Neolaelaps Hirst

Shaw, Matthew D., 2011, Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) on megachiropteran bats: new records and a new species of Neolaelaps Hirst, Zootaxa 2807, pp. 41-56 : 48

Neolaelaps Hirst

Laelaps (Neolaelaps) Hirst 1926: 836 . Type species. Liponyssus magnistigmatus ( Vitzthum, 1920) (= Leiognathus spinosus Berlese, 1910 ) by monotypy.

Diagnosis (female except where indicated). Dorsum: Small mites. One to three accessory ax setae present at level of ca. s3 and s4, px setae absent. Dorsal shield constricted at level of spiracular atrium. Dorsal shield may be invaginated on posterior margin.

Venter: Tritosternum with squat base and broad blade-like laciniae. Laciniae with barbs dorsally as well as on margins. Sternal shield quadrate, bearing two pairs of lyrifissures, external slits of second lyrifissure greatly reduced. Genito-ventral shield strongly expanded posterior to coxa IV and bearing three setae (st5, Zv1, Jv1). Posterior edge of genito-ventral shield spaced at least 80 μm from anal shield. Anal opening surrounded by weakly sclerotised zone extending to para-anal setae. Spiracular atrium massively enlarged, at least 37 μm wide ( Fig. 12 ). Post-stigmatal plate and associated pores absent.

Gnathosoma: Deutosternal groove with eight or nine teeth in single file. Chelicerae slender, edentate. Palp chaetotaxy 2-5-5-14, genu missing al 2.

Legs: Leg chaetotaxy holotrichous as per Evans & Till (1965) with the following exceptions. Tibia I with pv 2 present, making four ventral setae. Genu I with av 2 absent, making two ventral setae. Genu I with pd 2 migrated proximally, and pd 3 migrated laterally ( Fig. 14 ). Genu IV with nine setae in Ne. palpispinosus (1, 2/1,3/1, 1) and eight setae in the other three species (2, 2/1,2/1, 0). Tibia IV with eight setae (2, 1/1,2/1, 1). Tarsus IV lacks pd 4 in Ne. palpispinosus only. Both setae of coxa I and posterior seta of coxa III swollen and spinose. Anterior setae of coxa II and III flattened and blade-like, or normal. Many ventral leg setae elongate, with filamentous distal portions. Tarsus I without pedicillate d setae. Tarsal claws II–IV are moderately well-developed, 19–20 μm long. Pretarsal opercula are entire leaf-like lobes with acuminate tips.

Male: The males of Ne. spinosus and Ne. vitzthumi are known. Other species as for females except where noted. Tritosternum not as broad as female ( Fig. 13 ). Male holoventral shield bearing three pairs of setae in addition to st1–5 and circumanal setae. Anterior seta of coxa I and posterior seta of coxa III setiform in Ne. vitzthumi . Male genital opening placed anterior of st1. Spermadactyl fused with movable digit, duct of relatively uniform diameter, tip barely tapering.

Protonymph: The protonymph of Ne. spinosus is known. Pygidial shield of protonymph with six pairs of setae, chelicerae functional.

Remarks. All three previously known Neolaelaps infest multiple species of hosts. The hosts for Neolaelaps palpispinosus require comment. Neolaelaps palpispinosus was originally reported from both Syconycteris and “ Nyctimene ” ( Strandtmann & Garrett, 1967). Of the still-existing host voucher specimens in BBM, three have now been re-identified as Paranyctimene raptor Tate (BBM-NG 20403, BBM-NG 20542, BBM-NG 21108) and one as Nyctimene cyclotis Andersen (BBM-NG 20442). The report of Nyctimene draconilla Thomas as a host (Domrow, 1977) is probably a misidentification of Paranyctimene raptor ( Flannery, 1995) .

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 15. 11, Notolaelaps novaguinea subcheliceral shelf, female (Wau SAM J 20445); 12, Neolaelaps spinosus, male habitus; 13, Neolaelaps spinosus male tritosternum, scale = 10 μm; 14, Neolaelaps spinosus, femur and genu I, showing migration of genu I pd 2 towards proximal end of segment, scale = 50 μm; 15, Three Neolaelaps spinosus attached to a female Cyclopodia albertisii ex Pteropus conspicillatus Gould, Atherton Tableland.