Timalinyssus actinodurae Constantinescu

Constantinescu, Ioana Cristina, Chişamera, Gabriel, Mukhim, Khlur B. & Adam, Costică, 2014, Two new feather mite species of the family Pteronyssidae (Acarina: Analgoidea) from Meghalaya (Northeast India), Zootaxa 3774 (4), pp. 351-366 : 352-358

Timalinyssus actinodurae Constantinescu sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Description. MALE (holotype, range measurements for 2 paratypes in parantheses, Figs. 1–2 ). Idiosoma 590 long (575–580), 350 wide (310–335). Prodorsal shield length 165 (160–165), width 130 (125–140), not fused with scapular shields. Distance between bases of setae se 115 (115–120), posterior margin concave, lateral margins with incisions near posterior angles. Setae c2 short, filiform, about 30 (24–26) in length, situated on medial margins of humeral shields. Setae c3 enlarged in basal part and filiform in apical part, 150 (160–175) in length. Hysteronotal shield with straight anterior margin, anterior angles rounded, with strongly sclerotized median band stretching from level of trochanters IV to supranal concavity; length from anterior margin to bases of setae ps1 330 (325–330), width at anterior margin 105 (105–110). Area between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields wide, distance along midline between these shields 80 (80–95). Width of opisthosoma at level of setae f2 90 (85–90). Opisthosomal lobes small, nearly rectangular, with slightly acute inner angle and blunt lateral angle. Terminal cleft U-shaped, length 25 (20–25), supranal concavity opens posteriorly. Setae e1 and openings gl approximately at the same transverse level. Lengths of dorsal setae: c2-d2 175 (170–175), d2-e2 180 (170–175), d2-gl 95 (70–90), e2-h2 70 (62–70), h2-h2 60 (50–60), h3-h3 45 (45–46), ps1-h3 8 (6–7). Transventral sclerite shaped as a thin Y, length along midline 10 (8–12), width of neck part 8 (6–8). Epiandrum shaped as an inverted U, fused with posterior end of transventral sclerite, tips of epiandrum extending considerably beyond base of genital apparatus. Length of genital apparatus 24 (25–24), width at base 13 (14–16), aedeagus minute. Setae g situated on base of genital arch. Setae 4a and posterior pair of genital papillae at level of midlength of genital arch. Anal suckers ovate, their size excluding surrounding membrane: longer diameter 14 (10–12), shorter diameter 8 (6–7). Adanal shield shaped as an inverted Y, narrow, not completely encircling anal field and not fused posteriorly. Ventral measurements: 4b-4a 66 (64–66), 4a-g 28 (25–26), ps3-ps3 24 (24–30), ps3-h3 42 (38–40). Tarsus III 68 (70–76) in length, with acute apical process and 2 small teeth on dorsal longitudinal crest, macroseta r with very thick basal part, setae s represented by macroseta about 1/3 of macroseta r, other setae filiform, shorter than segment ( Fig. 5 D).

FEMALE (1 paratype, Figs. 3–4). Idiosoma 555 long, 225 wide. Prodorsal shield: posterior angles fused with scapular shields, posterior margin straight, length of shield 155, width 138, setae se separated by 130. Setae c2 hairlike, about 20 long, situated on striated tegument. Hysteronotal shield almost rectangular, with anterior margin concave, anterior angles acute and extending laterally, length (from anterior margin to lobar apices) 325, width at anterior margin 150. Area between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields wide, distance along midline between these shields 80. Posterior end of opisthosoma with 1 pair of widely separated opisthosomal lobes bearing bases of setae h3. Opisthosomal lobes short, attenuate apically, strongly bent medially, lateral margin with blunt-angular membrane. Length of terminal cleft 32 width at lobar bases 58. Setae e1 and openings gl situated approximately at same transverse level. Dorsal measurements c2-d2 120, d2-e2 125, e2-h3 75, d2-gl 135, e1-gl 25, h2-ps1 50, h2-h2 170, h3-h3 110. Epigynium approximately semicircular, 50 long, 110 wide. Apodemes of egg-laying opening short, extending to midlevel of trochanters III. Epimerites IVa absent.

Type material. Male holotype (ANA091), 2 male (ANA093) and 1 female (ANA092) paratypes from Actinodura cyanouroptera (Hodgson) ( Passeriformes : Leiothrichidae ); INDIA: Meghalaya, East Jaintia Hills District, the region of Khahnar village, 25°21'57.30"N, 92°36'51.72"E; 20 February 2013, coll. C. Adam.

Differential diagnosis. Of the five previously known species, Timalinyssus actinodurae sp. nov. is closest to T. formosanus Mironov, 2001 from Actinodura morrisoniana Ogilvie-Grant (Leiothrichidae) (Mironov 2001). Males in both species have tarsus III moderately elongated, with an acute apical process and teeth on the longitudinal dorsal crest, the epiandrum shaped as an inverted U with tips extending considerably beyond the base of the genital apparatus, a similar shape of the genital apparatus, and the adanal shield shaped as an inverted Y. Males of the new species clearly differ from those of T. formosanus due to the following features: the prodorsal shield is free from the scapular shields, the hysteronotal shield has a straight anterior margin and heavily sclerotized median band, the anterior angles of the hysteronotal shield are rounded, the setae ps1 are situated almost apically, near the inner angle of the lobes, the transventral sclerite is present, the setae s are represented by macrosetae, and the setae d are hair-like. In males of T. formosanus , the prodorsal shield is fused with the scapular shields, the hysteronotal shield has the anterior margin slightly sinuous, its anterior angles are acute and a sclerotised band in median band is absent, the setae ps1 are situated clearly distant from the inner angle of the lobes, the transventral sclerite is absent, the setae d are represented by macrosetae, and the setae s are filiform. Females in both species have the prodorsal shield fused with the scapular shields and clearly differ from T. formosanus , as well from the other three previously known females of the genus ( T. oliferae (Mironov) , T. longitarsus Wang and Wang , T. curvilobus Mironov ), due to the shape of the opisthosomal lobes that are short, apically attenuate, strongly bent medially, and with blunt-angular lateral membrane. In females of T. formosanus , and also in T. oliferae , the opisthosomal lobes are long and roughly ovoid, while in T. curvilobus the lobes are indistinct and only short cone-like extensions are present, and, in females of T. longitarsus , they do not have lobes. Furthermore, females of T. actinodurae differ from T. formosanus due to the absence of epimerites IVa (rudiments of epimerites IVa are present in T. formosanus ).

Etymology. The specific epithet actinodurae refers to the generic name of the host species and is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Timalinyssus actinodurae sp. nov., male idiosoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Timalinyssus actinodurae sp. nov., male idiosoma, ventral view.

FIGURE 5. Timalinyssus actinodurae sp. nov., dorsal view of male legs. A—tarsus I, B—tarsus II, C—tibia and tarsus IV, D—tarsus III.