Poropodalius basisetae Karg, 2000

Castilho, Raphael C., De, Gilberto J. & Halliday, Bruce, 2012, Revision of the genera Interrhodeus, Pennarhodeus and Poropodalius (Acari: Rhodacaridae), Zootaxa 3335, pp. 1-28 : 16-18

Poropodalius basisetae Karg, 2000

Poropodalius basisetae Karg, 2000a: 255 .

Poropodalius basisetae .— Karg & Schorlemmer, 2009: 67.

Specimens examined. Holotype female: 6966 T, Kleine Antillen (indicated as Cuba in the original description), 1980 (indicated as 1976 in the original description), Streuschicht Pr. (litter sample) 19, lg. Mahunka, ZMB Kat. Nr. 45927. (in MNHB).

Diagnosis of adult. Epistome with serrate, triangular antero-lateral projections; dorsal idiosomal setae smooth; podonotal shield lightly imbricate, with four crescent-shaped scleronoduli between setae j6 and z6; opisthonotal shield with anterior half lightly imbricate and posterior half with indistinct roundish markings; sternal shield smooth; unsclerotised integument between sternal and ventrianal shields with a transverse elongate accessory platelet; ventrianal shield with five pairs of setae (Jv2, Jv3, Jv5, Zv2 and Zv3) in addition to circum-anal setae; peritrematal shield wider than peritreme, anterior and posterior ends pointed; pretarsi I–IV similar in shape, an elongate ambulacral stalk, a pair of strong claws, and three rounded pulvillar lobes; pretarsus I about half as long as other pretarsi.

Adult female ( Fig. 9 A–F) (holotype). Dorsal and ventral idiosomal, hypostomal, subcapitular and leg setae smooth.

Gnathosoma. Fixed cheliceral digit 31 long, with five teeth in addition to apical tooth (pilus dentilis indistinguishable) ( Fig. 9 A); movable cheliceral digit 32 long, with three teeth in addition to apical tooth. Arthrodial process of chelicera with a short coronet-like fringe. Epistome with a smooth antero-medial projection of about uniform width, with two apical denticles, flanked on each side by shorter, triangular and serrate projection ( Fig. 9 B); margin of epistome smooth between antero-medial and antero-lateral projections and serrate laterad to anterolateral projections. Deutosternal denticles in seven straight transverse rows, each with eight to 12 denticles ( Fig. 9 C). Seta h3 directly posterior to h1 and mediad to h2. Measurements of setae: h 1 15, h 2 12, h 3 13, sc 13.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 9 D). Podonotal shield lightly imbricate, except for a punctate band along its posterior margin, between setae s6; 132 long and 129 wide at widest point; with 22 pairs of setae (seta r1 absent); with four crescent-shaped scleronoduli between setae j6 and z6 and five pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures. Unsclerotised integument laterad to podonotal shield with a pair of setae (r4). Opisthonotal shield with anterior half lightly imbricate, a punctate band along anterior margin, and posterior half with indistinct roundish markings; 133 long and 126 wide at widest point; with 15 pairs of setae and four pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures. Unsclerotised integument laterad to opisthonotal shield with four pairs of setae (R1–R4); seta R5 absent. Measurements of setae: j1 14, j2 18, j3 15, j4 16, j5 14, j6 14, z1 15, z2 15, z3 16, z4 17, z5 15, z6 15, s1 12, s2 13, s3 15, s4 16, s5 15, s6 16, r2 9, r3 21, r4 9, r5 17, r6 21, J1 16, J2 18, J3 20, J4 24, J5 21, Z1 20, Z2 20, Z3 25, Z4 30, Z5 32, S1 20, S2 21, S3 22, S4 27, S5 29, R1 8, R2 8, R3 10, R4 10.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 9 E). Base of tritosternum 12 long and 9 wide proximally ( Fig. 9 F); laciniae 28 long, separated for about 90% of their total length, pilose. Sternal shield smooth and with indistinct anterior margin; region anterior to the first pair of lyrifissures (iv 1) lightly sclerotised and punctate; posterior margin straight; approximately 92 long, including the lightly sclerotised and punctate region, 58 wide at widest point; with four pairs of setae and three pairs of lyrifissures. Genital shield lightly reticulate; shorter than wide; extending posteriorly behind coxae IV; distance between st 5- st 5 35; posterior margin straight. Unsclerotised integument between genital and ventrianal shields with a transverse elongate accessory platelet and with setae Jv1 and Zv1; with a pair of elongate, curved metapodal plates, each with a small median lobe on the convex paraxial margin. Ventrianal shield reticulate; 84 long and 102 wide at widest point, not fused to dorsal shield; with five pairs of setae (Jv2, Jv3, Jv5, Zv2 and Zv3) in addition to circum-anal setae and four pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures; post-anal seta as long as para-anal setae. Peritreme extending anteriorly to mid-level of coxa II. Peritrematal shield wider than peritreme, with pointed anterior and posterior ends. Measurements of setae: st1 15, st2 16, st3 15, st4 13, st5 12, Jv1 11, Jv2 not seen (broken), Jv3 17, Jv5 26, Zv1 12, Zv2 16, Zv3 21, para-anal 17, post-anal 17.

Legs. Lengths: I: 231; II: 158; III: 156; IV: 210. Pretarsi I–IV similar in shape, an elongate ambulacral stalk, a pair of strong claws, and three rounded pulvillar lobes; pretarsus I about half as long as other pretarsi.

Remarks. This species is known only from the adult female holotype. The following characteristics appear in the original description and illustrations of the species, but do not agree with our observations of the holotype: podonotal shield reticulate, with 21 pairs of setae, scleronoduli anterior to setae j6 (i 5 in Karg's notation); unsclerotised integument laterad to podonotal shield with a pair of setae; opisthonotal shield reticulate; genital shield smooth; metapodal plates very large and with a median constriction on the paraxial margin; lyrifissures present only on sternal shield (two pairs). No information was provided about the chelicera, hypostome, tritosternum and leg setal counts. The measurements provided in the original description referred to the length of the idiosoma (220–250), width of idiosoma (100–110), length of setae j1 (cited as i1) (13), j3 (cited as i2) (16), j5 (cited as i4) (15), r3 (cited as r5) (16), J1 (cited as I1) (16), J2 (cited as I2) (18), J3 (cited as I3) (18), J5 (cited as I5) (20), Z3 (22), Z4 (25), Z5 (27), S1–S5 (20), Jv5 (cited as V8) (25), post-anal (15), length of other ventral idiosomal setae (20) and length of metapodal plate (17).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Poropodalius basisetae Karg. Female. A. Lateral (antiaxial) view of chelicera; B. Epistome; C. Hypostome; D. Dorsal idiosoma; E. Ventral idiosoma; F. Tritosternum. Lyrifissures enlarged for improved visibility.