Amerodectes tiffanyluiae, Mironov & Galloway, 2021

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 : 20-24

Amerodectes tiffanyluiae sp. n.

( Figs. 11–13 )

Type material. Male holotype, 4 male and 10 female paratypes from the Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis (Wilson, A, 1812) ( Passeriformes : Parulidae ), (CONW/1217/CEN/05; SM 1597), CANADA, Manitoba, Winnipeg, 29 August 2005, coll. T.D Galloway and C. Dugal.

Depository. Holotype, 2 male and 4 female paratypes — CNC, remaining paratypes — WRME and ZISP.

Additional material. 8 males and 10 females from O. agilis, (SM 1165) , CANADA, Manitoba, Winnipeg , 27 September 2003, coll. T.D Galloway.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 4 paratypes in parentheses) ( Figs. 11 , 13 A-E). Idiosoma, length × width, 345 (310–350) × 150 (115–140), length of hysterosoma 215 (205–225). Prodorsal shield: entire, anterolateral extensions pointed, lateral margins concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin straight, posterior corners nearly right-angled, surface without ornamentation, length 100 (90–100), width 95 (88–95). Setae ve absent. Bases of scapular setae se separated by 53 (48–53). Scapular shields narrow, not developed dorsally. Humeral shields absent. Bases of setae cp and c2 situated on striated tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 21 (18–21) long, about 7 (6–7) wide. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin slightly concave, anterior corners almost right-angled, surface without ornamentation, greatest length 215 (200–215), width at anterior margin 87 (80–105). Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields about 25 (15–30). Opisthosomal lobes slightly narrowed posteriorly, approximately as long as wide at base; posterior margins of lobes slightly oblique, with small and blunt extensions at bases of setae h2 and h3. Terminal cleft shaped as a wide U with strongly divergent branches, 28 (22–28) long. Supranal concavity semicircular. Setae f2 anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 narrowly lanceolate, 15 (13–15) long; setae ps2 75 (70–80) long. Setae ps1 short filiform, about 5 long, situated near margins of terminal cleft slightly anterior to level of setae p2. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 85 (80–85), d2:e2 80 (72–80), e2:h3 48 (45–50), d1:d2 30 (29–35), e1: e2 25 (20–25), h1:ps2 33 (25–33), h2:h2 56 (50–56), h3:h3 41 (37–42), ps2:ps2 72 (62–70).

Epimerites I fused into a Y with short stem (=sternum) about ¼ of total length of epimerites, posterior end of stem with a pair of short and acute 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, 23 (23–25) × 48 (40–48); aedeagus sword-shaped, 90 (88–95) long, extending to anterior end of terminal cleft; basal sclerite of genital apparatus roughly circular ( Fig. 13A ). Genital papillae not connected at bases. Genital and adanal shields absent. Adanal suckers 12 (12–13) in diameter, corolla smooth, surrounding membrane with radial striae. Opisthoventral shields occupying lateral areas of opisthosoma and distal half of opisthosomal lobes; inner margins of these shields at level of adanal suckers with small roughly trapezoidal extensions bearing setae ps3. Setae 4b situated posterior to level of setae 3a, setae ps3 at level of posterior margin of adanal suckers. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4b 7 (7–10), 4b:4a 40 (35–40), 4a:g 43 (35–43), g:ps3 50 (45–50), ps3:ps3 58 (48–58), ps3:h3 27 (25–33).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Fig. 13B, C ). Solenidion σ of genu I approximately half as along as this segment and situated at its midlevel. 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 proximal margin of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 24 (22–25) long, without apical process; seta d and e button-like, seta d at midlength of this segment ( Fig. 13E ). Length of solenidia: ω1 I 18 (15–18), ω1 II 12 (10–12), σ I 18 (13–18), σ III 10 (8–10), φ IV 29 (27–30).

FEMALE (range for 10 paratypes) ( Figs. 12 , 13F, G ). Idiosoma, length × width, 470–525 × 150–170, length of hysterosoma 330–360. Prodorsal shield: entire, anterolateral extension long and narrow, with subapical ledge, lateral margins shallowly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin slightly concave, posterior corners rounded, surface without ornamentation, 125–135 × 120–130. Setae ve absent. Bases of setae se separated by 60–68. Scapular shields narrow, not developed dorsally. Humeral shields absent. Setae cp and c2 situated on striated tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 21–23 long, about 7–8 wide. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 20–40. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument and connected ventrolaterally. Anterior hysteronotal shield slightly attenuate posteriorly, anterior margin slightly convex, anterior corners pointed, surface without ornamentation, greatest length 240–265, width at anterior margin 115–125 ( Fig. 11A ). Length of lobar region 88–95, greatest width 70–78. Terminal cleft narrow, parallelsided with margins almost touching, 70–75 long. Lobar shield split into two large pieces covering opisthosomal lobes and small circular sclerite with supranal concavity; surface of each lobar piece with 1-2 ovate lacunae anterior and/or posterior to seta h1. Setae h1 distant from anterior margins of lobar shields; setae h1 and f2 arranged in low trapezoid. Setae h2 spindle-like, 43–51 × 7.5–8.5. Setae ps1 situated near to inner margins of opisthosomal lobes, closer to setae h3 than to h2. Setae h3 13–15 long, 1/7–1/6th the length of terminal appendages. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 95–115, d2:e2 95–120, e2:h2 53–70, h2:h3 45–50, d1:d2 35–50, e1: e2 30–40, h1:h2 23–33, h1: h1 18–25, h2:h2 57–63, h2:ps1 22–30.

Epimerites I fused into a Y with short stem about 1/5th the total length of epimerites ( Fig. 12B ). Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without extensive sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes wide, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum with small lateral extensions, greatest width 62–75; apodemes of oviporus fused with epimerites IIIa. Pseudanal setae filiform, setae ps2 situated at level of posterior end of anal opening and widely separated from each other; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 33–38, ps3:ps3 18–20, ps2:ps3 30–32. Primary spermaduct with small enlarged section in proximal one third; continuation of primary spermaduct inside spermatheca ampuliform; secondary spermaducts about 8–10 long ( Fig. 13G ).

Legs I, II as in male. Solenidion σ of genu I half as long as this segment and situated approximately at midlength of segment. 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 15–17, ω1 II 10–12, σ I 15–20, σ III 8–11, φ III 20–25, φ IV 10–11.

Differential diagnosis. Amerodectes tiffanyluiae sp. n. is very similar to A. ischyros Hernandes, 2018 from the Cerulean Warbler, Setophaga caerulescens (Gmelin, 1789) (Parulidae) , in having the following: in males, very short setae h3 (shorter than distance between their bases), and the aedeagus extending to the terminal cleft; and, in females the lobar shield split into three pieces (a pair of large pieces covering the opisthosomal lobes and a small circular sclerite). Amerodectes tiffanyluiae differs from A. ischyros in having the following features: in males, setae h3 are narrowly lanceolate and 13–15 long, the genital papillae are not connected at their base, the posterior corners of the prodorsal shield are right-angled and the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields lack any ornamentation; in females, the prodorsal shield has the anterolateral extensions with a subapical ledge and rounded posterior corners, and the distance between the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields is 20–40. In males of A. ischyros , setae h3 are spiculiform and 20–25 long, the genital papillae are connected at the base, the posterior corners of the prodorsal shield are pointed, and at least some areas of the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields have ornamentation of minute circular lacunae; in females, the anterolateral extensions of the prodorsal shield are pointed, the posterior corners of this shield are pointed, and the distance between the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields is 15–20.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Tiffany Lui, a former hospital manager at the Wildlife Haven, Îles des Chênes, Manitoba.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Amerodectes tiffanyluiae sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 12. Amerodectes tiffanyluiae sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 13. Amerodectes tiffanyluiae sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male, ventral view, B, C—legs I, II of male, respectively, D, E—tibiae and tarsi III, IV of male, respectively, F—tibia and tarsus IV of female, G—spermatheca and spermaducts.