Pimeliaphilus Trägårdh

Paredes-León, Ricardo, Klompen, Hans & Pérez, Tila M., 2012, Systematic revision of the genera Geckobiella Hirst, 1917 and Hirstiella Berlese, 1920 (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with description of a new genus for American species parasites on geckos formerly placed in Hirstiella, Zootaxa 3510, pp. 1-40 : 22-23

Pimeliaphilus Trägårdh

Pimeliaphilus Trägårdh, 1905: 31 ; Vitzthum 1942: 612; Radford 1943: 71; Baker and Wharton 1952: 207; Cunliffe 1952: 159; Jack 1961: 305.

Pimeliaphiloides (in part): Vitzthum, 1942: 613; Radford 1950: 377; Baker and Wharton 1952: 208; Cunliffe 1952: 162; Jack 1961: 305.

Type species. Pimeliaphilus podapolipophagus Trägårdh, 1905 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. Female. Gnathosoma ( Fig. 7 A–B). Base of gnathosoma large and longer than rest of palps; delimitation between subcapitulum and hypostome gradual (inconspicuous); tip of hypostome with distinct membranous velum marked dorsally with prominent, transverse and parallel striae and with rostral flange (structure stiff, hyaline shelf just proximal to striated velum); palpal tibial claw long (2 times longer than palpal tarsus) and curved starting at the middle; cheliceral digits (movable and fixed) long and spine-like; proximal part of cheliceral base thin (3.5 times or less width of distal part). Idiosoma. Oligotrichous; setae c3 absent; prodorsal shield always present. Legs. Solenidion ω 1 on tarsus I present; companion seta (ft) on tarsus I is nude, spiniform and very reduced; setae 4c on coxae IV peripectinate.

Setal development. Larvae with solenidion φ 1 on tibiae I which absent in subsequent instars.

Hosts. Most of the species parasitic on arthropods (e. g., triatomine bugs, scorpions and beetles), and at least two species parasitic on lizards of gekkotan families, i. e, Gekkonidae and Phyllodactylidae ( Table 4 ).

Included species ( Table 4 ). P. insignis ( Berlese, 1892) , P. podapolipophagus Trägårdh, 1905 , P. s h a r i f i Abdussalam, 1941, P. i s om et r i Cunliffe, 1949, P. triatomae Cunliffe, 1952 , P. rapax Beer, 1960 , P. cunliffei Jack, 1961 , P. gloriosus Newell and Ryckman, 1966 , P. sanguisugae Newell and Ryckman, 1966 , P. p l u m i f e r Newell and Ryckman, 1966, P. calimesae Newell and Ryckman, 1966 , P. peninsularis Newell and Ryckman, 1966 , P. andersoni Newell and Ryckman, 1966 , P. j o s h u a e Newell and Ryckman, 1966, P. trogadermus Cunliffe, 1968 , P. zeledoni Newell and Ryckman, 1969 , P. penrithi Olivier, 1977 , P. sanguicollis Olivier, 1977 , P. buysi Olivier, 1977 and P. desertus Olivier, 1977 .

Remarks. This short diagnosis is based mainly on the four species included in this study (P. ca. podapolipophagus , P. trogadermus , P. sharifi and P. insignis ). A more detailed review of the genus including all nominal species of Pimeliaphilus is clearly needed. For example, the presence of solenidion φ 1 on tibiae I in the larvae should be corroborated in all species (at least all of those where larvae are known).

Contrary to the view of Bochkov and OConnor (2006) who mentioned that setae c1-3 are present in all active instars, we note that all species in Pimeliaphilus lack idiosomal dorsal setae c 3 in all instars.

This genus displays a wide host range, including Old World lizards ( Phyllodactylidae and Gekkonidae ), Old and New World arachnids ( Scorpiones ), and insects ( Coleoptera , Hemiptera and Blattodea ) as well as free living forms (e. g., P. sanguicollis Olivier ) ( Table 4 ). Their host associations should be also analyzed in more detail because some undetermined specimens of Pimeliaphilus were recorded on phlebotomine sandflies Phlebotomus alexandri ( Diptera : Psychodidae ) in Saudi Arabia ( Lewis & Macfarlane 1981).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Pimeliaphilus insignis, female. A, gnathosoma dorsal view; B, gnathosoma ventral view. Scale bar 100 µm.