Passeroptes aegithalos, 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 : 63-67

Passeroptes aegithalos sp. nov.

( Figs. 9 I, 10, 11, 12Q–T)

MALE (holotype). Body 180 long (160, 180 in 2 paratypes) and 130 wide (115, 120). Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields 23 (14, 16). Propodonotal shield 38 long (35, 37) and 47 wide (48, 50), its posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield rounded. Setae se long, extending trochanter IV, 57 (50, 58), 6 times longer than si; se–se 43 (43, 45). Hysteronotal shield 125 long, 73 long along midline, with pair of deep lateral incision at level of femora IV; its anterior part 49 long (48, 66) and 68 wide (56, 60), anterior part of hysteronotal shield slightly wider than posterior part of hysteronotal shield. Maximal distance between posterior hysteronotal shields 16. Setae d2 present. Humeral shields well developed, with bent extensions forming acute angle. Terminal cleft 49 (46, 47) long. Opisthosomal lobes and interlobar membranes narrow, minimum distance about 2 wide. Venter. Coxal apodemes I to IV free, coxal fields III opened, coxal apodeme IVa about 12 long and 2 wide. Genital arch as an inverted V with tips strongly curved laterally, about 10 long and 18 wide. Aedeagus about 16 long, extending beyond genital arch. Adanal shields 27 (28, 29) long and about 6 wide, subparallel to each other, wider than coxal apodeme IVa. Diameter of adanal suckers about 9. Cupules ih situated posterior to adanal suckers, ih–ih 45. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 105 (100, 110) long. Femora III and femora IV without retrorse processes. Solenidion ω 1 I absent. Setae ba I, II absent. Tarsi IV curved, with 2 apices. Lengths of setae: cp 125 (120, 125), c3 about 32, h2 150 (145, 165), h3 30 (38, 40), ps1 about 20, ps2 28 (23, 37), d II 67 (60, 78), d III 87 (84, 89), ω3 14 (13, 14), ω 1 II 23 (17, 21), φ I about 31, φ II 37 (33, 34), φ III about 7, φ IV about 22, σ 1 I 26 (26, 29), σ II 5. Distances between setae: g–g about 4, ps3–ps3 35 (35, 39), g–ps3 about 44, ps1–ps1 about 18, h3–h3 about 30, ps2–ps2 59 (50, 64), h2–h2 49 (44, 59), 4a–4a 57 (58, 59), 4b–4b about 49.

FEMALE (2 paratypes). Body 160 long and 120 wide. Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields 21, 23. Propodonotal shield 44, 46 long and about 55 wide, posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield rounded. Setae se 50, 55 long. Hysteronotal shield 75, 77 long and 63, 65 wide. Posterior angles of hysteronotal shield with attenuated extensions. Setae d2 present, 15, 18 long. Humeral shields well developed, with bent extensions. Venter. Coxal fields III opened only in anterior third. Adanal shields well developed, separated from each other. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 95–100 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 about 116, c3 about 39, h2 140, 145, h3 34, 38, ps 2 22, 25, d II 72, 80, d III about 78, ω3 about 15, ω 1 II about 19, φ I 26, 28, φ II 32, 34, φ IV about 24, σ 1 I about 24, σ II about 6. Distance between setae: se–se 50, g–g 57, 58, ps3–ps3 about 15, g–ps3 about 60, h3–h3 about 26, ps2–ps2 about 28, h2–h2 37, 41, 4a–4a 24, 25, 4b–4b 32, 35.

Type material. Holotype male [IOZ(E) 227743], 2 male and 2 female paratypes ex Aegithalos iouschistos bonvaloti (Oustalet) ( Passeriformes : Aegithalidae ), 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 garrulax Fain, 1965 from Garrulax bicolor Hartlaub ( Passeriformes : Leiothrichidae ) ( Fain 1965). In both sexes of these two species, setae d2 are present, and the humeral shields are well developed and have bent extensions; in males, the hysteronotal shield is not transversely separated and has a pair of deep lateral incisions at the level of femora IV, the shape of the lateral incisions of the hysteronotal shield is simple, the processes on femora III, IV are absent, the opisthosomal lobes, including the interlobar membrane, are separated from each other, the margin of the interlobar membrane is emarginate, cupules ih are situated posterior to the adanal suckers, the aedeagus is short, and coxal apodeme IVa is smaller than the adanal shields; in females, femora III and IV each bear one dorsal and one ventral moderately developed retrorse process.

The new species differs from P. garrulax in the following features. In both sexes of P. aegithalos sp. nov., setae se are long, being six times longer than si, extending beyond the anterior margin of the hysteronotal shield; in males, coxal apodemes II to IV are free, and coxal apodemes IVa are less developed, only about 12 long; in females, coxal fields III are opened only in the anterior third, and setae d2 are long, being 15, 18 long.

In both sexes of P. garrulax , setae se are short, only twice as long as setae si, not extending beyond the anterior margin of the hysteronotal shield; in males, coxal fields III are almost closed, being opened only in the anterior third, and coxal apodemes IVa are well developed, 20–23 long; in females, coxal fields III are closed, and setae d2 are 7–8 long.

Figures

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.