Neolaelaps vitzthumi Domrow

Shaw, Matthew D., 2011, Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) on megachiropteran bats: new records and a new species of Neolaelaps Hirst, Zootaxa 2807, pp. 41-56 : 49-50

Neolaelaps vitzthumi Domrow

( Figs 16–19 )

Neolaelaps vitzthumi Domrow 1961: 72 .

Neolaelaps vitzthumi . — Radovsky 1967: 37; 1992: 1605.

Specimens examined. Australia. 2 females, 2 males, 8 deutonymphs, Pinjarra Hills veterinary farm, Brisbane, October 2000, Janine Barrett coll., Paul Prociv don., ex Pteropus alecto , captive adult male F43.

Description of male (n=2). Dorsal shield: Dorsal shield ( Fig. 16 ), 440–445 x 193–200 wide at level of z6, mediolaterally excavated at level of enlarged stigmatal atria, giving the dorsal shield the shape of a guitar body. Reticulations present as weak scalloping. Podonotum bearing 22 pairs of setae plus 2–3 pairs ax setae between s3 and s4. Medial unpaired setae absent. Podonotal seta r6 off shield. Opisthonotum bearing 15 pairs of setae, px 2–3 absent, one J1 seta missing on one side of one specimen. Setae j1, j2, z1 borne on protruding vertex. Setae long, finely tapering Setae J5, Z5 bearing single barbs. Z5 not elongate. Dorsal setal lengths: Podonotal setae, j1 (11–12), j2 (46–48), j3 (42–47), j4 (45–47), j5 (45–54), j6 (46–48), z1 (21–25), z2 (44–46), z3 (37–41), z4 (43–46), z5 (43– 45), z6 (43–49), s1 (34–35), s2 (32–38), s3 (33–44), s4 (47–48), s5 (47–52), s6 (33–37), ax setae (33–40), r2 (20– 24), r3 (24–26), r4 (24–32), r5 (24–38). Opisthonotal setae, J1 (41–42), J2 (40–42), J3 (36–39), J4 (31–32), J5 (21–22), Z1 (42–43), Z2 (40–41), Z3 (39–40), Z4 (35–39), Z5 (28–32), S1 (32–36), S2 (31–34), S3 (34–36), S4 (31–32), S5 (24–25).

Gnathosoma: Deutosterum with 8 or 9 denticles in a single row. Hypostomal setae h1–3: 14, 12, 32 μm. Capitular seta, 27–36 μm long, 3 μm broad at base. All palp setae setiform excepting palp tibia, apicodorsal setae tips distinctly rounded, without expanded terminus. Apotele 2-tined. Corniculi 25 long. Spermadactyl imperceptibly fused with movable digit ( Fig. 19 ). Tip broad, not tapered. Arthrodial corona absent. Movable digit reduced.

Venter: ( Fig. 17 ) Tritosternal base squat 12–15 μm long, 20 μm broad at base, with unfused laciniae (62 μm) arising directly from suture. Holoventral shield 98–104 wide at st2, 63 wide at st5, narrowed posteriorly, bearing st1–5, circumanal setae and three pairs of setae between these, with Zv2 and Jv3 off shield. Subcircular genital opening placed anterior of st1 on edge of holoventral shield. Exopodal IV plates well-developed, 18 μm wide. Metapodal plates positioned strongly externally, principal and secondary plates conjoined, 17 long. Anal shield 56– 60 wide at level of mid-anal opening. Cribral pores positioned at level of mid-anal opening. Anal opening large. Para-anal setae 16 long, postanal seta 18–22 long (duplicated in one specimen). Cribral spicules in a dense field without recognisable bands or rows. Spiracular opening massively enlarged, 51–53 μm wide. Peritrematal chamber extends anteriorly as a broad channel to level of anterior edge coxa III or mid coxa II, thereafter narrows sharply to a thin strip to posterior edge coxa I.

Legs: Leg chaetotaxy as in the majority of free-living Laelapidae ( Evans & Till, 1965) except tibia I (2, 3/2,3/ 2, 2; pv 2 present); genu I (2, 3/1,3/1, 2; av 2 absent, Fig. 18 ); genu IV (2, 2/1,2/1, 0; pv 1 present, pl and pd 3 absent); tibia IV (2, 1/1,2/1, 1; pd 3 absent). Coxa I posterior seta inflated basally, trailing to filamentous tip. Femur I dorsally with a single triangular, retrose cuticular spur ( Fig. 18 ). Femur I pd 1 very long 60–63. Femur II pd 1 51–55 long. Fe III and IV pd 1 stout, 33 and 28 μm respectively. Legs stout, telescoped. Leg measurements as in Table 3 I II III IV

Femur 65–70 48–54 42–43 53–55 Genu 51–52 53 35 43–47 Tibia 44 33–35 33–35 46–47 Tarsus 65–70 65–72 68–70 100–105 Remarks. Males of this species were previously undescribed. Neolaelaps vitzthumi has sexual dimorphism in femur I spurs. Females have two dorsal cuticular spurs on femur I. One spur originates from the base of ad 1 and the other originates from the base of pd 1. However males have only a raised boss next to ad 1 and a well-developed spur at the base of pd 1. Males also have only one spinose seta on posterior coxa I, and lack spinose anterior coxa I and spinose posterior coxa III. Compared to Ne. spinosus males, the capitular seta is not as stout (3 broad in Ne.

vitzthumi , ca. 7 in Ne. spinosus males). The host bat was “mangy” and carried a massive population of Ne. vitzthumi on its face. For other details on the health of this bat see Barrett (2004).

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 19. Neolaelaps vitzthumi male. 16, Dorsum, scale = 50 μm; 17, Venter, scale = 50 μm; 18, Femur – genu I, scale = 50 μm; 19, chelicera, scale = 50 μm.