Epicrius sophiae Bregetova, 1977

Án, Peter Ma Ò, 2008, The family Epicriidae in Slovakia: annotated faunal synopsis and description of a new species of Epicrius (Acari, Mesostigmata, Epicriidae), Zootaxa 1880, pp. 48-68 : 61-63

Epicrius sophiae Bregetova, 1977

( Figs 9–11 )

Epicrius sophiae Bregetova, 1977: 39 ; Gwiazdowicz, 2000: 471.

Material examined. 1 Ψ – 9 November 1997, SW Slovakia, Burda Hills, Kamenica Nad Hronom Village, Kováčovské Kopce Hills (47°49'N, 18°45'E), oak forest ( Quercetum cerris ), 330 m; 1 ɗ – same data except 29 July 2002.

Description. Female. Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 10 ). Idiosoma subcylindrical, widely oval in outline, longer than wide (length 513 µm, width 353 µm). Dorsal shield entire, covering whole dorsal surface, and richly ornamented with noduliform tubercles forming a distinct network; sculptural tubercles relatively large, globular and usually bi- to penta-spinate. Dorsal surface bearing 33 pairs of setae; most dorsal setae stout, spinelike, slightly pilose on surface and subequal, 55–73 µm in length; only setae s2, s3, r4, R1, and R2 very short, simple, smooth and needle-like. Glandular structure between setae s6 and S3 hypertrophied, rounded and placed together s6 and S3 on one common area enclosed by the row of nodules.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 9 ). Presternal platelets well differentiated, small, suboval, and each bearing sternal seta st1 with associated poroid structure. Sternal shield subquadrate, situated between coxae II and III, straight anteriorly, slightly concave posteriorly, sinuous on lateral margins, and with three pairs of setae (st2–st4). Genitiventral shield relatively large, tongue-like, slightly convex anteriorly and posteriorly, and bearing two pairs of setae (st5, Zv1). Wide posterolateral surfaces covered by nodulated shield overlapping from dorsum; the shield with six pairs of setae (Jv3, Jv4, Zv2–Zv4, R4) and inner margins widely rounded in opisthogastric region and adjacent to lateral margins of anal shield. Anal shield free, with small elongated anus, three circum-anal setae and a pair of pre-anal setae (Jv2). Only one pair of ventral setae (Jv1) placed on narrow membraneous cuticle between genitiventral and anal shields. Peritrematal regions with conspicuous stigma, peritreme absent.

Gnathosomal structures. Chelicera chelate-dentate, with very weak dentition of digits. Ventral side of hypostome with four pairs of hypostomal setae, normal for genus, corniculi slender and digitiform, deutosternum with two medial transversal rows of denticles. Tectum subtriangular and denticulated on anterior margin. Palp with normal setation, palptarsal apotele 3-tined.

Legs. Legs II–IV terminated in multi-lobed pulvillus and two claws. Legs I the longest, lacking ambulacral apparatus on tarsus I. Tarsus I (118–124 µm long) with four specialized sensory setae (macrosetae) ventrolaterally, these setae with undistinct club-like tips. Legs bearing stout and spinose setae mostly inserted on distinct bases. Setation normal for genus.

Male ( Fig. 11 ).

Idiosoma 410 µm long, 310 µm wide. Ventral surface with a pair of presternal platelets each bearing st1, sternogenital and ventrianal shields. Sternigental shield large, oblong, widely rounded posteriorly, and bearing four pairs of setae (st2–st5). Ventrianal shield relatively small and narrow, slim, free, with three circum-anal setae and two pairs of pre-anals (Jv1, Jv2). Ventral setae Jv1 inserted on soft cuticular integument between sternogenital and ventrianal shields. Other characters similar to the female.

Notes. This species was described only from the holotype male, found in Carpatho-Ukraine, by Bregetova (1977). She included it in her identification key without a description or illustrations. The species is easily distinguishable from the all other male congeners by the presence of the ventrianal shield bearing two pairs of pre-anal setae. The female was previously unknown, but may be briefly diagnosed as follows: (1) dorsocentral setae thick and long, subequal in length; (2) dorsal setae s2, s3, r4, R1 and R2 needle-like and short; (3) hypertrophied glandular structure, dorsal setae s6 and S3 not separated by transversal rows of nodules; (4) sternal shield with three pairs of setae (st2–st4); (5) genital shield with two pairs of setae (st5, Zv1); (6) opisthogaster with one pair of ventral setae (Jv1) inserted in membraneous integument; (7) anal shield free, with one pair of pre-anal setae (Jv4) except three circum-anal setae.

Ecology. A rare species with thermophilous and xerotolerant requirements. In Slovakia it was exclusively found in warm and dry localities, in sunny southern slopes of Burda Hills (330 m), in the south-western part of Slovakia ( Fig. 1 ). Such ecological attributes are, however, atypical of other more psychrotolerant Epicrius representatives of the Slovakian fauna. Recorded in litter samples from oak forest ( Quercetum cerris ). It probably originates from refuges in the submediterranean region.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Known distribution of epicriid species in Slovakia (dotted area represents Pannonian flora distribution).

FIGURES 9 – 11. Epicrius sophiae Bregetova, 1977. 9. Ventral idiosoma of female; 10. Dorsal idiosoma of female; 11. Ventral idiosoma of male. Scales: 100 µm.