Pterodectes molothrus Mironov, 2008

Mironov, Sergey V., Literak, Ivan & Čapek, Miroslav, 2008, New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Zootaxa 1947, pp. 1-38 : 13-17

Pterodectes molothrus Mironov sp. n.

( Figs. 7–9)

Type material. Male holotype ( ZISP 4382 ), 4 male and 2 female paratypes ex Molothrus bonariensis (Gmelin, 1789) ( Icteridae ), Brazil, Pantanal, Fazenda Monte Alegre, 21°30´S, 56° 40´W, 20 July 2006, I. Literak and M. Č apek. Holotype, 2 male and 1 female paratypes ( ZISP 4382-4385 ) – ZISP, remaining paratypes – PaU.

Male (holotype, measurements for 4 paratypes in parenthesis). Length of idiosoma 365 (345–365), width 153 (144–155), length of hysterosoma 218 (215–240). Prodorsal shield: 110 (105–112) × 102 (100–105), lateral margins entire, posterior margin straight, antero-lateral extensions attenuate, rounded on ends, surface uniformly punctate; scapular setae se separated by 60 (58–65) ( Fig. 7 A). Setae ve present. Scapular shields dorsally not developed. Humeral shields narrow, situated dorsally, separated from epimerites III. Setae cp situated laterally on soft tegument. Setae c2 situated on soft tegument anterior to humeral shield. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 22 (20–25) × 7 (7–8). Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 238 (230–240), width in anterior part 110 (102–110), anterior margin straight, surface uniformly punctate, without lacunae. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 13 (10–15) ( Fig. 1A). Opisthosomal lobes as long as wide at base; posterior ends of lobes roughly rounded; setae h2 and h3 situated on posterior margin of lobes. Terminal cleft as an inverted U with divergent branches, 24 (22–25) in length; lateral margins of cleft with narrow interlobar membranes forming short tooth at base of setae h3. Supranal concavity present. Setae f2 situated anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 large setiform, 78 (64–80) long; setae ps2 80 (80–85) long; setae ps1 minute filiform, about 5 long, situated on margins of terminal cleft at levels of setae h2. Distance between dorsal setae: se:c2 70 (64–75), c2:d2 97 (90–100), d2:e2 86 (80–90), e2:h3 44 (40–45), d1:d2 37 (30–40), e1: e2 31 (28–35), h1:ps2 16 (15–17), h2:h2 51 (50– 55), h3:h3 42 (40–45), ps2:ps2 62 (60–65).

Epimerites I fused as a V, fused part tridentate ( Fig. 7 B). Coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerite rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields II, III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized area. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, 24 (22–25) × 44 (40–44); basal sclerite of genital apparatus with semirounded posterior margin; aedeagus straight, sword-shaped, 95 (95–100) long, extending to anterior margin of anal suckers; genital papillae present, situated from each other. Genital and adanal shields absent. Anal suckers 12 (12–13) in diameter, corolla smooth. Opisthoventral shields narrow, extending to lobar apices, inner margins at level of anal suckers with blunt extension, bearing setae ps3. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 9 (8–10), 3a:4a 42 (35–42), 4a:g 42 (35–44), g:ps3 55 (50–55), ps3:ps3 52 (52–55), ps3:h3 28 (24–30).

Legs I slightly thicker than legs II, femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I short, stick-like, 9 (7–10) long, situated at midlevel of segment; genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II setiform, thin ( Figs. 8 A, B). Legs III and IV similar in form and size. Solenidion σ 1 of genu III in distal part of segment. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding seta f, and seta d of tarsus III much shorter than corresponding setae f. Tarsus IV 24 (22–24) long, without apical claw-like process; setae d, e button-like, situated in basal half of segment and apically, respectively; solenidion ϕ of tibia IV extending to midlevel of ambulacral disc ( Fig. 2 D).

Female (2 paratypes). Length of idiosoma 495–530, width 175–195, length of hysterosoma 355–375. Prodorsal shield: general form as in male, 130–135 × 130–140, posterior part with pale sclerotized rounded patches, setae se separated by 75–80 ( Fig. 9 A). Setae ve present. Humeral shields present, narrow, situated ventrally. Setae cp situated on soft tegument, slightly mesal from ventral margin of humeral shields. Setae c2 situated on soft tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 22–24 × 7–8. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 10–15. Anterior and lobar pieces of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument, but remain connected ventro-laterally by narrow bands ( Fig. 9 B). Anterior hysteronotal shield slightly enlarged in anterior part, anterior margin straight, greatest length 274–300, width at anterior margin 125–145, surface usually with four pairs of pale sclerotized areas near lateral margin of this shield. Length of lobar region 82–86, greatest width 84–90. Terminal cleft as a narrow inverted V, 60–66 long, distance between lobar apices 25–30. Setae h1 on lobar shield, distant from anterior margins; setae h1 and f2 arranged in low trapezoid. Setae h2 spindle-like, 52–55 × 7–9. Setae ps1 near to inner margins of opisthosomal lobes. Setae h3 short setiform, 13–15 long, about 1/8 of terminal appendages. Distance between dorsal setae: se:c2 78–90, c2:d2 120–125, d2:e2 135–145, e2:h2 60–64, h2:h3 35–40, d1:d2 42–60, e1: e2 42–48, h1:h2 30–35, h1:h1 28–32, h2:h2 65–75, h3:h3 40–45.

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with acute posterior end and short and acute lateral extension. Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, wide, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum horseshoeshaped, with short lateral extensions, greatest width 65–72. Primary spermaduct with ampuliform enlargement in proximal part from, outer surface of spermaduct smooth; secondary spermaducts 15–20 long ( Fig. 8 G); copulatory opening situated ventral, near to anterior end of terminal cleft. Pseudanal setae ps2, ps3 setiform, setae ps2 situated at midlevel of anal opening, distance between setae: ps2:ps2 35–40, ps3:ps3 16–22, ps2:ps3 13–17.

Three distal segments of legs I, II as in male, femur I without ventral crest, femur II with ventral crest. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I thin stick-like, 10–12 long. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II setiform, thin. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding seta f, and setae d of tarsi III, IV much shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with wide longitudinal dorsal crest, genu III with low longitudinal crest ( Figs 8 E, F).

Differential diagnosis. Among formerly known species, Pterodectes molothrus sp. n. seems to be most similar to P. sialiarum ( Stoll, 1893) from Sialia sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Turdidae) by having the following characters: in both sexes, the humeral shields are small and situated laterally; in males, the fused part of epimerites I is tridentate, and setae h3 are long setiform, comparable in length to setae ps2. Pterodectes molothrus differs from P.sialiarum by the following features: in males, the aedeagus extends to the anterior margin of the anal suckers, setae ps3 are situated at the level of posterior margin of the anal suckers, and the interlobar membranes form a little tooth on lobar apices; in females, the terminal cleft is about ¾ of lobar shield length and extends distinctly beyond the level of setae h2, and the primary spermaduct has a strong ampuliform enlargement before the entering to spermatheca ( Fig. 8 G). In males of P. sialiarum , the aedeagus extends to the posterior margin of anal suckers or to the anterior margin of terminal cleft, setae ps3 are situated at the midlevel of the anal suckers, and the interlobar membrane is absent; in females, the terminal cleft extends to the level of setae h2, and the primary spermaduct has a poorly expressed enlargement, which is only twice wider than remaining part of the spermaduct.

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