Neoaulonastus granatina, 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 : 372-376

Neoaulonastus granatina sp. nov.

( Figs. 6 and 7 )

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Total body length 450 (445–460 in 4 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum sparsely punctate or apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2 chambers, each lateral branch with 4 chambers. Stylophore 105 (105) 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. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae c1 and se subequal in length. Setae c1 8–9 times longer than setae d1 and d2. Setae d1 and d2 subequal in length. Pygidial shield weakly sclerotized, apunctate. Length ratio of setae f1: f2 1:2–3. Length ratio of aggenital setae ag1: ag2: ag3 1:1:1.7–2. Pseudanal setae ps1 and ps2 subequal in length. Genital setae g1 and g2 subequal in length. Genital plate absent. Coxal fields I and II punctate. Setae 3c 1.5–2 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 4–5 tines. Setae tc” III–IV 1.4 times longer than tc’ III–IV. Lengths of setae: ve 10 (10), si 10 (10), se 120 (110–120), c1 135 (125–135), c2 115 (90–105), d1 15 (15–20), d2 15 (15–20), e2 (25), f1 25 (20–25), f2 80 (50–85), h1 25 (20–25), h2 (200–210), ps1 and ps2 15 (10–15), g1 and g2 25 (25–30), ag1 (50–55), ag2 70 (55–75), ag3 100 (100–105), tc’ III–IV 25, tc” III–IV 35, 3 b 15 (15), 3c (20).

MALE (1 paratype). Total body length 270 in 2 paratypes. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum sparsely punctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 3 chambers, each lateral branch with 3–4 chambers. Stylophore 80 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 f1: f2 1:2–3. Length ratio of aggenital setae ag1: ag2 1:1.3–1.7. Setae g1 situated anterior to level of setae g2. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 5 tines. Lengths of setae: ve 10, si 10, se 10, c1 15, c 2 10–15, d 1 5–10, d 2 5–10, e 2 5 –10, f 2 10–15, h2 30, ag1 25, ag 2 15–20.

Type material. Female holotype and paratypes: 4 females, 2 males, 2 protonymphs and 1 tritonymph from quill of body feathers of Granatina ianthinogaster Reichenow ( Passeriformes : Estrildidae ); TANZANIA, Simangiro, 9 June 1960, coll. Dr. V. Nagy. Host specimen is deposited in the ZSM [Reg. No. ZMZ 60.1947]. Type material deposition. All material is deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU-SYR.383) except 1 female paratype in the ZSM (Reg. No. ZSM 20112016).

Etymology. The specific epithet granatina is directly adopted from the generic name of the host. Differential diagnosis. This new species belongs to the species group where females are devoid of the hysteronotal shield—all new taxa described above. Females of N. granatina are easily distinguishable from all species from this species-group by subequal setae d1 and d2. In remain species of this group, setae d1 and d2 are unequal in length.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Neoaulonastus granatina sp. nov., female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, peritremes; D, fan-like seta p’ III. Scale bars: A, B = 50 µm; C, D = 20 µm.

FIGURE 7. Neoaulonastus granatina sp. nov., male. A, dorsal view; B, peritremes; C, fan-like seta p’ III; D, opisthosoma in ventral view. Scale bars: A, D = 50 µm; B, C = 20 µm.