Pteromychirus menetes, Bochkov, Andre V., Abramov, Alexei V. & Hugot, Jean-Pierre, 2011

Bochkov, Andre V., Abramov, Alexei V. & Hugot, Jean-Pierre, 2011, Five new species of fur mites (Acariformes: Sarcoptoidea) from small mammals in Laos, Zootaxa 2980, pp. 1-22 : 17-21

Pteromychirus menetes sp. n.

( Figs. 10 , 11 )

MALE (holotype, Fig. 10 ). Body 400 long (375–400 in 10 paratypes), 130 wide (120–130). Prescapular shield 110 long (100–110). Anterior margin of prescapular shield trilobite-like. Postscapular shield about 25 long, covered by 4 narrow transverse bands. Hysteronotal shield 140 long (120–150), without ornamentation, but with several disorderly located unsclerotized patches. Idiosomal surface between prescapular and hysteronotal shields striated, with 23–27 lines; distance between these shields subequal to length of hysteronotal shield. Opisthosomal lobes distinctly developed, about only 2.5 times shorter and 3 times narrower than hysteronotal shield. Small dorso-median tooth present at level of setae h1. Lobar membrane without median incision, only slightly convex in median part. Setae h2 about 125 long; membranous setae h3 about 12 long and 7 wide, without ribs; setae ps2 absent. Cuticle between coxal fields II with auxiliary striated attaching membranes. Coxal apodemes III fused to each other. Aedeagus about 10 long. Diameter of paranal suckers about 15. Legs III and IV 60 –70 and 70–75 long, respectively. Femur II with distinct ventral fold. Seta d III about 2 times longer than respective tarsus, excluding pretarsus. Setae d IV and e IV tubercle-like. Solenidia ω 1 I, II about 10 long, ω 3 I 18 long, φI, II about 35 long.

FEMALE (10 paratypes, Fig. 11 ). Body 490–500 long, 120–135 wide. Prescapular shield 120–125 long. Anterior margin of prescapular shield trilobite-lake. Postscapular shield 25–30 long, covered by 5–6 narrow transverse bands. Idiosomal surface posterior to postscapular shield distinctly striated (more than 50 striae), without ornamentation; 8–10 plaques constituting longitudinal median line immediately posterior to postscapular shield present. Posterior end of opisthonotum with sclerotized area. Cuticle between coxal fields II with striated auxiliary attaching membranes. Median part of ventral opisthosoma completely covered by verrucae. Setae h2 about 150 long, much longer than other opisthosomal setae. Setae ps1 and ps2 absent. Legs III and IV subequal, about 75 long.

Setae d III and IV at least 2 times longer than respective tarsi, excluding pretarsus. Solenidia ω 1 I, II about 10 long, ω 3 I about 25 long, φI, II about 15 long.

Type material. Male holotype (T-L-ZISP AVB 09-1505-006), 20 male and 20 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-1505-006, # 1-40) from Menetes berdmorei (Blyth) ( Rodentia : Sciuridae ), 8 November 2008, coll. A. Abramov, A. Tikhonov (field number #AA, AT 8); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-1505-003, #1-20), same locality, 14 November 2008 (#AA, AT 76). Numerous mite specimens from all these records are preserved in alcohol.

Type deposition. Holotype and most part of paratypes—ZISP, 1 male and 1 female paratypes—in UMMZ, 1 male and 1 female paratypes—MNHN, 1 male and 1 female paratypes—IRSNB.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is the second species described in the genus Pteromychirus . It differs from the type species, Pteromychirus lukoschusi (Fain) described from Pteromys momonga Temminck ( Rodentia : Sciuridae ) from Japan ( Fain 1979b), by the following characters. In both sexes of Pteromychirus menetes sp. n., the lateral parts of the idiosoma are devoid of scales or verrucae; in males, the hysteronotal shield is not ornamented and the median incision of the lobar membrane is absent. In both sexes of P. lukoschusi , the lateral parts of the idiosoma are covered by scales; in males, the hysteronotal shield is ornamented by transverse bands and the lobar membrane has a distinct median incision.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host and is a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Pteromychirus menetes sp. n., male holotype: A—Dorsal view; B—Ventral view; C—Leg III in ventral view; D—Tibia and tarsus IV in ventral view. Scale bars: 100 μm = A, B; 25 μm = C, D.

FIGURE 11. Pteromychirus menetes sp. n., female: A—Dorsal view; B—Ventral view; C—Tarsus III in ventral view. Scale bars: 100 μm = A, B; 25 μm = C.