Neoaulonastus tanzanicus, Skoracki, Maciej, Hromada, Martin & Unsoeld, Markus, 2013

Skoracki, Maciej, Hromada, Martin & Unsoeld, Markus, 2013, Three new quill mite species of the genus Neoaulonastus Skoracki (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitizing passerines in Tanzania, Zootaxa 3616 (4), pp. 367-377 : 369-370

Neoaulonastus tanzanicus sp. nov.

( Figs. 2 and 3 )

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Total body length 500 (500–520 in 2 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2 chambers, each lateral branch with 5–6 chambers. Stylophore 120 (120–125) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield weakly sclerotized on anterior margin, bearing bases of setae ve, si and c1, apunctate. Length ratio of setae ve:si 1:1. Setae se and c1 situated at same transverse level or setae se set slightly anterior to c1. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae c1 and se subequal in length. Setae c1 twice longer than setae d2 and 6.4–7.8 times longer than setae d1. Length ratio of setae d1: d2 1:2.6–3.5. Pygidial shield weakly sclerotized, apunctate. Length ratio of setae f1:f2 1:4–5. Length ratio of aggenital setae ag1:ag2:ag3 1.2–1.3:1:1.4. Pseudanal setae ps2 slightly longer than ps1. Genital setae g2 slightly longer than g1. Genital plate absent. Coxal fields III and IV punctate. Setae 3c 2.3 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 5 tines. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III–IV subequal in lengths or setae tc” III–IV slightly longer than tc’ III–IV. Lengths of setae: ve 20 (15–20), si 20 (15–20), se 145 (135–150), c1 160 (155–160), c2 150 (145–150), d1 25 (20–25), d2 70 (70–80), e2 65 (65–70), f1 25 (25), f2 (105–125), h1 25 (25), h2 290, ps1 15 (15), ps2 15 (15), g1 25 (25), g2 30 (30), ag1 105 (105), ag2 80 (90), ag3 (120–125), tc’ III–IV (30–45), tc” III–IV (45–50), 3b 20 (20), 3c 45 (45–50).

MALE (1 paratype). Total body length 345. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2 chambers, each lateral branch with 6 chambers. Stylophore 95 long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield weakly sclerotized, bearing bases of setae ve, si and c1, apunctate. Length ratio of setae ve: si 1:1. Setae se situated anterior to level of setae c1. Hysteronotal and pygidial shields absent. Length ratio of setae f2:h2 1:2. Length ratio of aggenital setae ag1:ag2 2:1. Setae g1 situated anterior to level of setae g2. Setae 3c twice longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 4 tines. Lengths of setae: ve 10, si 10, se 20, c1 20, c2 20, d1 10, d2 10, e2 10, f2 20, h2 40, ag1 40, ag 2 20, 3b 10, 3c 20.

Type material. Female holotype and paratypes: 2 females, 1 male, 1 tritonymph, and 3 protonymphs from quills of body feathers of Euplectes axillaris (Smith) ( Passeriformes : Ploceidae ); TANZANIA, Arusha, Usa-River, 7 April 1960, coll. Dr. V. Nagy. Host specimen is deposited in the ZSM (Reg. No. 60.1126). Mites removed by M. Skoracki.

Type material deposition. All material is deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU-SYR.385) except 1 female paratype in the ZSM (Reg. No. ZSM 20112046).

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the type locality—Tanzania.

Differential diagnosis. N. tanzanicus sp. nov. is morphologically similar to N. picidus Skoracki, 2011 . In females of both species setae f2 are distinctly longer than f1; the propodonotal shield is present; setae c1 are 5–8 times longer than d1. Setae d2 are relatively short; the coxal fields III and IV are rarely punctate; the genital plate is absent. This new species differs from N. picidus by the following characters: in females of N. tanzanicus sp. nov., the length ratio of setae d1: d2 is 1:2.6–3.5; the hysteronotal shield is absent; each lateral branch of the peritremes has 5–6 chambers; fan-like setae are with 5 tines. In females of N. picidus , length ratio of setae d1: d2 is 1:1; the hysteronotal shield is present; each lateral branch of the peritremes has 5–6 chambers; fan-like setae are with 7–8 tines.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Neoaulonastus tanzanicus sp. nov., female. A, dorsal view; B, peritremes; C, fan-like seta p’ III; D, ventral view. Scale bars: A, D = 50 µm; B, C = 20 µm.

FIGURE 3. Neoaulonastus tanzanicus sp. nov., male. A, dorsal view; B, peritremes; C, opisthosoma in ventral view; D, genito-anal region; E, fan-like seta p’ III. Scale bars: A, C = 50 µm; B, D, E = 20 µm.