Radfordia (Microtimyobia) rufocani Bochkov, 1995

Bochkov, Andre V., 2011, Mites of the subgenus Microtimyobia (Acariformes: Myobiidae: Radfordia) and their host-parasite relationships with cricetid rodents (Cricetidae) 2954, Zootaxa 2954 (1), pp. 1-86 : 23-25

3. Radfordia (Microtimyobia) rufocani Bochkov, 1995

( Figs. 11–13 )

Radfordia (Microtimyobia) rufocani Bochkov, 1995: 482 , figs. 3, 4

Radfordia (Microtimyobia) lemnina japonica Uchikawa, Nakata and Takahashi, 1997: 675 , figs. 5, 11, 23; syn. nov.

Diagnosis. FEMALE ( Fig. 11 ). Subcapitular setae m generally with 5 tines (in some specimens with 4 tines). Setae vi distinctly wider than e2. Setae e1 and f1 narrow lanceolate. Distances c1-d1 and d1-d2 subequal. Vulvar region distinctly ornamented. Setae ps3 distinctly developed, slightly curved. Setae ag2 at least twice longer than ag1. Setae 1b and 1d about 1.5 times thicker than 1a. Setae 2a and 3a whip-like, much longer than 2b. Trochanter I with distinct ventral projection and without tubercles. Measurements (10 paratypes): body, including gnathosoma, 315– 370 long, 195–205 maximum wide. Lengths of setae: vi 55–65, ve 85–95, si 95–105, se 65–75, c1 50–58, c2 65–75, d1 55–67, d2 58–67, e1 27 –36, e2 43 –47, f1 30–33, 2a 80–85, 3a 80–100, 4a 30–35.

MALE ( Fig. 12 ). Subcapitular setae m membranous with 2 tines. Genital cone elongated, length/width ratio 2– 2.2:1, with straight lateral margins. Bases of setae vi situated anterior to setae ps2. Setae f1 1.2–1.4 times shorter than e2. Posterior end of opisthosoma with tubercles. Setae 2a whip-like, much longer than 2b. Trochanter I with distinct ventral projection and without tubercles. Measurements of holotype: body, including gnathosoma, 315 long (290–315 in 10 paratypes), 175 maximum wide (160–180). Aedeagus 140 long. Lengths of setae: vi 15 (15–16), ve 85 (80–85), si 31 (31–35), se 95 (83–95), c2 110 (85–110), e1 75 (74–78), e2 29 (27–33), f1 21 (21–23), 2a 85 (83– 90), 3a 18 (17–21), 4a 33 (31–38).

FEMALE TRITONYMPH ( Fig. 13A, B ). Setae h2 stick-like, f2 and other dorsal idiosomal setae narrow lanceolate. Setae 3a whip-like, 80–140 long, much longer than 4a. Tarsus IV with 4 setae.

Remark. Radfordia rufocani Bochkov, 1995 and Radfordia lemnina japonica Uchikawa et al., 1997 were described from Myodes rufocanus ( Rodentia : Cricetidae ) ( Bochkov 1995; Uchikawa et al. 1997). Describing this subspecies Uchikawa et al. (1997) did not know about the publication by Bochkov (1995) (p. 682: “after submitting the manuscript, we became aware of a recent paper by Bochkov”). My examination of immature instars of these two Radfordia (M.) spp. (immature stages were previously unknown for R. rufocani ) showed that they do not differ from each other. Uchikawa et al. (1997) concluded that the unique shape of the male genital cone of R. rufocani suggests that this form is closer to R. clethrionomys and R. rutila than to R. lemnina japonica . According to my observations on the male paratype of R. rufocani , the genital cone of this species is the only slightly narrow than that of R. lemnina japonica . I think that this minor distinction between the male genital cones of these two species is a manifestation of intraspecific variability. It should be mentioned that even the authors of this subspecies had some doubts in its validity ( Uchikawa et al. (1997) addendum, p. 682: further comparison of R. rufocani and R. lemnina japonica is necessary, using all the characters described in the present paper, for the clarification of the phylogenetic relationship between the two forms). Therefore, I consider Radfordia lemnina japonica syn. nov. as a junior synonym of R. rufocani .

Type host and locality. Myodes rufocanus from Russia (Bashkiria) ( Bochkov 1995).

Hosts and distribution. This species is known from Palearctic voles of the genus Myodes which sometimes are grouped in the subgenus Craseomys (or Craseomys clade) ( Lebedev et al. 2007) and from Alticola lemminus .

It was recorded from:

Myodes rufocanus from Russia (Bashkiria, Sakhalin Island) ( Bochkov 1995; present data), Japan ( Uchikawa et al. 1997);

Myodes rex from Japan ( Uchikawa et al. 1997);

Myodes andersoni from Japan ( Uchikawa et al. 1997);

Myodes smithii from Japan ( Uchikawa 1971; Uchikawa et al. 1997);

Alticola lemminus (new host) from Russia (Magadan Prov.).

Material examined. Myodes rufocanus —male holotype ( ZISP T-My-8), 26 male, 52 female, and 3 female TN paratypes, RUSSIA: Bashkiria, Kukshik Mountain , 2–17 July 1975, coll. E. Dubinina ; 1 female and 4 female TN (1 pharate) ( AVB 09-1201 - 020 ), RUSSIA: Sakhalin Island, Novoaleksandrovka village , 23August 2008, coll. A. Abramov ; 1 male, 10 female TN (3 pharate), and 4 male TN ( AVB 09-1201 - 021 ), RUSSIA: Shikotan Island, near Krabozavodsk , 28 August 1968, coll. M.N. Meyer.

Alticola lemminus — 1 male, 5 females, 3 female TN, and 2 male TN (1 pharate) ( AVB 09-1201 - 019 ) ( ZMMU S 156219 ), RUSSIA: Magadan Prov., Okhotsk Sea, Ol’skiy Island, Rassvet Bay , 59°03'N, 150°37'E, June–July 1928, coll. T. Dil’keyt.

Type deposition. Radfordia rufocani —ZISP, female holotype (T-My-8) (examined); Radfordia lemnina japonica —NSMT, female holotype (Ac 10708) (not examined).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Radfordia (M.) rufocani Bochkov, 1995 from Myodes rufocanus, female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, seta m; D, vulvar region. Specimen from Alticola lemminus. E, seta m. Scale bars: A, B = 100 µm; C, D = 50 µm.

FIGURE 12. Radfordia (M.) rufocani Bochkov, 1995 from Myodes rufocanus, male. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, seta m; D, genital cone. Specimen from Alticola lemminus. E, seta m; F, genital cone. Scale bars: A, B = 100 µm; C–F = 50 µm.

FIGURE 13. Radfordia (M.) rufocani Bochkov, 1995 from Myodes rufocanus, female tritonymph. A, idiosoma in dorsal view; B, same in ventral view; C, tarsus IV in ventral view. Male tritonymph. D, opisthosoma in ventral view. Scale bars: A, B, D = 100 µm; C = 50 µm.