Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana ( Lawrence, 1949 )

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A., 2024, Revision of South African chiggers (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) originated from the collection of R. F. Lawrence, with redescriptions of nine species, Zootaxa 5493 (1), pp. 1-35 : 31-33

Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana ( Lawrence, 1949)

( Figs. 15D , 18 )

Trombicula rhodesiana Lawrence, 1949: 440 , fig. 26; Audy & Vercammen-Grandjean 1961: 132; Zumpt 1961: 139. Trombicula (Trombicula) rhodesiana : Wharton & Fuller 1952: 69.

Leptotrombidium (Leptotrombidium) rhodesianum : Vercammen-Grandjean 1965b: 54.

Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana : Vercammen-Grandjean & Kolebinova 1985: 73.

Leptotrombidium rhodesianum : Stekolnikov 2018: 144 .

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.0000; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fPp = B/N/NNN; PL> AM> AL; fD = 2H-11-13- 12+13; DS = 51; V = 48; NDV = 99; scutum nearly pentagonal, with rounded posterior margin, without anterolateral shoulders; sensillary bases anterior to level of PLs by 3 µm; Ip = 725. Standard measurements are given in Table 8 .

Redescription (holotype). IDIOSOMA ( Figs. 15D , 18 ). Eyes 2 + 2, in ocular plate; 51 dorsal idiosomal setae, including one pair of humeral setae, covered with strong barbs, 11 setae in 1 st posthumeral row (C excluding humeral setae), 13 setae in 2 nd row (D), 12 setae in 3 rd row (E) plus 13 caudal setae; 4 sternal setae; 48 ventral setae; NDV = 99.

GNATHOSOMA. Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap; cheliceral base, palpal femur, genu, and tibia with puncta, gnathobase with puncta and one pair of branched gnathocoxal (tritorostral) setae; galeal (deutorostral) seta nude; palpal claw with three prongs; seta on palpal femur branched; setae on palpal genu and tibia nude; palpal tarsus with 7 branched setae, subterminala (ζ) and tarsala (ω).

SCUTUM ( Figs. 15D , 18E ). Nearly pentagonal, moderately covered with small puncta, anterior and lateral scutal margins almost straight, posterior scutal margin evenly arquate; AM posterior to level of ALs; sensillary (trichobothrial) bases anterior to level of PLs by 3 µm; scutal setae uniform with dorsal idiosomal setae; PL> AM> AL; sensilla (trichobothria) flagelliform, with ca. six branches in distal half.

LEGS. All 7-segmented, with 1 pair of claws and claw-like empodium. Unspecialized setae not counted completely. Leg I: coxa with one branched seta (1B); genu with 3 genualae (σ) and microgenuala (κ); tibia with 2 tibialae (φ) and microtibiala (κ); tarsus with tarsala (ω), microtarsala (ε) distal to tarsala, subterminala (ζ), parasubterminala (z), and pretarsala (ζ). Leg II: coxa 1B; genu with genuala (σ); tibia with 2 tibialae (φ); tarsus with tarsala (ω), microtarsala (ε) behind tarsala, and pretarsala (ζ). Leg III: coxa 1B; genu with genuala (σ); tibia with tibiala (φ); tarsus without mastitarsala.

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (currently Zimbabwe), ex Trachylepis margaritifera (syn. Mabuya quinquetaeniata margaritifer ).

Material examined. Holotype larva, NM 4871, Matoppo Mts , S. Rhodesia, ex Mabuya 5-taeniata margaritifer, February 1947, collector unknown ( Fig. 1 , 28).

Remarks. I was unable to examine gnathosoma and legs in the holotype; therefore, their characters are given according to unpublished worksheets from the personal archive of Vercammen-Grandjean deposited in MHNG. As evident from the worksheets, Vercammen-Grandjean examined the holotype 6 August 1969, and he considered T. rhodesiana as a species of Neotrombicula (Neotrombicula) at that time.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Slide labels. 1, Microtrombicula homopholis, holotype; 2, Hypotrombidium subquadratum, holotype; 3, Willmannium natalense, lectotype; 4, W. natalense, paralectotype 1; 5, M. nivaria, paratype; 6, Herpetacarus (Abonnencia) alticolus, holotype; 7, H. (A.) alticolus, paratype; 8, H. (A.) alticolus, slide with topotypic specimens; 9, H. (A.) africanus, holotype; 10, H. (A.) africanus, topotypic specimen (ZIN label is on the opposite side); 11, H. (A.) longispinus, holotype; 12, H. (A.) longispinus, topotypic specimen (ZIN label is on the opposite side); 13, Ascoschoengastia rhabdomyia, slide NM 5387; 14, Riedlinia (Trombigastia) cadei, specimen NM 6544/3 (pencil inscription “/3” is mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 15, Schoengastia pseudocordyli, slide NM 4939/1 (pencil inscriptions are mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 16, S. scincicola, holotype; 17, S. scincicola, paratype NM 4870/2; 18, S. scincicola, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-35; 19, S. scincicola, non-type specimen (renounced paratype) NM 4870/3; 20, S. monticola, holotype; 21, S. monticola, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-34; 22, S. monticola, non-type specimen (renounced paratype) NM 4827; 23, S. monticola, specimen NM 4810/1 (pencil inscription “/1” is mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 24, S. gerrhosauri, paratype NHM 1957-8- 12-36; 25, S. mabuyana, paratype NM 26422; 26, S. mabuyana, paratype NM 26423; 27, Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) zumpti, specimen NM 5871/1 (pencil inscriptions are mine; my identification label is on the opposite side); 28, Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana, holotype.

FIGURE 15. Schoengastia gerrhosauri Lawrence, 1949, paratype NHM 1957-8-12-36 (A), Schoengastia mabuyana Lawrence, 1949, paratype NM 26422 (B), Microtrombicula (Microtrombicula) zumpti Vercammen-Grandjean, 1965, specimen NM 5871/1 (C), Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana (Lawrence, 1949), holotype (D). Dorsal aspect of idiosoma (A, B), scutum (C, D). Scale bars: 50 µm.

FIGURE 18. Neotrombicula (Anamasticula) rhodesiana (Lawrence, 1949), holotype. A, dorsal aspect of idiosoma; B, arrangement of ventral idiosomal setae; C, dorsal idiosomal seta; D, preanal seta; E, scutum and eyes. Abbreviations as in Fig. 2. Scale bars: 100 µm (A, B), 20 µm (C, D), 50 µm (E).