Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae Nazari & Khanjani, 2017

Doğan, Salih & Doğan, Sibel, 2020, New occurrence of Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae (Acariformes: Stigmaeidae) in Turkey and first descriptions of its nymphal stages, Persian Journal of Acarology 9 (3), pp. 225-232 : 226-230

Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae Nazari & Khanjani, 2017

Description

Female ( Figs. 1 , 7–9 ) – Length of body 316–332, width 209–235. Dorsum of body covered with shields. Side anterior and lateral of idiosoma with large pits and vacuoles. Propodosomal shield carrying setae vi, ve, sci and a pair of eyes. Metapodosomal and opisthosomal shields partially separated. Setae c 1, d 1, d 2 on the metapodosomal shield, opisthosomal shield bearing setae e 1, e 2, f 1. Suranal shield with two pairs of setae (h 1, h 2). All dorsal setae clavate, spinose. Humeral shields punctuated and situated ventro-laterally. Setae c 2 on the humeral shields and slimmer than all dorsal setae. Coxisternal shields undivided and bearing three pairs of intercoxal setae (1 a, 3 a and 4 a). Three pairs of aggenital setae (ag 1–3) present on the aggenital shield. Anal shields bearing three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1–3). Counts of setae on legs I-IV: coxae 2–2–2–2, trochanters 1–1–2–1, femora 6–4–3–2, genua 3(+1κ)–3(+1κ)–1–1, tibiae 5(+1φρ+1φ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ), tarsi 13(+1ω)– 9(+1ω)–7(+1ω)–7.

Male ( Figs. 2 , 10 ) – Length of body 272, width 191. Dorsum as in female. Propodosoma with a few vacuoles. metapodosomal and opisthosomal shields not ornamented. All dorsal setae serrated. Humeral shields smooth and bearing setae c 2. Coxisternal shields undivided and bearing three pairs of intercoxal setae (1 a, 3 a and 4 a). Three pairs of aggenital setae (ag 1–3) present on the aggenital shield. Anal shields bearing three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1–3). Counts of setae as in female except for additional solenidia on all tarsi.

Deutonymph ( Figs. 3, 4 ) – Length of body 276–287, width 189–209.

Dorsum ( Fig. 3 ). Dorsum of body covered with shields. The anterior side of propodosomal shield punctated, but ornamentations of other dorsal shields undistinguished. Propodosomal shield carrying a pair of eyes and setae vi, ve and sci. Eyes 8–9 in diameter. Metapodosomal and opisthosomal shields partially separated. Setae c 1, d 1, d 2 on the metapodosomal shield, opisthosomal shield bearing setae e 1, e 2, f 1. Suranal shield with two pairs of setae (h 1, h 2). All dorsal setae spinose. Lengths and distances of dorsal setae as follows: vi 14–18, ve 19–22, sci 12–13, sce 14–17, c 1 12–17, c 2 28–32, d 1 13–16, d 2 12–16, e 1 14–18, e 2 14–18, f 1 25–27, h 1 21–27, h 2 21–23, vi-vi 31–37, ve-ve 63–71, vi-ve 38–40, sci -sci 112–118, ve -sci 20–22, sce -sce 151–172, sci -sce 35–38, c 1 - c 1 55–63, d 2 - d 2 166–174, c 1 - d 1 57– 60, c 1 - d 2 57–59, d 1 - d 1 61–64, d 2 - d 1 55–62, e 2 - e 2 123–131, d 2 - e 2 64–72, d 1 - e 1 46–52, d 1 - e 2 41–49, e 1 - e 1 49–53, e 2 - e 1 36–40, f 1 - f 1 52–56, e 1 - f 1 37–39, e 2 - f 1 64–69, h 1 - h 1 25–27, h 2 - h 2 55–58, h 1 - h 2 14–15.

Venter ( Fig. 4 ). Humeral shields smooth and situated ventro-laterally. Setae c 2 on the humeral shields and slimmer than all dorsal setae. Coxisternal shields divided and bearing three pairs of intercoxal setae (1 a, 3 a and 4 a). Lengths and distance of these setae: 1 a 8–9, 3 a 9–10, 4 a 9–10, 1 a - 1 a 22–24, 3 a -3 a 31–36, 4 a -4 a 23–26. Three pairs of aggenital setae (ag 1–3) present on the aggenital shield. Anal shields bearing three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1–3). Lengths of aggenital and pseudanal setae: ag 1 7–8, ag 2 8–9, ag 3 9–10, ps 1 15–16, ps 2 11–13, ps 3 10–11.

Gnathosoma . 59–65, chelicerae 78–80, palp 99–103 long. Subcapitulum with two pairs of adoral setae (or 1, 2) and two pairs of subcapitular setae (m, n). Lengths and distance between subcapitular setae, m 8–12, n 9–10, m -m 14–15, n -n 20–23, m -n 7–9.

Legs. Leg I 144–161, leg II 120–130, leg III 117–125, leg IV 131–137 long. Counts of setae on legs I-IV: coxae 2–2–2–2, trochanters 1–1–2–0, femora 6–4–3–2, genua 3(+1κ)–3(+1κ)–0–0, tibiae 5(+1φρ+1φ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ), tarsi 13(+1ω)–8(+1ω)–7(+1ω)–7.

Protonymph ( Figs. 5, 6 ) – Length of body 217–238, width 170–174.

Dorsum ( Fig. 5 ). Dorsum as in deutonymph. Eyes 7– 7 in diameter. Lengths and distances of dorsal setae as follows: vi 11–12, ve 16–18, sci 9–11, sce 12–14, c 1 10–12, c 2 20–23, d 1 12–14, d 2 12–13, e 1 13–14, e 2 11–12, f 1 20–22, h 1 20–21, h 2 18, vi -vi 30–32, ve -ve 58–61, vi -ve 32–32, sci -sci 96–98, ve -sci 15, sce -sce 131–137, sci -sce 33–46, c 1 - c 1 47–49, d 2 - d 2 132–139, c 1 - d 1 45–47, c 1 - d 2 49– 50, d 1 - d 1 45–48, d 2 - d 1 43–51, e 2 - e 2 88–91, d 2 - e 2 43–56, d 1 - e 1 28–43, d 1 - e 2 28–32, e 1 - e 1 40, e 2 - e 1 24– 27, f 1 - f 1 36–38, e 1 - f 1 28–29, e 2 - f 1 48–50, h 1 - h 1 20, h 2 - h 2 38–42, h 1 - h 2 7–10.

Venter ( Fig. 6 ). Venter as in deutonymph, except setae 4a absent and aggenital shield with a pair of setae (ag 1). Lengths and distance of ventral setae: 1 a 8–9, 3 a 8–9, 1 a -1 a 26–27, 3 a -3 a 31–32, ag 1 7–8, ps 1 11–13, ps 2 7–8, ps 3 7–8.

Gnathosoma . 54–56, chelicerae 67–70, palp 88–92 long. Subcapitulum with two pairs of adoral setae (or 1,2) and one pair of subcapitular setae (m); m 10–11, m -m 14.

3

Legs. Leg I 122–127, leg II 109–112, leg III 103–107, leg IV 112–118 long. Counts of setae on legs I-IV: coxae 2–2–2–2, trochanters 0–0–1–0, femora 4–4–3–1, genua 3(+1κ)–2(+1κ)–0–0, tibiae 5(+1φρ+1φ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ), tarsi 13(+1ω)–8(+1ω)–7(+1ω)–7.

Material examined

One female from soil and litter under Astragalus sp., 39° 24' 30.4'' N, 39° 51' 56.4'' E, 1712 m a.s.l., 13 October 2018; one female from moss and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 30.3'' N, 39° 44' 09.8'' E, 1125 m a.s.l., 13 October 2018; four females from moss on soil, 39° 11' 30.3'' N, 39° 44' 09.8'' E, 1125 m a.s.l., 13 October 2018; two females from litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 00.1'' N, 39° 46' 30.4'' E, 1450 m a.s.l., 13 October 2018; three females from soil and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 09' 28.3'' N, 39° 40' 20.5 '' E, 1060 m a.s.l., 13 October 2018; two females from moss on rock, 39° 35' 01.9'' N, 39° 53' 00.7'' E, 1314 m a.s.l., 27 October 2018; one female from soil under pinecone, 39° 31' 24.1'' N, 39° 50' 57.5'' E ,, 1928 m a.s.l., 27 October 2018; two females and one deutonymph from litter and soil under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 29.4'' N, 39° 42' 50.5'' E, 1016 m a.s.l., 27 October 2018; seven females from soil under rock, 39° 15' 33.6'' N, 39° 46' 00.3'' E, 1076 m a.s.l., 10 November 2018; seven females from soil and litter oak area, 39° 15' 33.6'' N, 39° 46' 00.3'' E, 1076 m a.s.l., 10 November 2018; two females from soil under rock, 39° 14' 52.3'' N, 39° 45' 46.8'' E, 1058 m a.s.l., 10 November 2018; five females and one male from soil and litter Juniperus sp., 39° 08' 27.3'' N, 39° 37' 29.5'' E, 1020 m a.s.l., 10 November 2018; three females and one deutonymph from soil and litter Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 28.1'' N, 39° 43' 52.5'' E, 1034 m a.s.l., 24 November 2018; three females from moss and grassy soil, 39° 11' 26.5'' N, 39° 42' 19.0'' E, 988 m a.s.l., 24 November 2018; one female from moss and grassy soil, 39° 08' 26.9'' N, 39° 38' 22.0'' E, 940 m a.s.l., 08 December 2018; one female from moss and grassy soil, 39° 08' 03.8'' N, 39° 29' 46.1'' E, 994 m a.s.l., 10 February 2019; two females from soil under, 39° 30' 09.1'' N, 39° 52' 11.5'' E, 1681 m a.s.l., 13 April 2019; three females from soil under Quercus sp., 39° 17' 19.7'' N, 39° 46' 36.6'' E, 1167 m a.s.l., 27 May 2019; two females from soil and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 37.2'' N, 39° 43' 46.8'' E, 1031 m a.s.l., 27 May 2019; three females from grassy soil and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 10' 38.9'' N, 39° 40' 57.4'' E, 982 m a.s.l., 27 May 2019; seven females from grassy soil and litter oak area, 39° 05' 54.6'' N, 39° 37' 41.0'' E, 1012 m a.s.l., 27 May 2019; six females from soil molehill, 39° 05' 54.6'' N, 39° 37' 41.0'' E, 1012 m a.s.l., 27 May 2019; three females, five deutonymphs and two protonymphs from soil and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 30.9'' N, 39° 44' 08.9'' E, 1112 m a.s.l., 18 August 2019; one female from soil and litter under Juniperus sp., 39° 11' 29.4'' N, 39° 42' 50.'' E, 1016 m a.s.l., 14 September 2019; PÜLÜMÜR VALLEY, TUNCELI, TURKEY.

Distribution Iran ( Nazari and Khanjani 2017; Fan et al. 2019).

Remarks

Seventy-two females, one male, seven deutonymphs and two protonymphs of Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae were found in Pülümür Valley, Turkey. This paper reports the presence of the species L. aminiae in Turkey, with the first descriptions of the protonymph and deutonymph stages based on specimens collected from the valley. The Pülümür specimens are very similar to those of Iran. In the two female specimens, metapodosomal and opisthosomal shields appear to be completely separated, but these are understood to be folds from preparation.

During the observation, asymmetric variations in the number of intercoxal setae (3 a, 4 a) and aggenital setae (ag 2) of adult specimens were detected. Right seta 4 a is absent in one female ( Fig. 7 ), left seta 4 a is absent in three females ( Fig. 8 ), left seta 3 a is absent in one female ( Fig. 9 ) and seta ag 2 on left side of aggenital shield is absent in the male specimen ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Figures 1–2. Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae – 1. Dorsal view of female; 2. Dorsal view of male.

Figures 7–10. Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae – Asymmetric variations in the number of intercoxal and aggenital setae, 7– 9. Female, 10. Male.

Figures 3–4. Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae (Deutonymph) – 3. Dorsal view; 4. Ventral view.

Figures 5–6. Ledermuelleriopsis aminiae (Protonymph) – 5. Dorsal view; 6. Ventral view.