Blaszakzercon pulcher ( BŁASZAK, 1984 )

Ujvári, Zs., 2012, Review Of The American Genera Aspar Halašková, 1977 And Blaszakzercon Kemal & Koçak, 2009 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Zerconidae) With Description Of Three New Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 58 (3), pp. 275-296 : 288-294

Blaszakzercon pulcher ( BŁASZAK, 1984)

( Figs 32–41 , 43 )

Allozercon pulcher BŁASZAK, 1984: 596 .

Blaszakia pulcher: KOÇAK & KEMAL, 2008: 5 .

Blaszakzercon pulcher: KEMAL & KOÇAK, 2009: 147 .

Material examined. USA, Tennessee, Greenbrier Ranger Station, Great Smoky Mountains National Park , 08.08.1956, coll. K. BOHNSACK (É-Am–028, two females, one male); USA, Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park , 4000 ft. a.s.l., 28.07.1956, coll. K. BOHNSACK (É-Am–033, one female) .

Previous records. USA, North Carolina and Georgia, southern parts of Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachians ( BŁASZAK 1984).

Distribution ( Fig. 44 ). Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, USA.

Diagnosis. Central podonotal setae pilose or finely barbed, marginal setae and j1–2 pilose. Setae J1–5 smooth, S2 elongate, pilose. Z3–4 densely pilose, similar in appearance to S2–5. Posterodorsal cavities covered by huge, strongly sclerotized, bean-shaped lobes ( Figs 37 , 40 , 43 ). Podonotum covered by a reticulation of circular squamae and undulate tiles ( Fig. 38 ), central surface of opisthonotum with distinct, alveolar pits arranged in a hexagonal pattern ( Fig. 39 ).

Description of male. Length of idiosoma: 270 µm; width: 220 µm (n = 1).

Dorsal side ( Fig. 34 ). Podonotum with 20 pairs of setae, j1–6, z2–6, s1–6, r2 and r4–5 inserted dorsally, r1 and r3 inserted ventrally, on peritrematal shields. Marginal setae of podonotum (s1–3, z2–3, r2, r4–5, s6) and j1–2 densely pilose, feathered. Setae j3–6, z4–6 and s4–5 smooth and needle-like. Glands gds1 (po1) situated on line connecting j3 and s1; gdj4 (po2) anteromedially to z4; gds4 (po3) medially to line connecting s4 and s5, in equidistant position. Podonotum covered by a reticulation of circular squamae and undulate tiles.

notum (scales: a = 100 µm, b = 50 µm)

Opisthonotum with 22 pairs of setae, J1–5, Z1–5, S1–5, R 1–7. Setae J1–5 smooth, pointed, J1 reaching approximately half the distance towards insertions of J2. J5 situated on the level of central dorsal cavities. Setae Z1–2 smooth and needle-like, none of them reaching bases of the following one in the series. Z3–5 similar in appearance to S2–5, elongate, feathered. S2 situated posterolaterally to Z1. Setae S1 and R 1 three times longer than other R-setae, pilose. R 2–3 short, pointed, barbed, R 4–7 smooth, thorn-like. Length of opisthonotal setae and distances between their insertions as in Table 5. Glands gdZ1 (Po1) situated anteromedially to insertions of Z1; gdS2 (Po2) on line connecting Z2 and S2; gdZ3 (Po3) situated on line connecting J4 and Z3; gdS5 (Po4) anteriorly to Jv5. Marginal serration relatively deep and obtuse. Lateral surface of opisthonotum bearing distinct, clover-shaped protuberances arranged in a hexagonal pattern ( Fig. 41 ). Central surface of the shield bearing large, alveolar pits between the J-series, the area between J- and Z-series covered by small pits. Dorsal cavities uniform, well-sclerotized. The characteristic, strongly sclerotized, bean-like posterodorsal lobes of female are absent in male.

Ventral side. Posterolateral parts of peritrematal shields fused to ventrianal shield on level of setae R 1, the separating membranous slit between ventral and dorsal shields absent. Shape of peritrematal typical for the genus. Peritremes slightly bent anteriorly, the dilatation near the stigma not conspicuous. Peritrematal shields covered by some longitudinal lines. Sternigenital shield possessing four pairs of setae (st5 absent). Anteriorly the genital opening the shield covered by reticulate ornamentation, beyond the level of setae st4 irregular ditches can be observed on its surface. The adgenital region not clearly visible. Ventrianal chaetotaxy incomplete, setae Zv1 absent. Setae Jv1 situated much closer to each other than in female. Each ventrianal setae of approximately similar length, smooth and needle-like, except Jv5 which elongate, pilose. Anal valves with vestigial euanal setae. Glands gv3 situated laterally to adanal setae. Anterior surface of ventrianal shield covered by squamous pattern.

Gnathosoma. Broken off the single specimen.

Remarks. One of the collected specimens possesses brush-like S2 setae similarly to that of BŁASZAK’ s specimens, S2 of others from Great Smoky Mountains National Park have smooth, needle-like S2.

Figures

Fig 44. Occurrences of Aspar and Blaszakzercon species in North America

Figs 32–35. Blaszakzercon pulcher (BŁASZAK, 1984): 32 = dorsal view of female, 33 = ventral view of female, 34 = dorsal view of male, 35 = ventral view of male (scales: 100 µm)

Fig 36. SEM photo of Blaszakzerconpulcher (BŁASZAK, 1984)female,in dorsal view (scale:100µm)

Figs 37–39. SEM photos of Blaszakzercon pulcher (BŁASZAK, 1984) female: 37 = caudal view of opisthonotum, 38 = central ornamentation of podonotum, 39 = central ornamentation of opistho-

Figs 40–41. SEM photos of Blaszakzercon pulcher (BŁASZAK, 1984) female: 40 = posterodorsal lobe, 41 = posterolateral ornamentation of opisthonotum (scales: 25 µm)

Figs 42–43. Blaszakzercon species: 42 = opisthonotum of B. hexagonatus sp. n. female, 43 = posterior part of opisthonotum of B. pulcher (BŁASZAK, 1984) female (scale: 100 µm)