Pennarhodeus brevipennatus Karg

Castilho, Raphael C., De, Gilberto J. & Halliday, Bruce, 2012, Revision of the genera Interrhodeus, Pennarhodeus and Poropodalius (Acari: Rhodacaridae), Zootaxa 3335, pp. 1-28 : 5-7

Pennarhodeus brevipennatus Karg

Pennarhodeus brevipennatus Karg, 2000b: 211 .

Specimens examined. Holotype male: La Selva, Costa Rica (10°26’ N 84°01’ W), elevation 50–150 m, Primario (indicated as soil sample in the original description), 3-VIII-1993, Coll. B., SMNG 93/38525 (in SMNG).

Diagnosis (adult male). Arthrodial process of chelicera with a short coronet-like fringe; epistome with anteromedial projection about 1.2 times as long as antero-lateral projections, and with margin serrate laterad to antero-lateral projections; corniculi rather straight; dorsal idiosomal setae pilose, except r3, Z5 and S5, feather-like; podonotal and opisthonotal shields imbricate; with two crescent-shaped scleronoduli between setae j5 and j6; posterior margin of opisthonotal shield slightly concave between setae Z5; seta R5 absent; sternogenital shield lightly reticulate; unsclerotised integument between sternogenital and ventrianal shields with a subtriangular accessory platelet; peritreme extending anteriorly to level of posterior margin of coxa II; with two spur-like ventral setae on each of femur, genu and tibia II.

Adult male ( Fig. 3 A–G) (holotype). Dorsal idiosomal setae (except r3, Z5 and S5), para-anal and post-anal setae pilose; setae r3, Z5, S5 and Jv5 feather-like; hypostomal, subcapitular, ventral idiosomal (except Jv5, paraanal and post-anal) and leg setae smooth.

Gnathosoma. Fixed cheliceral digit 36 long; movable digit 37 long; teeth and pilus dentilis not visible because of position of chelicera. Spermatodactyl 77 long, abruptly bent ventrally at an acute angle, distal portion narrower than proximal portion ( Fig. 3 A). Arthrodial process of chelicera with a short coronet-like fringe. Epistome with a smooth antero-medial projection slightly wider at the base and provided with three apical denticles, flanked on each side by shorter, smooth projection with four or five apical denticles ( Fig. 3 B); margin of epistome with two or three large teeth between antero-medial and antero-lateral projections and serrate laterad to antero-lateral projections. Deutosternal denticles in eight rows, each with seven to 13 denticles; anterior row “V shaped, other rows straight and transverse ( Fig. 3 C). Corniculi rather straight. Measurements of setae: h 1 14, h 2 10, h 3 11, sc 12.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 3 D). Podonotal shield imbricate, except for a punctate band along posterior margin; 160 long and 173 wide at widest point; with 22 pairs of setae (seta r1 absent); with two crescent-shaped scleronoduli between setae j5 and j6 and four pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures. Unsclerotised integument laterad to podonotal shield with a pair of setae (r4). Opisthonotal shield imbricate, except for a punctate band along anterior margin; posterior margin slightly concave between setae Z5; 125 long and 141 wide at widest point; with 18 pairs of setae and three pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures. Seta R1 on ventrianal shield; seta R5 absent. Measurements of setae: j1 9, j2 8, j3 8, j4 10, j5 10, j6 11, z1 8, z2 not seen (broken), z3 10, z4 10, z5 not seen (broken), z6 not seen (broken), s1 11, s2 9, s3 9, s4 11, s5 10, s6 10, r2 11, r3 15, r4 11, r5 not seen (broken), r6 14, J1 not seen (broken), J2 not seen (broken), J3 not seen (broken), J4 11, J5 12, Z1 12, Z2 13, Z3 13, Z4 13, Z5 14, S1 12, S2 11, S3 12, S4 12, S5 13, R1 8, R2 9, R3 10, R4 11.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 3 E). Base of tritosternum 15 long and 12 wide proximally ( Fig. 3 F); laciniae 46 long, separated for about 90% of their total length, pilose. Sternogenital shield lightly reticulate, with indistinct anterior margin and punctate band along straight posterior margin; region anterior to the first pair of lyrifissures (iv 1) lightly sclerotised and punctate; approximately 132 long, including the lightly sclerotised and punctate region, and 65 wide at widest point; with five pairs of setae and three pairs of lyrifissures; distance between st 5- st 5 28; genital opening on anterior margin of shield. Elongate remnant of endopodal shield adjacent to coxa IV. Unsclerotised integument between sternogenital and ventrianal shields with a subtriangular accessory platelet and punctate near anterior margin of ventrianal shield. Ventrianal shield imbricate; 95 long and 170 wide at widest point and extending to dorso-lateral region of idiosoma, but not fused to dorsal shield; with nine pairs of setae (R1, Jv1-Jv5 and Zv1- Zv3) in addition to circum-anal setae, a distinguishable pore and two distinguishable lyrifissures; post-anal seta about as long as para-anal setae. Peritreme extending anteriorly to level of posterior margin of coxa II. Peritrematal shield extending posteriorly beyond mid-level of coxa IV. Measurements of setae: st1 13, st2 11, st3 13, st4 11, st5 11, Jv1 11, Jv2 12, Jv3 12, Jv4 11, Jv5 12, Zv1 11, Zv2 11, Zv3 9, para-anal 13, post-anal 13.

Legs. Lengths: I: 240; II: 204; III: 177; IV: 230. Genu IV with ten setae and tibia IV with nine setae. With two spur-like ventral setae on each of femur, genu and tibia II ( Fig. 3 G). Pretarsus I, a single, sessile, curved claw; pretarsi II–IV, an elongate ambulacral stalk, a pair of strong claws and three rounded pulvillar lobes.

Remarks. This species is known only from the adult male holotype. The following characteristics appear in the original description and illustrations of the species, but do not agree with our observations of the holotype: margin of epistome smooth between antero-medial and antero-lateral projections; podonotal shield with 22 pairs of setae and four crescent-shaped scleronoduli between setae j5 and j6; unsclerotised integument laterad to podonotal shield without setae; opisthonotal shield with 17 pairs of setae; unsclerotised integument laterad to opisthonotal shield with a pair of setae. Karg (2000b) provided no information about the hypostome, tritosternum, ventral idiosoma, lyrifissures and leg setal counts. The only measurements provided in the original description referred to the length of the idiosoma (290), width of idiosoma (180), length of seta Z5 (13), range of other dorsal idiosomal setae (8–10), length of legs I (220), II (190), III (170) and IV (220).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Pennarhodeus brevipennatus Karg. Male. A. Lateral (antiaxial) view of spermatodactyl; B. Epistome; C. Hypostome; D. Dorsal idiosoma; E. Ventral idiosoma; F. Tritosternum; G. Anterolateral view of femur, genu and tibia of leg II. Lyrifissures enlarged for improved visibility.