Pollux kovalamicus

Saboori, Alireza, Taemoori, Gholam Husein & Hakimitabar, Masoud, 2016, Revision of the genus Pollux (Acari: Erythraeidae) and redescription of P. kovalamicus, Zootaxa 4117 (1), pp. 115-124 : 117-118

Remarks on P. kovalamicus from Pakistan

We were unable to borrow the holotype of P. w a l i i, but we were able to receive and study one non-type specimen from Pakistan. We checked the specimen with metric and corrected meristic data (see below) in the original paper and observed no significant difference. The following characters should be corrected in the original description: palpal setal formula: B-BBB-BBBBB-BNN-NNNNNωζ (B-BB-BBBNN-N-NNNNωζ in original description), number of hypostomalae is 4 (2 in original description, hypostomala as was not reported or drawn in original description whereas it is tiny and thorn-like, see Fig. 11 ), microseta present on Ge I (absent in original description), Ti I with 12 normal setae (13 in original description), companion seta (z) present on Ta I (absent in original description), number of normal setae on Ta I is 20 (15 in original description), microseta present on Ge II (absent in original description), number of normal setae on Ti II is 10/11 (right/left side). Companion seta (z) present on Ta II (absent in original description), number of normal setae on Ta I and Ta II is 20 and 19 (15 and 14 in original description), respectively.

After comparing metric and corrected meristic data of P. walii and P. kovalamicus , we decided to consider P. walii as a junior synonym of P. kovalamicus . Two Iranian specimens of P. kovalamicus showed variation in the setal counts on Ti I and Ta II and we therefore expect this kind of variation in other leg segments in other specimens. With the minor possible exception of the shape of hypostomala as, and the aforementioned intraspecific variation on Ta I and II, other characters were similar between the holotype and Pakistani specimen.

Character 1 2 3 4 5 Character 1 2 3 4 5

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 11. Pollux kovalamicus: 10. Hypostomalae and galeala (800 x) (Iranian larva); 11. Hypostomalae and galeala (800 x), anterior hypostomala is drawn on the left side (Pakistani larva).