Reticulolaelaps costai, Joharchi & Babaeian, 2015

Joharchi, O. & Babaeian, E., 2015, A new species of Reticulolaelaps Costa (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with Tapinoma sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Iran, with a review of the world species, Acarologia 55 (1), pp. 33-40 : 34-37

Reticulolaelaps costai n. sp.

( Figures 1-2 )

Specimens examined — Holotype, female, Iran, Qazvin, Savojbolagh, Khoznan, 36.71° N, 50.32° E, alt. 1595 m, 3 August 2012, O. Joharchi coll., in nest of Tapinoma sp. ( Formicidae ) (in YIAU). Paratype, one female same data as holotype (in JAZM).

Description of the Female

Dorsal idiosoma — Dorsal shield length 618 – 622, width 385 – 396 (n = 2) ( Fig. 1A ). Shield oval shaped, convex, well sclerotized, strongly reticulated; with about 117 – 120 thick, falciform setae, setae similar in length (50 – 62) and thickness, most long enough to reach well past base of next posterior seta, except j1 (12 – 13) and z1 (17 – 18). Shield with six pairs of pore-like structures, apparently including three pairs of gland pores and three pairs of poroids; lyrifissures near the base of z1 large and slit-like, others smaller and ovoid.

Ventral idiosoma — ( Fig. 1B ). Tritosternum with paired pilose laciniae (57 – 62), columnar base (22 × 5 – 6 wide); pre-sternal shields absent, some minute irregular platelets present behind coxa I. Sternal shield (length 57 – 65) narrowest between coxae II (99 – 100), widest at level between coxae II and III (183 – 185), with biconvex anterior margin and extending very slightly beyond level of st1; posterior margin deeply concave; shield bearing three pairs of smooth pointed setae (st 1 37 – 38, st 2 52 – 54, st 3 52 – 53) and two pairs of lyrifissures, one pair adjacent to setae st1 and the other between st 2 and st 3; surface with distinct reticulate ornamentation, posteriorly smooth, behind level of st2. Metasternal setae st4 apparently absent but metasternal poroids present on the posterolateral extensions of sternal shield; endopodal plates II/III fused to sternal shield, endopodal plates III/IV elongate, narrow, curved and fused to large triangular podal shields posterior to coxae IV. Genito-ventral shield broad, length 326 – 330, maximum width 302 – 305, posterior edge straight, abutting anal shield, reticulate throughout, bearing genital setae st5 (62 – 63) and five additional pairs of setae on its surface (Jv1 45 – 47, Jv2 25 – 26, Zv1 59 – 60, Zv2 29 – 30, Zv3 27 – 28), paragenital poroids present. Anal shield semicircular, large, twice as wide as long (104 – 105 × 208 – 209 wide), reticulate throughout, with a pair of poroids near the edge at level of Jv4, para-anal setae (20) longer than post-anal seta (12), cribrum relatively broad. Opisthogastric skin with five pairs of smooth setae and two pair of pores; metapodal plates absent. Peritreme extending from midcoxa IV to anterior level of coxa I, peritrematal shield wide, with a very wide outer margin, one pair of pores only slightly posterior to mid-coxa II level, post-stigmatal section well extended posteriorly, with two pairs of poroids.

Gnathosoma — Hypostomal groove with four rows of denticles each bearing 2-5 small teeth ( Fig. 1C ). Corniculi short and weakly sclerotised. Internal malae complex, with two pairs of lobes, inner lobes narrow, with smooth edges, outer lobes long, narrow, pointed. Hypostome with two large membranous flaps, extending anteriorly until the half of palp femur; hypostomal setae h1 (44), h2 (8), h3 (47), palp coxal seta (25). Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 2, femur 5, genu 6, tibia 14, tarsus 15, all setae smooth and needle-like; palp tarsal claw with two pointed tines of unequal length, without any hyaline membranes ( Fig. 1D ). Epistome somewhat subtriangular, with a smooth margin, anterior part membranous, posterior well sclerotised, with some reticulation ( Fig. 2A ). Fixed digit of chelicera with two small pointed teeth, each flanking the pilus dentilis, and a proximal indistinct rounded bulge ( Fig. 2B ); pilus dentilis moderately thick, dorsal seta short, thick, prostrate; movable digit (30 – 33) with four large teeth and the largest tooth is retrorse; arthrodial membrane with a rounded flap and a row of short filaments.

Legs — Legs short, well ornamented, legs II and III shorter (258 – 262, 288 – 294), I and IV longer (410 – 415, 420 – 426) (excluding pre-tarsus). Leg I: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/2 1/1 1, femur 2 2/1 3/3 2, genu 2 3/2 3/1 2, tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1, genu 2 3/1 2/1 1, tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2. Leg III: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, genu 2 2/1 2/0 1, tibia 1 2/1 2/1 1. Leg IV: 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 ( Fig. 2C ), genu 2 2/1 3/1 1 ( Fig. 2C ), tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2 ( Fig. 2C ); all setae fine and needle-like. Tarsi I-IV with 18 setae 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. All pre-tarsi with a pair of claws and a long thin membranous ambulacral stalk.

Insemination structures — Not seen, apparently unsclerotised.

Etymology — This species is named in honour of Michael Costa, who made many important contributions to the systematics of the family Laelapidae .

Remarks — Reticulolaelaps costai n. sp. differs from R. faini Costa, 1968 and R. hallidayi Joharchi, Nemati and Babaeian, 2013 by having thick and falciform dorsal setae (in R. faini and R. hallidayi the dorsal setae simple and delicate), genitoventral shield wider than in the two other described species in this genus.

Figures

FIGURE 1: Reticulolaelaps costai n. sp., female: A – Dorsal shield; B – Ventral idiosoma; C – Hypostome; D – Palp tarsal claw.

FIGURE 2: Reticulolaelaps costai n. sp., female: A – Epistome; B – Chelicera; C – Leg IV (excluding coxa and trochanter).