Terpnacarus zaheri, Momen, F. M., Sayed, A. A. & Nasr, A. K., 2004

Momen, F. M., Sayed, A. A. & Nasr, A. K., 2004, A new species of the genus Terpnacarus Grandjean (Acari: Terpnacaridae) from Egypt, Zootaxa 543, pp. 1-4 : 2-4

Terpnacarus zaheri n. sp.

( Figs 1–7 )

ADULT FEMALE. Dimensions: length of body (including gnathosoma) 333–346, length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 301–306, breadth of body 180–189.

Dorsum ( Figs 1 & 2 ). The prodorsum bears 6 pairs of setae ( Fig. 2 ). Setae le robust, distinctly logner than setae xp and in, are of equal length of setae xa (35–38), setae ro (14– 16), which situated on the naso, are shorter than setae in (18–21).

Setae xp are very small and pectinate. The naso is large and bears a lenslike eye ventrally. Sensillae bo are filamentous and ciliate (56–61 long). The central part of the prodorsum has longitudinal smooth striae. The hysterosoma ( Fig.1 ) bears 36 pairs of plumose setae which are situated in 9 transverse rows. Striae on the dorsum of the hysterosoma are smooth.

Venter: The genital opening ( Fig. 6 ) is relatively large and the covers are clearly defined. Each cover bears 14 large and pilose setae, arranged in two rows. Three pairs of genital papillae as well as 3 pairs of long, nude internal setae are present. Six pairs of paragenital setae are present. The anal pore is surrounded by 6 pairs of anal setae and 5 pairs of para­anals.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 3–5 ): The chelicerae ( Fig. 3 ) are bulky, chelate­dentate and bear 2 setae dorsally. The hypognathum ( Fig. 4 ) bears 6 pairs of setae, the anterior pair, small and nude, while the second pair are robust and relatively blunt distally. The rutella are well developed and each terminates in a sharp blade­like edge. The palpal tarsus ( Fig. 5 ) bears 11 plumose setae, one smooth and short seta, one obtuse solenidion and terminally one yatagan­shaped solenidion.

Legs: Leg setal patterns (formula indicates setation from tarsus to trochanter with solenidion in parentheses).

Tarsus I ( Fig. 7 ) bears one long, slender solenidion and one famulus, while tibia I bears 2 slender solenidia and genu I bears 3 mucronate solenidia. The ambulacra of all the legs are composed of a large, rayed claw­like empodium and two true claws which are barbed and smaller than the empodium.

MALE: Unknown.

Etymology: The new species is named for Prof. M. Zaher, Department of Zoology, Cairo University, Egypt.

Type data: Female holotype collected from debris under date palm, paratypes 5 females collected with the holotype, Egypt, 20 September 2003 by Dr. A. A. Sayed.

Remarks: The genus Terpnacarus has not been recorded in Egypt before this report. The new species resembles T.carolinaensis Theron (1976) described from South Africa in having smooth and fine striation on the hysterosomal integument. It differs from the latter by having 36 pairs of hysterosomal setae opposed to 34 pairs in T. carolinensis , in having one seta on trochanter I compared to nil in T. carolinaensis .

It can be separated also by having 5 pairs of para anal setae compared to 6 pairs in T. carolinaensis .

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Terpnacarus zaheri n. sp. (Female) 1. Dorsum of the hysterosoma; 2. Prodorsum; 3. Chelicera; 4. Hypognathum; 5. Palp; 6. Genital and anal opening; 7. Tarsus 1.