Neopronematus iranensis Ahmadhosseini & Khanjani, 2017

Ahmad-Hosseini, Mohammad, Khanjani, Mohammad & Karamian, Roya, 2017, A new species of Neopronematus and a re-description of Pronematus rykei Meyer & Rodrigues (Acari: Iolinidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 4337 (4), pp. 493-508 : 494-499

Neopronematus iranensis Ahmadhosseini & Khanjani sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Dorsal idiosomal setae long and serrated, setae ag3 bifurcate, tarsal solenidion ωI short (5) and five times shorter than tarsus I (25), famulus Κ (3) slightly longer than solenidion φ (2), cheliceral stiletto (14–15) longer than palp tarsus (10) and ag4 (16–17) longer than ag1 (11–12). Comparison of this new species with close species is given in Table 1.

Female ( Figs. 1–12 ). Body oval. Body length (without gnathosoma) 240 (235–242), width 125 (123–131) at level of seta c2.

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsum completely striated. Striation longitudinal from prodorsum up to between setae d1, and transverse between lyrifissures im up to ip. Opisthosoma caudally (from base of f1 to end of body) with striae forming an inverted “V”–pattern. All dorsal body setae spindle–like, serrated and relatively long. Prodorsum: setae narrow and less serrate than opisthosomal setae. Lengths of dorsal setae as follows (setae ps1 situated ventrally): bo 30 (29–31), ro 20 (20–21), la 21 (20–21), ex 24 (24–25), c1 22 (20–22), c2 20 (19–20), d1 21 (21–23), e1 24 (23–24), f1 23 (23–24), f2 28 (27–28), h1 20 (19–21), ps1 25 (25–26). Setae bo longer than other dorsal setae. Distances between dorsal setae: ro–ro 24 (23–25), la–la 40 (38–40), bo–bo 40 (39–40), c1–c1 38 (37), d1–d1 35 (31–35), e1– e 1 35 (33–37), f1–f1 17 (16–18), f1–f2 45 (43–46), h1–h1 18 (17–18), ps1–ps1 46 (43–50), c1–d1 55 (55–57), d1– e 1 29 (28– 30), e1–f1 22 (22–24), e1–f2 30 (29–31), f1– f2 15 (15–16), f1–h1 25 (24). Ratios: c1 / c1–c1 0.57, d1 / d1–d1 0.6, d1 / d1– e 1 0.72, length of idiosoma/ c1 10.9, ratio idiosoma/ ro 12, ex / ro 1.2, ex / la 1.14. Length of setae d1 shorter than distance between d1 and e1. Setae e1 not reaching to bases of f2. Hysterosoma with three pairs of lyrifissures (ia, im and ip), respectively between setae c1 and d1, near base of e1 and near base of f2 ( Fig. 1 ).

Venter ( Fig. 4 ). Ventral cuticle and coxisternal shields striated, setae ps1 situated ventrally. Ventral setae similar in shape to dorsal setae, but smaller and thinner. Genital opening in shape of inverted “T”, without genital setae. Lyrifissure ih located postero-ventrally. Epimeral formula: 3–1–4–2. Four pairs of aggenital setae (ag1–4), ag3 are bifurcate. Pseudanal valves with one pair of setae (ps3). Lengths of ventral setae: 1b 19 (18–20), 1c 17 (17–18), 2a 23 (22–24), 3b 21 (21–23), 3c 22 (21–22), 3d 19 (19–21), 4b 19 (19–20), pt 13 (13–14), mtα 13 (12–13), mtβ 12 (11–12), ag1 11 (11–12), ag2 10 (10–11), ag3 6, ag4 16 (16–17), ps3 13 (13–14).

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 2–3 , 5–6 ). Visible from above. Subcapitulum with striae oblique, Sc1 5, Sc2 13 (13–14) ( Fig. 2 ). Palpal femuro–genu: length 23 (22–23), width 8. Palp distally with eupathidium (pζ) straight, 7 long. Palp chaetotaxy (5+ ω –1–2) ( Fig. 3 ). Traces of fixed digit smaller than stiletto ( Fig. 5 ). Cheliceral stiletto 14–15 longer than palpal tarsus 10 ( Fig. 6 ).

Legs ( Figs. 7–12 ). Legs measurements from trochanter to tarsus (excluding pretarsus): leg I 120 (117–121); leg II 103 (100–105); leg III 104 (100–103), leg IV 119 (117–120); Leg I without apotele and claws ( Fig. 7 ). Other legs (II–IV) each with two claws and ciliate empodium ( Figs. 8–10 ). Femur IV not divided. Setae on segments of legs serrated. Legs setation (tarsus to trochanter): I (8+ ω –3+k+ φ –3–3–1), II (6+ ω –2–3–3–1), III (5–2–2–2 –1), IV (5– 2–1–2–0). Tarsus I with three pairs of long setae (fastigials, tectals and prorals), one solenidion (ωI) and one pair of extremely small and not clearly visible, unguinal setae (u) closely associated with bases of prorals, u" bifurcate ( Figs. 7, 11 ). Setae u’ on ventral and u” on dorsal side of tarsus I ( Fig. 11 ). Measurements: tarsus I length/width: 25/ 10, ft’ζ 19–20, ft”ζ 26–27, tc’ζ 29–30, tc”ζ 29–30, p’ζ 13, p”ζ 22–23, u’ 2, u” 2, ωI 5 (five times shorter than tarsus I), tibia I length/width 20/10, famulus k 3 (“Y”–shaped), solenidion φ 2 ( Figs. 7, 12 ). Tarsus II with club–like solenidion ωII 2 long. Comparison of this new species with close species is given in Table 1.

Remarks. Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. resembles N. kamalii Darbemamieh et al. 2015 , N. sepasgosariani, Sadeghi et al. 2012 and N. solani Laniecka and Kazmierski, 2013 (in Ripka et al. 2013) by having the long and serrated dorsal idiosomal setae, setae ag3 bifurcate and tarsal solenidion ωI short (three times shorter than length of tarsus I) but differs from each one of them by the following characters:

Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. differs from N. kamalii by: ωI (5) five times shorter than tarsus length (25), Κ (3) slightly longer than φ (2), and setae ag4 long (16–17), ag4> ag1 (11–12), versus ωI (4) six times shorter than tarsus length (25), Κ as long as φ (2.5), and length of setae ag4 (7), ag1 (10)> ag4 (7) in N. kamalii .

Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. differs from N. sepasgosariani by: ωI (5) five times shorter than tarsus length (25), d1 shorter than distance d1–e1, Κ (3) slightly longer than φ (2), and palp tarsus (10) shorter than stiletto (14–15) versus ωI (3) seven times shorter than tarsus length (21), d1 more/less equal to d1–e1 distance, Κ (4) twice as long as φ (2), and palp tarsus (17) slightly longer than stiletto (15) in N. sepasgosariani .

Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. differs from N. solani by: ωI (5) five times shorter than tarsus length (25), Κ (3) slightly longer than φ (2), tectal setae on tarsus I 29–30, ps3 setae long (13–14) in new species oppose to ωI (8) three times shorter than tarsus length (24), Κ (3) slightly shorter than φ (4), tectal setae on tarsus I 35 –36, ps3 setae (8) long in N. solani .

Etymology. This species is named after country of its origin, Iran.

Material examined. The specimens were collected from leaves of walnut trees, Juglans regia L. ( Juglandaceae ), infested by leaf gall mite, Aceria tristriatus (Nalepa) , Eriophyidae . Holotype and five paratype females, Kahman canyon (33°59’N, 48°21’E), 13 October 2015, Aleshtar county, Lorestan province, Iran; two paratype females, Asadabad county (34°35’N, 47°50’E), 19 Oct. 2015; four paratype females, Abshineh village (34°45’N, 48°36’E), 3 August 2016, Hamadan county, Hamadan province, Iran. The Holotype and six paratype females are deposited in the mite collection of the Acarology Laboratory of the Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. Five paratype females will be deposited in Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Australia.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. (Adult female): 1. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 2. Subcapitulum; 3. Palp.

FIGURES 4 – 6. Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. (Adult female): 4. Ventral view of idiosoma; 5. Chelicerae; 6. Cheliceral stiletto and palp tarsus.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Neopronematus iranensis sp. nov. (Adult female): 7. Leg I; 8. Leg II; 9. Leg III 10. Leg IV; 11. Tarsus I; 12. Tarsus and tibia I.