Leptogamasus (L.) gurghiuensis, WitalińskiK, 2022

WitalińskiK, Wojciech, 2022, New Leptogamasus mite species (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae) from Europe. V. Romania, Acarologia 62 (4), pp. 1171-1200 : 1186

Leptogamasus (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp. female shares some similarities with Leptogamasus

(L.) silvestris Witaliński, 2021, and also with Leptogamasus distinctellus ( Berlese, 1906) . In all these species the endogynial spherules are elongated anteriorly, and their anterior poles form several protrusions. In L. (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp., there are two to four acute protrusions, whereas in L. distinctellus each spherule culminates into two little finger-shaped protrusions (Plate XVII, fig. 13 in Berlese, 1906). However, in L. (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp. the endogynium is armed in a prominent stipule. By way of a contrast, in L. distinctellus endogynium no stipule is discernible whatsoever. The stipule structure differs evidently in L. (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp. and L. (L.) silvestris females: in the former species, the stipule is wide, overlapping the basal parts of the spherules, whereas L in. silvestris, it is relatively small, located between the spherular bases. L. (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp. male differs from L. (L.) silvestris in respect of the second leg structure, since in the former species, the genual and tibial spurs are similar is shape and size, whereas in L. (L.) silvestris, the genual spur is small and tubercular, whereas the tibial one larger and conical. The comparison of males between L. (L.) gurghiuensis n. sp. and L. distinctellus is not feasible, owing to a rather scarce original description of the latter species.