two pairs of hypostomal setae and one pair of deutosternal setae are present. Deutosternal teeth range from ten to nineteen in number, the average being ten or eleven. The chelicerae is 143 (137-146) in length and 24 (23-26) in width.

Legs: Leg IV is the longest. The length of the legs are: Leg I 322 (289-348), Leg II 287 (255-314), Leg III 274 (260-279), Leg IV 336 (314-368)* Setae are large and spinose. Ambulacra well developed, claws stout and hooked.

M ale -unknown

Deutonymph The idiosoma is 588 in length and 270 in width.

Dorsum: The podosomal and pygidial plates are lacking or not visible. The peritreme is 26 in length. Setae are the same as the female, but there are no pores present.

Venter: The genital plate is barely visible, the anal plate and ventral setae are identical to the female.

Gnathosoma: The gnathosoma is 168 in length and 84 in width. Setae and palps similar the female. Chelicerae was not visible. There are eight deutosternal teeth present.

Legs: Leg IV is the longest. The length of the legs are: Leg I 270, Leg II 225, Leg III 221, Leg IV 274. The chaetotaxy is similar to that of the female. Claws and ambulacra are not well developed. Diagnosis Ptilonyssus vossi n. sp. is closely related, to three other mites collected from wrens ( Troglodytidae ), P. troglodyUs Fain (1964), P. salpinctis George (1961) , and P. thryothori Pence (1972) . Ptilonyssus vossi n. sp. can be distinguished from these other species by the shape of the podosomal plate, the presence of seven pairs of ventral opisthosoma setae (P. troglodyUs has six pairs; P. salpinctis has eight pairs; P. thryothori has seven pairs), eight pairs of dorsal opisthosoma setae (P. troglodyUs has seven pairs; P. salpinctis has eleven pairs; P. thryothori has nine pairs), and the greater number of pygidial plates. This mite is named in honor of William J. Voss, Curator of Science, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Figures

Figs. 1 - 6. — Ptilonyssus vossi n. sp. i) female dorsum; 2) female venter; 3) venter of female gnathosoma; 4) female chelicera; 5) venter of female tarsus I; 6) dorsum of female tarsus I.