Tyrannidectes empidonicu

Mironov, Sergey V. & Galloway, Terry D., 2021, Feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines and kingfishers in Canada, Zootaxa 5016 (1), pp. 1-55 : 32-36

Tyrannidectes empidonicu s sp. n.

( Figs. 18–20 )

Type material. Male holotype, 7 male, 12 female paratypes from the Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus (Baird, WM & Baird, SF, 1843) ( Passeriformes : Tyrannidae ), (SM 1980), CANADA, Manitoba, Winnipeg, May 2009, coll. T.D. Galloway and Akriti Sharma.

Depository. Holotype, 3 male and 4 female paratypes — CNC, remaining paratypes — WRME and ZISP.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 7 paratypes in parentheses) ( Figs. 18 , 20 A-E). Idiosoma, length × width, 370 (335–380) × 140 (120–140), length of hysterosoma 250 (235–250). Prodorsal shield: entire; anterolateral extensions long and narrow, with rounded tips; lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin straight, posterior corners angular; surface without ornamentation, length 115 (105–120), width 115 (105–120). Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of scapular setae se separated by 62 (55–62). Scapular shields narrow, barely developed dorsally. Humeral shields absent. Bases of setae cp and c2 situated on striated tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 28 (25–28) long, 7.5–8 wide. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin straight, surface without ornamentation, greatest length 245 (230–245), width at anterior margin 105 (98–110). Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 5–10. Opisthosomal lobes as long as wide at base, parallelsided, posterior margins roughly rounded, without extensions at bases of setae h2 and h3. Terminal cleft shaped as a wide U, 35 (28–35) long. Supranal concavity semi-ovate. Setae f2 absent. Setae h1 situated at level of anterior end of terminal cleft, near lateral margins of opisthosoma. Setae h3 narrowly lanceolate, 21 (20–23) long; setae ps2 90 (85–95) long. Setae ps1 filiform, about 5 long, situated near margins of terminal cleft, anterior to level of setae ps2. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 95 (95–100), d2:e2 90 (80–90), e2:h2 47 (43–48), d1:d2 40 (25–38), e1: e2 25 (20–25), h1:ps2 28 (23–28), h2:h2 60 (58–60), h3:h3 40 (40–45), ps2:ps2 80 (76–80).

Epimerites I fused into a U strongly narrowed posteriorly, fused part with a pair of short, rounded lateral extensions and with small and acute median extension. Coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields I–III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized areas at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, 27 (23–27) × 47 (42–47); aedeagus swordshaped, 80 (75–85) long, extending to midlevel of adanal suckers; basal sclerite of genital apparatus small, roughly semicircular ( Fig. 20A ). Genital papillae not connected at bases. Genital and adanal shields absent. Adanal suckers 11 (10–12) in diameter, corolla smooth, surrounding membrane with radial striae. Opisthoventral shields absent (neither developed on lateral or distal parts of opisthosomal lobes). Setae 4b situated posterior to level of setae 3a, setae ps3 moved strongly posteriorly, situated at lateral margins of opisthosomal lobes slightly anterior to bases of setae ps2. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4b 15 (10–15), 4b:4a 45 (42–46), 4a:g 56 (54–56), g:ps3 55 (45–56), ps3:ps3 85 (75–85), ps3:h2 13 (12–13).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Fig. 20B, C ). Solenidion σ of genu I half as along as this segment and situated at its midlength. Genual setae cG I, II and mG I filiform, setae mG II slightly thickened basally. Setae d of tarsi II, III much shorter than corresponding setae f. Solenidion φ of tibia IV extending to midlevel of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 30 (30–33) long, without apical process; setae d, e buttonlike, seta d at midlength of this segment ( Fig. 20E ). Length of solenidia: ω1 I 14 (13–14), ω1 II 10 (10–12), σ I 15 (11–15), σ III 8 (7–8), φ IV 42 (40–43).

FEMALE (range for 10 paratypes) ( Figs. 19 , 20F, G ). Idiosoma, length × width, 500–530 × 165–175, length of hysterosoma 360–380. Prodorsal shield: entire; anterolateral extensions long and narrow, with rounded tips; lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin with wide and short median extension and a pair of shallow concavities; posterior angles pointed, surface without ornamentation, 120–130 × 130–135. Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of setae se separated by 75–78. Scapular shields barely developed dorsally. Humeral shields absent. Setae cp and c2 on striated tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 23–24 long, 7.5–8 wide. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument. Anterior hysteronotal shield nearly rectangular, anterior margin slightly convex, median area of posterior half with reticulate pattern, greatest length 280–285, width at anterior margin 120–130 ( Fig. 19A ). Length of lobar region 100–105, greatest width 100–110, lateral margins with strongly convex extensions bearing setae h2. Terminal cleft narrow, parallel-sided, with lateral margins almost touching, 75–78 long. Lobar shield entire, anterior margin slightly convex, surface without ornamentation. Supranal concavity absent. Setae h1 approximately equidistant from anterior margin of lobar shield and anterior end of terminal cleft; setae f2 absent. Setae h2 spindle-like, 53–60 × 7–8. Setae ps1 equidistant from inner and outer margins of opisthosomal lobes, closer to lobar apices than to level of setae h2. Setae h3 15–20 long, about 1/5–1/4 the length of terminal appendages. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 115–140, d2:e2 110–125, e2:h2 50–52, h2:h3 53–60, d1:d2 48–53, e1: e2 38–40, h1:h2 15–20, h1:h1 37–43, h2:h2 80–82, h2:ps1 34–38.

Epimerites I fused into a narrow U with divergent branches, fused part with a small pair of denticle-like lateral extensions and one similar median extension ( Fig. 19B ). Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes wide, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum with small lateral ledges, greatest width 68–80; apodemes of oviporus free from epimerites IIIa. Pseudanal setae filiform, setae ps2 situated posterior to anal opening, on anterior margins of translobar apodemes, and widely separated from each other; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 45–48, ps3: ps3 25–28, ps2:ps3 38–41. Proximal end of primary spermaduct slightly enlarged at head of spermatheca; continuation of primary spermaduct inside spermatheca roughly funnel-shaped; secondary spermaducts about 25–30 long ( Fig. 20G ).

Legs I, II as in male. Solenidion σ of genu I approximately half the length of this segment and situated at its midlevel. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II as in male. Setae d of tarsi II–IV much shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with narrow dorsal crest. Lengths of solenidia: ω1 I 14–16, ω1 II 10–13, σ I 13–15, σ III 8–9, φ III 18–20, φ IV 9–11.

Differential diagnosis. Tyrannidectes empidonicus sp. n. is very close to T. caribaeus (Mironov and González- Acuña, 2011) described from the Cuban Pewee, Contopus caribaeus (d’Orbigny, 1839) (Tyrannidae) , by the following features: in both sexes, absence of setae f2; and in males, setae h3 short and lanceolate, setae h1 situated close to the lateral margins of the opisthosoma, and setae ps3 situated strongly posterior, near the bases of setae ps2. Tyrannidectes empidonicus differs from T. caribaeus by the following features: in males, the aedeagus barely extends to the midlevel of adanal suckers and the lateral extensions of epimerites I are rounded; in females, setae h3 are 1/5–1/4th the length of the terminal appendages, and the posterior half of the hysteronotal shield bears faint reticulate ornamentation. In males of T. caribaeus , the aedeagus extends to the posterior margins of the adanal suckers and the lateral extensions of epimerites I are acute; in females, setae h3 are about 1/3rd the length of the terminal appendages, and the surface of the hysteronotal shield is monotonously punctated.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the generic name of the type host.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Tyrannidectes empidonicus sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 19. Tyrannidectes empidonicus sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 20. Tyrannidectes empidonicus sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male, ventral view, B–D—legs I–III of male, respectively, E—tibia and tarsus IV of male, F—tibia and tarsus IV of female, G—spermatheca and spermaducts.