Platyacarus minor ( Berla, 1959a )

Hernandes, Fabio A. & Valim, Michel P., 2014, On the identity of two species of Proctophyllodidae (Acari: Astigmata: Analgoidea) described by Herbert F. Berla in Brazil, with a description of Lamellodectes gen. nov. and a new species, Zootaxa 3794 (1), pp. 179-200 : 190-194

Platyacarus minor ( Berla, 1959a) comb. nov.

( Figs. 7–9 , 10 C)

Proctophyllodes minor Berla, 1959a: 203 .

Pterodectes minor, Atyeo & Braasch 1966: 316 ; Park & Atyeo 1971b: 80; Valim & Hernandes 2006: 41; Valim et al. 2011: 303.

Redescription. MALE (holotype). Idiosoma, length × width, 291 (295–299 in 2 paratypes) × 136 (135–141). Prodorsal shield entire: 102 (105–108) x 99 (99–104), lateral margins with concavities at level of setae se, posterior margin irregular, roughly straight, antero-lateral extensions rounded, surface with circular lacunae mainly in area posterior to scapular setae; scapular setae se, 90 (88–95) in length, separated by 57 (60–61), setae si separated by 39 (42–43) ( Fig. 7 A). Scapular and humeral shields present. Setae cp situated ventrally on humeral shield. Setae c2 situated dorsally on anterior corner of humeral shields, the posterior angles of these shields acute. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 21 (20–21) × 5 (5–6). Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 170 (174), width at anterior region 90 (87–90), anterior margin concave, surface uniformly punctate with circular lacunae distributed between c1 and h1. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 6 (9). Small metapodosomal shields of irregular form present dorsally between levels of trochanters III and IV. Opisthosomal lobes short, their posterior margins rounded. Supranal concavity present ( Fig. 7 A). Setae h1 situated at level of posterior end of supranal concavity. Lamellae tongue-shaped, length 16 (13–14), width at base 13 (14–16). Setae h3 whip-shaped, 71 (70–90) long, setae ps2 29 (30–32) long; setae h2 125 (110–130) long; setae ps1 minute, about 6 long, situated slightly anterior to setae h3. Distance between dorsal setae: c1:d1 33 (32), d1:d2 25 (24–25), d2:e1 50 (38–45), e1:h1 46 (47–48), h3:h3 41 (39–41).

Epimerites I fused into a Y ("cuneiform" of Kudon 1982a) ( Fig. 7 B). Coxal fields I and II without large sclerotised areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa present. Epimerites IVa absent. Aedeagus 34 (34–36) long, genital arch length 16 (12–15), width 29 (27). Genital papillae separated. Paragenital sclerites represented by thin, longitudinal sclerites situated lateral to the genital arch. Adanal suckers 12 (15–16) in diameter, corolla with indentations, distance between centers of discs 14 (16–19). Setae ps3 10 (9) long. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4a 33 (32–33), 4a:g 35 (30–38), g:ps3 24 (24–25), ps3:ps3 13 (13–14).

Femora I, without ventral crests, femora II with small ventral crest. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I 8 (9–10) in length, situated medially on segment. Genual seta cG I and II, and mG I and II, filiform ( Figs. 8 A, B). Length of solenidia: ω 1 of tarsus I 9 (13), ω 1 of tarsus II 9 (10–13), ω 3 of tarsus I 29 (27–31). Legs III and IV similar in form and size. Tarsus IV 31 (33–34) long; setae d and e button-like ( Fig. 8 D).

FEMALE (1 paratype). Idiosoma, length × width, 415 × 174. Prodorsal shield entire: 124 × 146, lateral margins slightly oblique, antero-lateral extensions well developed and rounded, posterior margin slightly convex, setae se 107 long, separated by 91, si separated by 64. Scapular and humeral shields present. Setae cp situated ventrally on humeral shield. Setae c2 situated dorsally on anterior corner of humeral shields, the posterior angles of these shields acute. Setae c3 lanceolate, 25 × 6. Anterior hysteronotal shield roughly rectangular, greatest length 228, width at anterior margin 130, surface with circular lacunae, smaller than those in males ( Fig. 9 A). Length of lobar region 76, greatest width 116. Terminal cleft shaped as a narrow inverted U, 50 long. Setae h1 on transverse area of soft tegument between anterior hysteronotal and lobar shields. Setae h2 blade-like with apical filament, 93 long, 7 wide. Setae ps1 situated on opisthosomal lobes dorsally, close to inner margins, approximately at level of setae h3. Setae h3 setiform, 47 long. Distance between dorsal setae: c1:d1 50, d1:d2 45, d2:e1 62, e1:e2 42, e1:h1 73, h1:h1 35, h2:h2 103, ps1:ps1 23, h3:h3 47.

Epimerites I fused into a narrow V with posterior tips weakly connected. Coxal fields II as in male ( Fig. 9 B). Epimerites IVa present. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum arch-like, not reaching the genital setae g. Primary spermaduct not enlarged near head of spermatheca ( Fig. 10 C); copulatory opening situated ventrally, posterior to anal opening. Pseudanal setae ps2 and ps3 setiform, seta ps2 situated at midlevel of anal opening; distances of ventral setae: 1a:3a 62, 3a:g 25, g:4a 64, 4a:ps3 103, ps2:ps3 18, ps2:ps2 52, ps3:ps3 19.

Three distal segments of legs I and II as in male; femora I, II without crests or processes. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I 10 in length. Genual seta cG I and II, and mG I and II, filiform. Setae d of tarsi I, II and IV shorter than corresponding setae f, and setae d subequal to corresponding seta f on tarsus III. Length of solenidia: ω 1 of tarsus I 18, ω 3 of tarsus I 38, ω 1 of tarsus II 15. Genua III, IV not modified.

Material examined. Male holotype, 2 male and 1 female paratypes ( MNRJ) ex Sclerurus scansor scansor (Ménétriès) ( Passeriformes , Scleruridae), BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro, Parati, 23°13'S, 44°43'W, no other data, coll. H.F. Berla.

Differential diagnosis. Platyacarus minor is similar to mites of the oligolaccius species group ( Kudon 1982b) in most features, except for the structure of the prodorsal shield in both sexes ( Fig. 7 A, 9A). It is most similar to P.

sittasomi Hernandes, Valim & Mironov, 2007 by the relatively shorter length of aedeagus, not reaching the level of setae ps3. In other species of this group – P. oligolaccius Kudon, 1982a and P. dontocoronius Kudon, 1982a – the aedeagus is much longer, reaching the level of setae ps3. Platyacarus minor differs from these three species included in this group by the following characters: in both sexes, lacunae on the prodorsal and hysteronotal dorsal shields are present; in males, epimerites I are fused into a Y; the paragenital sclerites are present; the outer adanal shields are teardrop-shaped; the metapodosomal shields are present. In three previously known species of the oligolaccius species group, dorsal shields are devoid of lacunae, epimerites I are connected only at posterior tips, the outer adanal shields are thin comma-shaped, and the metapodosomal shields are absent.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Platyacarus minor (Berla) comb. nov., male. A—dorsal view; B—ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Platyacarus minor (Berla) comb. nov., male. A – D—legs I – IV, respectively.

FIGURE 9. Platyacarus minor (Berla) comb. nov., female. A—dorsal view; B—ventral view.

FIGURE 10. Female spermathecae: A— Lamellodectes ocelatus (Berla) comb. nov.; B— L. distinctus sp. nov.; C— Platyacarus minor (Berla) comb. nov.