Iphidozercon foveatus, Gwiazdowicz & Halliday, 2008

Gwiazdowicz, D. J. & Halliday, R. B., 2008, The Australian species of Iphidozercon (Acari: Ascidae), Zootaxa 1921, pp. 47-68 : 57-61

Iphidozercon foveatus sp. nov.

( Figs 17–24)

Material examined. Holotype. Female. Australia. Queensland, Conondale Range, Lobster Creek , 26º40'S, 152º39'E, 20 August 1995, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, QM S83797 , in QM, formerly in UQIC (Reg. #91923) . Paratypes. New South Wales. 1 female, Border Ranges National Park, Brindle Creek near Kyogle , 18 June 1991, leaf litter, D.E. Walter ; 1 female, Orange, Mt Canobolas, The Wall , 33º08'S, 150º12'E, 13 November 1997, rainforest leaves, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91917 . Queensland. 1 female, same data as holotype ; 3 females, same data as holotype except UQIC #91920 , 91922 ; 1 female, same data as holotype except 20 September 1995, UQIC Reg. #91924 ; 3 females, 2 males, Fraser Island , 20 August 1991, leaf litter, D.E. Walter ; 3 females, Lamington National Park, Border Track, 1.4 km from O’Reilly's , 28º14'S, 153º09'E, 17 May 2002, ex litter, F. Beaulieu, UQIC #93627 ; 1 female, Lamington National Park, Border Track, 1.5 km from Binna Burra , ( Paweena ), 28º12'S, 153º11'E, 26–27 July 2003, moss on wood, F. Beaulieu, UQIC Reg. #93628 ; 2 females, Lamington National Park, Border Track, 1.5 km from Binna Burra , ( Paweena ), 28º12'S, 153º11'E, 26–27 July 2003, litter, F. Beaulieu, UQIC Reg. #93628 ; 1 male, Lamington National Park, Border Track , 28º14'S, 154º09'E, 2 February 1995, leaf litter, D. Rodgers and D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91991 ; 2 females, Lamington National Park, Bridle Track , 28º15'20"S, 153º09'20"E, 27 February 1996, rainforest, ground litter, D. Rodgers, UQIC #93625 , 93626 ; 4 females, Lamington National Park, Green Mts , 13 January 1995, rainforest canopy Asplenium australasicum, D. Rodgers and D.E. Walter, UQIC #91984-91987 ; 2 females, Lamington National Park, Darraboola Ck , 28º13'S, 153º08'E, 12 October 1995, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91983, 91989 ; 2 females, Cape Tribulation, Oliver Creek , 16º08'30"S, 145º26'30"E, 27 June 1995, rainforest, ground litter, F. Beaulieu, UQIC #93620 ; 1 female, 1 male, Numinbah Valley , 28º14'00"S, 153º15'00"E, 15 February 1996, rainforest, ground litter, D. Rodgers, UQIC #93623 ; 6 females, Brisbane

Forest Park , Tenison Woods Mtn, 50 m N of radiomast track, 27º18'S, 152º45'E, 2–3 July 2003, rainforest leaf litter, F. Beaulieu, UQIC #93632; 2 females, Bundaroo Ck , N of Conondale National Park, 26º42'S, 152º36'E, 13 July 1995, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91906, 91907; 2 females, Mt Glorious, Cedar Ck, 27º19'S, 152º46'E, 5 July 1995, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91918; 1 female, Gambubal Forest Station, 27º08'S, 152º09'E, 20 January 2003, rainforest soil & litter, F. Beaulieu, UQIC #93643; 3 females, Bunya Mts National Park , Cherry Plains, 26º51'S, 151º30'E, 13 February 1996, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91908; 3 females, Bunya Mts National Park, Little Paradise Falls, 26º52'S, 151º35'E, 13 February 1996, rainforest litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91909; 3 females, Bunya Mts National Park , Barker Creek Track (app. 50 m north of junction towards Pine Gorge Lookout ), 21 August 2003, dry sclerophyll, soil & litter, F. Beaulieu; 3 females, Conondale Range, Peter’s Creek, 26º41'S, 152º36'E, 13 July 1995, leaf litter, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91903; 1 male, Conondale National Park, Kilcoy Creek, 26º46'S, 152º35'E, 14 February 1996, leaf litter along stream, D.E. Walter, UQIC Reg. #91903. (in UQIC) .

Description. Female. Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 17). Dorsal shield oval, length 320 µm, width 190 µm, with distinct foveate sculpture throughout. Pits between J setae subcircular, diameter approximately 5 µm, smaller than those between J and Z setae (diameter 15 µm). Postero-lateral margins of shield behind setae J4 with lineate ornamentation. Setae s1, s2, s3 short, simple, ca. 10 µm, others longer, ca. 25 µm, slightly widened at base; j1 setae inserted ventrally.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 18). Tritosternum with trapezoidal base and finely pilose laciniae, length of base 25 µm, laciniae 30 µm. Sternal shield rectangular, 60 x 40 µm, setae st1-st3 smooth and pointed, length 10 µm. Metasternal setae st4 length 10 µm. Genital shield small and narrow, length 50 µm, rounded posteriorly. Genital setae st5 15 µm long. Anal shield large, 60 µm long x 45 µm wide; para-anal setae 10 µm long, post-anal seta longer, 15 µm long; cribum distinct. Stigmata at level of coxae IV. Peritrematal shields wide, ornamented with small denticles on medial side. Opisthogastric integument behind coxae IV with a pair of small oval metapodal plates, a pair of smaller plates near posterior ends of peritrematal shields, and five pairs of smaller platelets bearing pores. Opisthogastric integument posterior to peritrematal shields with 12–13 pairs of setae, length 10–15 µm.

Gnathosoma . Hypostome with horn-like corniculi and four pairs of setae ( Fig. 19). Anterior setae h1 longest, 25 µm, internal seta h3 and palp coxal seta shorter, 20 µm, external seta h2 shortest, 10 µm. Seven transverse rows of hypostomal denticles present, number of denticles per row (anterior to posterior) 8, 7, 10, 9, 12, 20, 16. Chelicera typical for genus, fixed digit and movable digit each with three teeth ( Fig. 20), other details of chelicera not visible in available specimens. Tectum with a central elongated prong ending in three denticles, lateral prongs shorter, with lightly denticulate outer margins ( Fig. 21). Palp tarsal claw with two unequal tines ( Fig. 23).

Legs. Length of legs: I 220 µm, II 190 µm, III 180 µm, IV 210 µm. Tarsus II to IV each with the dorsoproximal setae ad 2 and pd 2 short and straight ( Fig. 22). Setation of genua I-II-III-IV: 12-10-7-7; tibiae I-II-III- IV: 12-9-7-7 ( Fig. 24).

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the foveate ornamentation of the dorsal shield.

Notes. Iphidozercon foveatus is similar to I. validus , which was described by Karg (1996) from New Caledonia. Both species have foveate sculpture on the dorsal shield and three teeth on the movable digit of the chelicera. We have not had the opportunity to examine the types of I. validus , but several differences between these species are evident from the descriptions and illustrations. Iphidozercon foveatus has multiple small platelets on the ventral opisthogaster behind coxae IV, where I. validus is shown with only two pairs of plates in this area. Also, I. foveatus also has ventral setae ZV1 and ZV2, which are shown as absent in I. validus . The peritremes of I. foveatus are located on wide peritrematal shields, which have a distinct ornamentation of small denticles on the inner (paraxial) side. The peritrematal shields of I. validus are shown as much narrower. The peritremes of I. foveatus end at the stigmata, while those of I. validus continue for some distance beyond the stigmata.