Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981

Khaustov, Alexander A., 2016, New species and a record of myrmecophilous mites of the families Neopygmephoridae and Microdispidae (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Pygmephoroidea) associated with Lasius umbratus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Western Siberia, Russia, Zootaxa 4137 (3), pp. 375-390 : 384-389

Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981

( Figs. 9–12 )

Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981: 350 , figs. 15–19.

Redescription. FEMALE. Body well sclerotized. Prodorsum completely covered by tergite C in undamaged specimens. Length of idiosoma 170–175, width 120–125. Gnathosoma ( Fig. 10 ). Gnathosomal capsule beak-like, almost 2 times longer than its width, dorsally with 2 pairs of smooth, pointed cheliceral setae (cha, chb). Setae cha 14–15 distinctly longer than chb 10–11. Dorsal median apodeme absent. Pair of seta-like postpalpal setae (pp) situated anterolaterally to setae cha. Gnathosoma ventrally with 1 pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m 12–13 and 1 pair of oval pits situated near the base of subcapitulum. Palps freely articulated to gnathosomal capsule, with smooth, pointed and subequal setae dFe and dGe dorsolaterally. Palps ventrally with accessory setigenous structure (ass); palpal solenidion not evident. Palps terminated with tiny claw. Palpal tibiotarsus dorsally with triangular weakly sclerotized projection. Pharyngeal pumps grouped together. Pharyngeal pump I small; pharyngeal pump II large, about 5 times longer than pharyngeal pump I; pharyngeal pump III vestigial. Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig. 9 A). Prodorsum with 1 pair of oval stigmata, 1 pair of setae (sc 2) and 1 pair of clavate and weakly barbed trichobothria (sc 1) with pointed apex. All dorsal plates smooth. Setae sc 2 smooth, other dorsal setae distinctly barbed. All dorsal setae pointed. Posterior margin of tergite C weakly concave; posterior margin of tergite H without tongue-like elongation. Cupules ia on tergite D very large, rhomboid, cupules ih on tergite H large, oval. Posterior parts of tergites D and EF with thick transverse sclerotized lines. Lateral plates with thin longitudinal sclerotized lines. Lengths of dorsal setae: sc 2 9–10, c 1 28–31, c 2 35–37, d 48–52, e 39–40, f 43–44, h 1 32–35, h 2 32–33. Distances between setae: sc 2 –sc 2 30–33, c 1– c 1 55–56, c 1– c 2 11–12, d–d 43–45, e–f 19–21, f–f 26–27, h 1– h 1 17–18, h 1– h 2 17–18. Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 9 B). All ventral plates smooth. Pseudanal setae ps 2 vestigial, smooth, other ventral setae barbed. Apodemes 1 not developed; appr well-developed and joined with wlike ap2, apsej well-developed; ap3 well-developed, straight, joined with appo. Ap4 well sclerotized, long and joined with appo; apodemes 5 absent. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate convex in middle part. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Ags small, bell-like, pgs very small, triangular. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 29– 33, 1 b 19–22, 2 a 28–31, 2 b 27–29, 3 a 29–30, 3 b 21–24, 3 c 31–33, 4 a 25–27, 4 b 36–38, 4 c 27–29, ps 1 20–21, ps 2 1, ps 3 22–24. Legs ( Figs. 11 , 12 ). Leg I ( Fig. 11 A) distinctly shorter and thinner than leg II. Setal formula: 1–3–4– 16 (3). Tibiotarsus cylindrical, without terminal claw. Lengths of solenidia ω 1 14> φ 1 6 <φ 2 8–9; all solenidia with attenuate tips; φ 1 with slightly thickened distal half. Eupathidia (tc) situated on distinct pinnaculum.

Tibiotarsus ventrodistally with unusual baculiform structure. Setae d of femur baculiform, smooth. Setae l’ of femur blunt-ended, smooth, setae v’ of trochanter and v” of femur smooth and pointed; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg II ( Fig. 11 B). Setal formula: 1–3–3–4(1)–6(1). Tarsus with sicklelike, padded claws and large flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 10 (10–11), finger-shaped, with attenuate tip; solenidion φ 4 weakly clavate. Seta u’ of tarsus smooth and blunt-ended; setae l’ and v” of femur smooth and pointed; other leg setae barbed and pointed. Leg III ( Fig. 12 A) similar in shape and length with leg II. Setal formula: 1–2–2–4(1)–6. Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 3 weakly clavate. Seta u’ of tarsus smooth and blunt-ended; other leg setae barbed and pointed. Leg IV ( Fig. 12 B). Setal formula: 1–2–1– 4(1)–6. Tarsus long and thin, pretarsus short, with 2 small simple claws and small empodium. Solenidion φ 1 vestigial. All leg setae barbed and pointed.

MALE and LARVA unknown.

Material examined. Four females, RUSSIA: Kurgan Province, Zverinogolovskiy district, vicinity of settlement Ukrainets, 54°24ʹ11.6ʺN, 64°49ʹ08.6ʺE, on ants Lasius umbratus , 13 September 2015, coll. A.A. Khaustov.

Distribution. This species was only known from an ant nest in Hungary ( Mahunka 1981). It is new species for the fauna of Russia.

Remarks. The original description of C. brevipes lacks information about leg setation, shape and microsculpture of the hysterosomal tergites. However C. brevipes is unique by the presence of tiny setae ps 2, which are absent in all known species of the genus. Siberian specimens fit well to the original description of C. brevipes and are, undoubtedly, conspecific with it.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981, female: A—idiosomal dorsum, B—idiosomal venter.

FIGURE 10. Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981, female: A—gnathosoma in dorsal view, B—gnathosoma and pharyngeal pumps in ventral view.

FIGURE 11. Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981, female: A—left leg I in dorsal view, B—left leg II in dorsal view.

FIGURE 12. Caesarodispus brevipes Mahunka, 1981, female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in dorsal view.