Africasia iranica, Etemadi & Asadi, 2019

Etemadi, Isa & Asadi, Mahdieh, 2019, First report of subfamily Africasiinae (Hydrachnidia: Athienemanniidae) from Western Palearctic based on the description of a new species, Persian Journal of Acarology 8 (4), pp. 327-332 : 328-331

Africasia iranica sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–7 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4722E5FE-C7F1-47A1-BAEE-EBFF13CE40ED

Type material – Holotype female, 8 female paratypes and 2 male paratypes, dissected and slide mounted, Iran: Khuzestan Province, Bishe Bozan ( Fig. 8 A, B) 27° 26′ 44″ N, 56° 18′ 18″ E, 25 January 2016, leg. I. Etemadi.

Diagnosis

Idiosoma color yellow. Dorsal shield with radiating lines on the surface on the inner side, central area without distinct color patches. One pair of glandularia is located in the dorsal furrow. Outer margin of ventral shield undulating; Cx-IV with developed ridges extending anteriorly and posteriorly associated with IV-L insertions. Legs with few swimming setae IV-L-3: 1, IV-L-4: 3, IV-L-5: 2.

Description

FEMALE (holotype, Figs. 1–2 , 6–7 ) – Dorsal and ventral shield present, dorsal shield L/W 472/420, with radiating lines on inner surface ( Figs. 1 , 6 ). The color of the dorsal shield uniform light yellow, without distinct color patches. Pigment of lateral eyes well-developed. Ventral shield L/W 592/ 563 in width, having undulating lateral edges. Tips of the Cx-I not extending beyond frontal idiosoma margin. Cx-IV with short ridges extending anteriorly and posteriorly from the insertion of fourth legs. Cx-IV with a distinct medial margin a little longer than medial margin of third coxae. Maximum W of the Cx-IV 290. Palp segments rotated, P3 with an anteromedial seta and a stiff lateral seta, P4 medially with a long seta ( Fig. 3 ); palp total L 176; dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 25/23, 1.08; P-2, 52/46, 1.13; P-3, 29/40, 0.7; P-4, 62/37, 1.67; P-5, 17/15, 1.13; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.83. Legs. L of distal segments: I- Leg 3-6: 43, 57, 74, 81, IV Leg L, 12, 13, 14, swimming setae numbers: IV- Leg 3: 1, IV- Leg 4: 3, IV- Leg 5: 2; IV- Leg 6 without swimming setae. Gonopore L 124, W 84, genital field width 171, 29 pairs of acetabula on a very weak acetabular plate.

MALE ( Figs. 4–5 ) – Dorsal shield L/W 384/342. Integument of dorsal shield similar to female ( Fig. 4 ). The color of the dorsal shield uniform light yellow without color patches (similar to female). Ventral shield ( Fig. 5 ) L/W 435/388, with wavy edges. Cx-IV similar to female with a short ridges extending anteriorly and posteriorly from the insertion of fourth legs. 17 pairs of acetabula on triangular indistinct genital plates on each side of the gonopore. Structure of the fourth legs similar to the female.

(female); 4. Dorsum of idiosoma (male); 5. Venter of idiosoma (male).

Etymology This species is named after the country ( Iran) where it has been collected. Remarks

Africasia iranica resembles A. radiata Cook, 1966 and A. mahadensis Cook, 1967 in having similar radiating lines on the surface of dorsal shield and undulating lateral edge of ventral shield. The latter two species differ in having a color pattern on the dorsal shield consisting of a central purplish patch (see Cook 1967). Furthermore, one of the dorsal pair of glandularia is located in the dorsal furrow. This character is not found in other Africasia species.

Figures

Figures 1–5. Africasia iranica sp. nov. – 1. Dorsum of idiosoma (female); 2. Venter of idiosoma (female); 3. Palp

Figures 6–7. Photographs of Africasia iranica sp. nov. (female) – 6. Dorsal plate; 7. Ventral plate.