Eutarsopolipus mixtus, Seeman, 2021

Seeman, Owen D., 2021, Contrasting species diversification of Eutarsopolipus (Acariformes: Podapolipidae) on Castelnaudia and Notonomus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 4971 (1), pp. 1-74 : 19-21

Eutarsopolipus mixtus sp. nov.

( Figs 9–10 )

Diagnosis. Adult female: setae sc1, c1, c2, d, f with strongly thickened bases, often blunt-tipped; anterior margin of prodorsal shield eroded, concave; setae v1 10–13. Larviform male: sc1 3–6. Larval female: Setae c1 13–20, d 11–12, f 14–19.

Material examined. Holotype female ex. Castelnaudia mixta . Broken River , Eungella, 21° 10′ 05″ S 148° 30′ 30″E, 17 Nov 1992 - 15 Apr 1993, G. Monteith & D. Cook, flight intercept & pitfall trap, HR# T 82585 ( QMS 113035 ) . Paratypes. 12 females, 4 males, 4 larvae, as follows: 11 females, 3 males, 1 larva, same data as holotype ( QMS 113036-43 , 113045 , 113047 , ANIC 52-003950 – 51 , ZMH-A0015182–83 ) ; 1 male, 1 larva, same data except HR# T 82586 ( QMS 113046 , ZMH-A0015184 ) . 1 female, same data except HR# T 82582 ( QMS 113044 ) ; 1 larva, same data except HR# T 82584 ( ANIC 52-003952 ) ; 1 larva, Pearse’s Lookout, Eungella, 21° 06′ 53″ S 148° 31′ 06″S, 17 Nov 1992 - 15 Apr 1993, G. Monteith & D. Cook, IN5934, HR# T 82526 ( QMS 113048 ). All in QM except 1 female, male, larva in ANIC and ZMH .

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 9–10 ; n = 13).

Gnathosoma . Length 59 (57–65), width 55 (53–60). Cheliceral stylets 75 (67–78), setae ch 18 (16–25), su 17 (11–18).

Idiosoma ( Fig. 9 ). Length 395 (365–400), width 280 (270–330). Prodorsal plate eroded mid-anteriorly and anterolaterally; setae v1 13 (10–13), v2 alveolar remnant, sc1 thickened, 11/16 (asymmetry) (11–17), sc2 75 (70–95) ( Fig. 10 ). Distance between setae v1–v1 48 (41–52), sc1–sc1 94 (82–100), v1–sc1 33 (26–40), v2–v2 43 (41–51), sc2–sc2 130 (130–140), sc1–sc2 35 (24–34). Opisthosomal setae c1, c2, d, f thickened, sometimes appearing stout by lacking fine tips, especially setae c2. Plate C setae c1 12/20 (asymmetry) (10–20), c2 9 (10–15), distance between setae c1–c1 100 (78–95). Plate D setae d 17 (12–21), d–d 145 (135–150), cupuli ia laterad d. Plate EF setae f 13/18 (asymmetry) (11–19), f–f 135 (110–125), cupuli im laterad f. Plate H divided into two small plates, or fused weakly, often ventral, seta h 5 (5–6). Venter: coxisterna 1 and 2 well defined, coxisterna 3 weakly defined; coxal setae slender, 1a 4 (3–4), 2a 8 (6–8), 3a thickened, 5 (5–7), 3b 9 (7–9). Alveoli of 1b, 2b present.

Legs (holotype only, except if holotype different from E. hadros ). Setal counts legs I–III, femur-tarsus: 3-2- 6(+ φ)-8(+ ω), 0-1-4-6, 0-1-4-6. Leg I. Femur I, d minute, l’ 4 (3–5), v″ 11; genu I, l′ 2, l″ 3; tibia I, d 65, l’ 8, l’’ 10, v’ 5, v’’ 10, k 5, φ 7 (7–9); tarsus I, tc’ 16, tc’’ 15, pl’ 9, pl’’ 13, pv′ 3, pv’’ 3, ω 3, s 7, u′′ minute. Leg II. Genu II, l′ 3; tibia II, d 57, l’ 7, v’ 13, v’’ 19; tarsus II, tc′ 2, tc ″ 6, pl ″ 60, pv’’ 4, u’ 7, u′′ minute. Leg III. Genu III, l′ 3; tibia III, d 42, l’ 7, v’ 11, v’’ 15; tarsus III, tc’ 2, tc ″ 5, pl ″ 39, pv’’ 3, u’ 6, u′′ minute.

LARVIFORM ADULT MALE (n = 4).

Gnathosoma . Length 32–35, width 30–34. Cheliceral stylets 23–27, setae ch 5–7, su 5–10.

Idiosoma . Length 160–205, width 125–150. Prodorsal plate with setae v1 4–5, v2 alveolar remnant, sc1 3–6, sc2 60–70. Distance between setae v1–v1 21–26, sc1–sc1 40–52, v1–sc1 20–25, v2–v2 22–27, sc2–sc2 57–77, sc1–sc2 16–22. Plate CD setae c1 4–6, c2 4–5, d 4–5, distance between setae c1–c1 46–59, c1–c2 22–28, d–d 36–52; cupuli ia anterolaterad setae d. Plate EF eroded medially, almost divided; with setae f 2–3, distance f–f 24–30; cupuli im anterolaterad to laterad setae f. Genital capsule length 28–30, width 34–38, setae h minute. Venter: coxal setae 1a 2–3, 2a 4–5, 3a 3–4, 3b 5–6.

Legs. Setal counts legs I–III, femur-tarsus: 3-2-6(+ φ)-8(+ ω), 0-1-4-6, 0-1-4-6. Leg I. Femur I, d minute, l′ 2, v″ 7; genu I l′ 2, l″ 2; tibia I, d 38, l’ 3, l’’ 2, v’ 3, v’’ 10, k 4, φ 6–8; tarsus I, tc’ 11–14, tc’’ 11–14, pl’ 7, pl’’ 11, pv ′ 2, pv’’ 3, ω 3, s 4, u ′′ minute. Leg II. Genu II, l′ 2; tibia II, d 16, l’ 5, v’ 10, v’’ 13; tarsus II, tc′ 2, tc ″ 4, pl ″ 27, pv’’ 3, u’ 5, u″ 2. Leg III. Tibia III, d 16, l’ 4, v’ 12, v″ 12; tarsus III, tc′ 2, tc ″ 3–5, pl ″ 20, pv’’ 3, u’ 5, u″ present.

LARVAL FEMALE (n = 4).

Gnathosoma . Length 46–51, width 43–49. Cheliceral stylets 61–64, setae ch 23–27, su 7–10.

Idiosoma . Length 205–260, width 165–215. Prodorsal plate overlapping folded membranous cuticle, with setae v1 6–8, v2 alveolar remnant, sc1 7–10, sc2 120–135. Distance between setae v1–v1 31–35, sc1–sc1 59–63, v1–sc1 23–25, v2–v2 30–34, sc2–sc2 72–83, sc1–sc2 31–33. Plate C setae c1 13–20, c2 8–11, distance between setae c1–c1 42–48. Plate D setae d 11–12, d–d 53–61, cupuli ia very close to setae d, anteriad to anterolaterad d. Plate EF setae f 14–19, f–f 46–52, cupuli im close to setae f, anterolaterad f. Plate H narrow, 15–20 wide, ca. 25–30 long bearing setae h1 ca. 150, h2 13–17. Venter: coxisterna 1-2 well defined, coxisterna 3 poorly defined, membranous; coxal setae slender, 1a 3, 2a 4–5, 3a 4–5, 3b 4–5. Alveoli of 1b, 2b present.

Legs. Setal counts legs I–III, femur-tarsus: 3-2-6(+ φ)-8(+ ω), 0-1-4-6, 0-1-4-6. Leg I. Femur I, d minute, l′ 2, v″ 7; genu I, l′ 2, l″ 3; tibia I, d 54, l’ 9, l’’ 10, v’ 4, v’’ 8–12, k 6, φ 10; tarsus I, tc’ 13, tc’’ 15, pl’ 8, pl’’ 16, pv′ 2, pv’’ 3, ω 3, s 5, u′′ minute. Leg II. Genu II, l′ 4; tibia II, d 40, l’ 7, v’ 14, v’’ 16; tarsus II, tc′ 2, tc ″ 4, pl ″ 35, pv’’ 3, u’ 5, u′′ 2. Leg III. Genu III, l′ 4; tibia III, d 35, l’ 7, v’ 13, v’’ 14; tarsus III, tc’ 2, tc ″ 4, pl ″ 21–40, pv’’ 3, u’ 6, u′′ minute.

Differential diagnosis. Eutarsopolipus mixtus sp. nov. is similar to E. hadros sp. nov. but is most easily distinguished by having thicker dorsal setae. This feature is useful for species separation, but is complicated by intraspecific variation in setal form, which is often expressed asymmetrically. However, setae sc1 are always thicker in E. mixtus , even if they taper. Likewise, other dorsal idiosomal setae tend to be thicker in E. mixtus , exemplified by setae f ( Fig. 10 ).

The prodorsal shield of E. umbonatus is weakly eroded anteriorly, in contrast to the deep erosion of E. hadros and lack of erosion in E. umbonatus . However, the intermediate state of this feature reduces its effectiveness. In larvae, E. mixtus have longer setae f (14–19 versus 10–11 in E. hadros and 7–10 in E. umbonatus ).

Etymology. The species name mixtus (Latin, mixed) refers both to the host species C. mixta but also the variation in form of the dorsal setae.

Remarks. Three paratype females have fully developed larvae within their bodies, with no egg, suggestive of vivipary. Two additional specimens of C. mixta from Finch Hatton Gorge (HR# T82535 , T82529 ) had a male and a larva (one per host) of an undermined species of Eutarsopolipus ( Table 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Eutarsopolipus mixtus sp. nov. Female, dorsum.

FIGURE 10. Comparison of dorsal setae of three adult female specimens Eutarsopolipus hadros and E. mixtus each. The top row are the holotypes for each species and the pair for E. hadros are not shown for setae sc1 and f because they are broken and distorted, respectively.