Parasecia fundata ( Brennan, 1969 )

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A., Capek, Miroslav & Literák, Ivan, 2022, New species and records of chiggers (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) from birds of the Neotropics, Zootaxa 5141 (6), pp. 501-552 : 529-530

Parasecia fundata ( Brennan, 1969)

( Fig. 19 )

Fonsecia (Parasecia) fundata Brennan, 1969: 664 , fig. 3.

Parasecia fundata: Goff 1992b: 967 ; Stekolnikov et al. 2007: 66; Bassini-Silva et al. 2020: 160, figs. 7, 8.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.0000; fsp = 7.7.7; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fPp = B/B/NNB(f); fSc: PL> AM> AL; Ip = 578–675; fD = 2H-6-6-2(4)-(2–6)-(2–4); DS = 22–26; V = 17–20; NDV = 39–46. Scutum nearly trapezoidal, with anterolateral shoulders and with few puncta; sensilla with ca. 8–12 branches in distal half; sensillary bases slightly anterior to level of PL (PSB—P-PL = 4–6 µm). Standard measurements of one examined specimen from Peru (ZIN 8873) and two from Costa Rica (ZIN 7069 and ZIN 7083) given in Table 8 .

Distribution. Brazil, Costa Rica ( Stekolnikov et al. 2007), and Peru (this study).

Hosts . Mammalia: Caluromys philander (L.), Didelphis marsupialis L. ( Didelphimorphia : Didelphidae ), Proechimys guyannensis (É. Geoffroy) ( Rodentia : Echimyidae ); Aves: Glyphorynchus spirurus , Xiphorhynchus susurrans (Jardine) ( Passeriformes : Furnariidae ), Melanerpes pucherani (Malherbe) ( Piciformes : Picidae ) ( Stekolnikov et al. 2007).

New host record: Dendrocincla fuliginosa .

Localization on hosts. Ear ( D. fuliginosa No IQ 9).

Material examined. One larva ( ZIN 8859) ex. D. fuliginosa No IQ 9 and 1 larva ( ZIN 8873) ex G. spirurus No IQ 32, PERU: Iquitos, National Reserve Allpahuayo Mishana, 15 and 16 August 2011; 2 larvae ( ZIN 7069, 7083) ex G. spirurus Nos B 57 and HC321, COSTA RICA: Barbilla National Park, 1 July 2004 ( Stekolnikov et al. 2007).

Remarks. The ventral palpal tibial seta is branched or forked in our material that is in accordance with the original description, but Bassini-Silva et al. (2020) drew and described this seta as nude. Probably, this character is variable in P. fundata . Brennan (1969) also designated the state of lateral palpal tibial seta as Nb, i.e. nude or having one small cilium, whereas Bassini-Silva et al. (2020) stated that this seta (erroneously designated as “lateral seta of the palptarsus” in the text) is nude in the type series. Thus, P. fundata cannot be reliably discriminated by the setation of palps from Parasecia manueli ( Brennan and Jones, 1960) . The latter usually has fPp = B/B/NNN, but the ventral palpal tibial setae can be forked or branched ( Brennan & Jones 1960; Daniel & Stekolnikov 2003a).

In their key to species, Bassini-Silva et al. (2020) discriminated P. fundata and P. manueli by the number of setae in 3 rd posthumeral row (E) (6 setae in P. fundata vs. 2 setae in P. manueli ) and by NDV or “total opisthosomal setae” (48–54 in P. fundata vs. 38 in P. manueli ). However, according to our data, the number of setae in 3 rd row can be 2 or 4 both in P. fundata (our material from Costa Rica and Peru) and P. manueli from Cuba ( Daniel & Stekolnikov 2003a). Note also that according to the original description of P. manueli , arrangement of dorsal idiosomal setae is variable in this species and 3 rd row includes 4 or 6 setae ( Brennan & Jones 1960). Our samples of P. fundata and P. manueli also do not differ by NDV ( Table 8 ).

In fact, the characters allowing a precise discrimination of these two species are measurements. Parasecia fundata has definitely smaller scutum (AW–SD and AP in Table 8 ), shorter setae (AM–V max in Table 8 ), shorter and thinner legs (pa–TaIIIW in Table 8 ) than P. manueli . Unfortunately, the cited revision of the genus Parasecia ( Bassini-Silva et al. 2020) includes measurements for only one new species that significantly lowers usefulness of this work.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Parasecia fundata (Brennan, 1969), specimen ZIN 8873. A—general view, B—dorsal aspect of idiosoma, C— scutum, D—ventral aspect of idiosoma. Scale bars: 100 µm (A), 50 µm (B–D).