Leptus multisolenidiae, Mayoral & Barranco, 2011

Mayoral, J. G. & Barranco, P., 2011, A New Species Of Larval Leptus (Parasitengona: Erythraeidae) And New Records Of Larval Erythraeidae Parasitizing Orthoptera From French Guiana, Acarologia 51 (4), pp. 411-417 : 413-417

Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp.

( Figures 1-3 ; Table 1)

Material studied — Holotype, larva, Kaw mountain . Cayenne. French Guiana. 8-1-2008. P. Barranco leg. On Episomacris gruneri (Descamps and AmØdØgnato 1970) P. Barranco det. (R-292B) ; Paratype, 1 larva, same location, collector and host as holotype (R-292A). Holotype and paratype are deposited in the " Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales de Madrid " ( MNCN) in Spain with numbers MNCN 20.02 /17155 and MNCN 20.02 /17156, respectively .

Description based on holotype — Color in life red-orange. Idiosoma oval (holotype slightly engorged), length 337 µm and width 187 µm. Dorsum of idiosoma with 49 (47) setae in irregular transverse rows, 45 – 50 µm long ( Figure 1A ). Dorsal scutum moderately chitinized, porose but without striations, triangular shaped. Two pairs of filliform sensilla, posteriors (S) twice longer than the anteriors ones (AM) ( Table 1); both with fine setules in distal 1/5 and 1/3 of their entire length, respectively. Scutum bearing two pair of scutalae (AL and PL), similar in length ( Figure 2A ); AL setae are nude in proximal 1/2 of its entire length and PL are nude in proximal 1/3.

Ventral idiosoma with one coxala on coxae I, II and III, coxala I the longest ( Table 1). Two intercoxalae between coxae I, 54 µm long, two between coxae II, 50 µm long and 4 intercoxalae between coxae II-III, the anterior ones shorter (27 µm) than the posterior ones (45 µm). Behind coxae III, 20 (19) setae with setules, 41 – 50 µm ( Figure 1B ).

Gnathosoma porose, narrow, length 247µm. One pair of galealae with small setules, pointed, 22 µm long; anterior hypostomala smooth, pointed, simple, 13 µm long; posterior hypostomala with similar shape but thicker and stronger, with fine setules, 54 µm long; palpal supracoxala present, blunted peg, 4 µm long. Palpal setal formula: fPp= 0-B-B-BBB- 3B3N ( Figure 2B ).

Leg setal formula: Leg I: Ta-1,2,1,25B; Ti-2,1,14B; Ge-2,1,8B; Tf-5B; Bf-2B; Tr-1B, Cx-1B ( Figure 3A ). Leg II: Ta-1,2,24B; Ti-2,15B; Ge-2 (2-3),1,8B; Tf-5B; Bf-2B; Tr-1B, Cx-1B ( Figure 3B ). Leg III: Ta-1,24B; Ti- 5-6,15B; Ge-7-9 (8),8B; Tf-6-7, 5B; Bf-1B; Tr-1B, Cx-1B ( Figure 3C ).

IP = 1041 + 940 + 1116 = 3097 (Holotype)

IP = 946 + 851 + 1016 = 2813 (Paratype)

Measurements for the holotype and paratype are given in Table 1.

Remarks — The presence of multiple solenoidialae on the genua III can be found only in one species of the genus Leptus , L. comosus Southcott, 1991 from South Australia with six solenoidialae (Southcott 1991). Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp. has 7 − 9 solenidiae on Ge III and therefore belongs to this exclusive group of species. Leptus comosus is also the only species with solenoidalae on Tf I, II, III bearing 3, 4, 6 - 7, respectively. Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp. carries 6 - 7 solenoidalae on telofemur III (same as L. comosus ), but has none on Tf I or II.

However, these two species differ from each other in several characters. Leptus comosus belongs to the group of Leptus with two genualae on the palp and is characterized as being "an extremely hairy larva, more so than any other described species" ( Southcott 1991b), bearing ventrally more than 80 setae anterior to coxae III. This is not the case for L. multisolenidiae that belongs to the group of Leptus with one genuala on the palp and carries only 8 setae anterior to coxae III. Morphometric data also allows us to differentiate both species well, all the segments of the legs are considerably longer in the new species, cf. the length of the Ti I, II, III (230 – 275, 202 – 230, 285 – 321 vs. 118 – 138, 108 – 125, 158 – 186); thus resulting in a much larger IP (2813 – 3097 vs. 1820, respectively).

Etymology — The name of the species is after the presence of many solenidiae on the telofemur of the leg III.

Figures

FIGURE 1: Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp. (larvae), holotype. A – idiosoma, dorsal view; B – idiosoma, ventral view. Scale bar 100 µm.

FIGURE 2: Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp. (larvae), paratype. A – scutum; B – gnathosoma, right side dorsal view; left side ventral view. Scale bar 60 µm.

FIGURE 3: Leptus multisolenidiae n. sp. (larvae), paratype. A – Leg I; B – Leg II; C – Leg III. Scale bar 150 µm.