Maracarus almiri, Durucan, 2024

Durucan, Furkan, 2024, The genus Maracarus (Acari: Halacaridae), description of three new species and one new record from Türkiye, Zootaxa 5486 (4), pp. 539-556 : 540-542

Maracarus almiri n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:18062B25-2B26-40A7-B07A-C584A29E88DF

Figure 2 ; Table 1

Material examined. Holotype. Male (FDHAL-24/26), undissected and mounted into one slide, St. 3 ( Lara , Antalya) fine sand, 10 m depth, 36°51’13.0”N 30°44’36.7”E, 10 April 2018.

Etymology. The species is dedicated in honor of Prof.Dr.Almir Pepato, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil, in recognition of his significant contributions to the taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of family Halacaridae .

Description. Measurements presented in Table 1.

Male (holotype). All dorsal plates separate and reticulate ( Fig. 2A ). AD wider than long, posterior margin truncate, with three, one anterior and a pair of medial, raised porose areolae. Each medial areolae 17 long, 12 wide with 5–6 polygons. A pair of gland pores situated at 0.42 of AD length, same level to ds-1. Ds-2 on membranous integument between AD and OC, ds-3 on membranous integument between OC and PD. OC posteriorly tail like, extending beyond leg IV insertion, with two corneae, large glp-2 lateral to OC, posteriorly a pore canaliculus. Anteriorly OC with small raised porose areola between corneae. PD rounded anteriorly, with reticulate ornamentation except for a pair of longitudinal costae with porose areolae at same level as insertion of leg III, leg IV, and at the end of costae ( Fig. 2D ). Pairs of glp-3 and glp-4 cones within these costae, the former at same level as insertion of leg IV, the later near posterior margin of PD ( Fig. 2 A,D ). Pair of ds-4 to ds-6 on PD, ds-4 between two porose areolae at 0.42 of PD length, ds-5 immediately posterior to glp-3 pair of cones, and ds-6 on PD posterior border.

Ventral plates reticulate with porose areolae on PE and GA ( Fig. 2B ). AE with 3 pairs of setae and pair of epimeral pores. Posterior margin of AE and anterior of GA truncate. PE with 2 dorsal and 3 ventral setae. Porose areolae anterior to leg III and leg IV insertions. Interval between anterior margin of GA and GO same as 2.26 times length of GO. Pair of longitudinal porose areolae lateral to GO. GA with 22 pgs, genital sclerites with five pairs of sgs, arranged 2:3. Spermatopositor large (74 long), extending beyond pgs.

Dorsal gnathosoma reticulate, tectum truncate ( Fig. 2E ). Rostrum triangular, not extending beyond P-2. Rostral setae at tip of rostrum; Distal maxillary setae at half of rostrum length; Basal maxillary setae at half of gnathosomal base length. Ventral gnathosomal base with a pair of reticulate porose areolae (23 long, 12 wide). P4 as long as P2 (40 µm) with 3 long setae in basal whorl. P1 and P3 10 ( Fig. 2C ).

All legs ( Figs. 2F–I ) slender and shorter than idiosoma. Leg I to leg IV (without claws) 250, 200, 234, 245 long, respectively. Leg chaetotaxy from trochanter to tarsus (bipectinated setae between parentheses, parambulacral setae and solenidia excluded): leg I: 1, 2, 5, 4, 8, 6; leg II: 1, 2, 5, 4, 8(2), 4; leg III: 1, 2, 3, 3, 5(1), 4; leg IV: 0, 2, 3, 3, 5, 3. Tarsus I with 3 dorsal setae, 1 dorsolateral seta-like solenidion, 3 ventral setae and a pair of doubled pas apically. Tarsus II with 3 dorsal setae, a dorsomedial seta-like solenidion, 1 ventral setae, and pair of pas. Tarsi III and IV with 4 and 3 dorsal setae, respectively. Tibia I with four slender smooth ventral setae; tibia II with two sharply ending bipectinate ventromedial and two slender ventral setae. Ventromedial setae of tibia III bipectinate and blunt, ventrolateral seta long. Both ventral and ventrolateral seta of tibia IV smooth and long. Claws with accessory process. Claw pecten with delicate tines and a small bidentate median claw.

Female and Juvenile. Unknown.

Remarks. Among species included in gracilipes the group, the new species resembles M. gracilipes and M. minor from Northeastern Atlantic, Mediterranean and Black Sea by sharing reticulate ornamentation on dorsal plates, a pair of circular porose areolae on AD, tail like ocular plates, two dorsal setae on posterior epimeral plate, tibiae I and II with eight setae, tibiae I to IV with 0, 2, 1, 0 pectinate setae, and tarsi I to IV with 3, 1, 0, 0 ventral setae. However, Maracarus almiri n. sp. differs from both species by lacking porose areolae on AE and, a third (medial) areolae on PE. Furthermore, the porose areolae sizes on AD and gnathosomal base in the new species are smaller than in M. gracilipes and M. minor. Additionally, the new species differs from M. minor by having a pair of longitudinal porose areolae lateral to GO and a wider GA.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Maracarus almiri n. sp. (male), Line art illustrations (FDHAL-24/26): A Idiosoma dorsal B Idiosoma ventral C Gnathosoma ventral with palps D Posterior part of PD E Gnathosoma dorsal F Leg I, medial view G Leg II, medial view H Leg III, medial view I Leg IV, medial view J Tarsus I, dorsolateral view. Scale bars: A,B=100 µm; C–J=50 µm.