Passeroptes periparus, Mu, Ning, Kuang, Xi-Jun, Liu, Huai & Wang, Zi-Ying, 2015

Mu, Ning, Kuang, Xi-Jun, Liu, Huai & Wang, Zi-Ying, 2015, Feather mites of the genus Passeroptes Fain (Acariformes: Dermationidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) of China, Zootaxa 3985 (1), pp. 53-68 : 61-63

Passeroptes periparus sp. nov.

( Figs. 7 , 8 , 9 A–E, 12M–P)

MALE (holotype). Body 165 long and 115 wide. Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields about 18. Propodonotal shield 39 long and about 64 wide, its posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield not straight. Setae se 58 long, about 8 times as long as si, se–se 45. Hysteronotal shield 105 long, its length along midline 57, with 1 pair of deep lateral incisions at level of femora IV; its anterior part 39 long and 64 wide, anterior part of hysteronotal shield not as wide as its posterior part. Maximal distance between posterior hysteronotal shields 56. Setae d2 absent. Humeral shields well developed, with bent extensions. Terminal cleft about 43 long. Interlobar membranes not overlapping. Maximum distance about 47 wide. Venter. Coxal apodeme I to IV free, coxal fields III opened, coxal apodeme IVa is a small sclerite. Genital arch as an inverted V with tips strongly curved laterally. Genital arch 10 long, and 19 wide. Aedeagus 21 long. Adanal shields about 23 long and 15 wide, subparallel to each other. Diameter of adanal suckers about 8. Cupules ih situated posterolateral adanal suckers. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 100 long. Femora III with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral moderately developed retrorse processes. Other processes on legs III and IV absent. Solenidion ω 1 I absent. Setae ba I, II absent. Tarsi IV curved, with 2 apices. Lengths of setae: cp 110, h2 150, h3 37, ps1 16, ps2 36, d II 55, d III 70, ω3 12, ω 1 II 15, φ I 30, φ II 43, φ IV 20, σ 1 I 16, σ II 12. Distance between setae: se–se 5, g–g 6, ps3–ps3 36, g–ps3 42, ps1–ps1 30, h3–h3 48, ps2–ps2 70, h2–h2 64, ih–ih 50, 4 a–4a 52, 4 b–4b 48.

FEMALE (3 paratypes). Body 165–190 long and 120–130 wide. Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields 16–25. Propodonotal shield 44–50 long and 55–57 wide, posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield slightly rounded. Setae se 45–55 long. Hysteronotal shield 67–74 long and 56–59 wide, with concave anterior and posterior margins. Setae d2 absent. Humeral shields well developed, with bent round extensions. Venter. Coxal apodemes II to IV free, coxal fields III opened only in anterior third. Adanal shields well developed, separated from each other encompassing setae h2, h3, ps1, ps2 and ps3. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 96–105 long. Femora III and IV each with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral moderately developed retrorse processes. Other processes on legs III and IV absent. Solenidion ω 1 I absent. Setae ba I, II absent. Lengths of setae: cp 100–110, c 3 22–29, h2 140–155, h 3 30–36, ps 2 27–31, d II 51 –57, d III 65 –74, ω3 about 12, ω 1 II about 14, φ I 25–31, φ II 33 –35, σ 1 I 14–19, and σ II 4–6. Distance between setae: se–se 48, g–g 62– 71, ps3–ps3 12, g–ps3 68–73, ps1–ps 1 8–10, h3–h3 15, ps2–ps 2 28–30, h2–h 2 28–30, 4 a–4a 20–25, 4 b–4b 22–30.

Type material. Holotype male [IOZ(E) 227742] and 3 female paratypes ex Periparus ater (Linnaeus) ( Passeriformes : Paridae ), CHINA: Sichuan, 31°03'38.35'' N, 103°33'21.84'' E, 23 April 2014, coll. N. Mu. Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is closest to Passeroptes geopeliae Fain, 1965 from Geopelia striata (Linnaeus, 1766) ( Columbiformes : Columbidae ). In both sexes of these two species, setae d2 are absent, and setae se are long, extending beyond the anterior margin of the hysteronotal shield; in males, the hysteronotal shield is entire but has a pair of deep lateral incisions at the level of femora IV, femora III have retrorse processes, the opisthosomal lobes, including the interlobar membrane, are not overlapping, cupules ih are posterolateral to adanal suckers, and tarsi IV are curved, with two apices; in females, femora III and IV each bear one dorsal and one ventral moderately developed retrorse process, and the adanal shields are well developed and separated from each other, encompassing setae ps3.

The new species differs from P. geopeliae by the following features. In both sexes of P. periparus sp. nov., setae ba I, II are absent, and the humeral shields are well developed, with a bent extension; in males, coxal fields III are opened, coxal apodeme IVa is a small sclerite, the opisthosomal lobes, including the interlobar membrane, are separated from each other, and the distance is wider than P. geopeliae , about 47 wide. The aedeagus is long, extending beyond genital arch; in females, the margins of hysteronotal shield is curved, and coxal fields III are opened only in the anterior third.

In both sexes of P. geopeliae , setae ba I, II are presumably present ( Fain (1965) only stated that ω1 was absent), and the humeral shields lack a bent extension; in males, coxal fields III are only opened in the anterior third, coxal apodeme IVa is fused with apodeme IIIa, the interlobar membrane are separated from each other, and minimum distance of interlobar membrane is narrower than P. periparus , and the aedeagus is short, not extending to the genital arch; in females, all margins of the hysteronotal shield are straight and coxal fields III are opened.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Passeroptes periparus sp. nov., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Passeroptes periparus sp. nov., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Passeroptes periparus sp. nov., male. A—leg I in dorsal view, B—leg II in dorsal view, C—leg III in dorsal view, D—leg IV in dorsal view, E—tarsus IV in dorsal view; F— Passeroptes lioparis, tarsus IV in dorsal view; G— Passeroptes motacillae, tarsus IV in dorsal view; H— Passeroptes cyanodermae, tarsus IV in dorsal view; I— Passeroptes aegithalos, tarsus IV in dorsal view.