Prozercon dramaensis, Ujvári, Zsolt, 2011

Ujvári, Zsolt, 2011, Six new species of Prozercon Sellnick, 1943 (Acari, Mesostigmata, Zerconidae) from Greece, with remarks on the genus, Zootaxa 2785, pp. 1-31 : 14-16

Prozercon dramaensis sp. nov.

( Figs 16–19 , 38 )

Material examined. Holotype. Female: E-2158, Greece, Drama county, Orvilos Mts., stream in alder gallery, and limestone rocks above Katafito, 823 m a.s.l., N41°20.725’ E23°40.463’, dry rotten wood, 31.03.2007, leg. Dányi, L., Erőss, Z., Fehér, Z., Kontschán, J., Murányi, D. Paratypes. Locality and date as for the holotype (17 females, 8m males); E-2165, Drama county, Dit-Rodopi Mts., stream in beech forest north of Kalikarpos, 869 m a.s.l., N41°27.959’ E24°14.389’, moss and fern on rock, 01.04.2007, leg. Dányi, L., Erőss, Z., Fehér, Z., Kontschán, J., Murányi, D. (3 males); E-2160, Greece, Drama county, Falakro Mts., beech forest beneath the ski centre, 1186 m a.s.l., N41°17.582’ E24°00.422’, leaf litter, 31.03.2007, leg. Dányi, L., Erőss, Z., Fehér, Z., Kontschán, J., Murányi, D. (10 females, 2 males).

Diagnosis. Peritrematal shield with posterolateral tips reaching level of R5. Podonotal central and submarginal setae smooth except j1. Setae S1 pilose, other marginal R-setae smooth, thorn-like. Setae J1, Z1 and S2 smooth and needle-like, other opisthonotal setae variably pilose. Setae S2 inserted on a line connecting S1 and Z1, equidistantly. Glands gdS2 (Po2) situated on a line connecting S2 and Z2, gdZ3 (Po3) medial to line connecting Z3 and Z4. No opisthonotal setae reaching bases of the following setae. Opisthonotum covered by small, distinct alveolar pits, anterior surface reticulate. Outer pair of dorsal cavities twice as big as inner pair.

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma: 332–350 μm (342 μm); width: 262–274 μm (267 µm) (n = 10). Holotype: length: 338 µm; width: 268 µm.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). 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. Podonotal setae j1, z3, s2-3, r2, r4-5 and s6 densely plumose, brush-like, other setae on the shield short, smooth and needle-like. Glands gds1 (po1) situated anteromedial to insertions of s1; gdj4 (po2) situated on line connecting j4 and z4; gds4 (po3) lateral to line connecting s4 and s5. Podonotal shield covered by reticulate pattern, with small pits on its central and posterior surface.

Opisthonotum with 21–23 pairs of setae, J1-5, Z1-5, S1-5, marginal R-series with six to eight pairs of setae, seven pairs in majority of specimens. Setae J1, Z1 and S2 similar in shape and length, short, smooth and needlelike. Setae J2-5 and Z2-4 short, finely pilose and pointed. Setae S1 similar to marginal setae of podonotum, densely pilose. Setae S3-5 and Z5 twice as long as central opisthonotal setae, brush-like and plumose. Setae S3–5 reaching beyond margin of opisthonotum. Setae S2 situated on line connecting S1 and Z1, equidistantly. Marginal R-setae short, smooth and thorn-like. No opisthonotal setae reaching bases of the following setae of the series. Setae S2 situated near Z1, in posterolateral position. Length of opisthonotal setae and distances between their insertions as in Table 6. Glands gdZ1 (Po1) situated anterolateral to insertions of Z1; gdS2 (Po2) situated on line connecting S2 and Z2, closer to S2; gdZ3 (Po3) medial to line connecting Z3 and Z4; gdS5 (Po4) near S5, in medial position. Whole opisthonotal shield covered by small, alveolar pits, anterior surface with reticulate pattern to level of J2-Z2. Dorsal cavities well-developed, lateral pair strongly sclerotised, twice as large as less-sclerotised medial pair.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Slit between peritrematal shield and dorsal shields inconspicuous. Peritrematal shield with posterolateral tips reaching level of R5, covered by fine reticulation. Peritremes slightly bent anteriorly. Chaetotaxy and poroidotaxy of ventral shields typical for genus Prozercon . Sternal shield well sclerotised, 50 μm long and 40 μm wide at the level of setae st2, with straight posterior margin and reticulate ornamentation. Ventrianal shield with short, smooth and needle-like preanal and adanal setae, setae ZV1 absent. Postanal seta longer than preanal and adanal setae, smooth or finely serrate distally, setae JV5 brush-like, plumose. Anal valves with vestigial euanal setae. Glands gv3 situated anterolateral to adanal setae. Anterior surface of ventrianal shield covered by squamous pattern to level of JV3-ZV4-JV4.

Male ( Figs 18–19 ). Length of idiosoma: 257–268 μm (263 μm); width: 200–208 μm (203 µm) (n = 10). Chaetotaxy, poroidotaxy and sculptural pattern of dorsal, ventrianal and peritrematal shields similar to those of female, except setae j2 often delicately barbed. Length of opisthonotal setae and distances between their insertions as in Table 6. Sternigenital shield well-sclerotised, bearing four pairs of setae. Peritrematal shield laterally fused to ventrianal shield, the membranous slit between dorsal and ventral shields lacking.

Etymology. The species name ‘ dramaensis ’ refers to Drama county ( Greece), where the specimens were collected.

Remarks. The new species is closely related to Prozercon buraki Urhan, 2008 on the basis of the smooth central podonotal setae and unaequal dorsal cavities. The two species can be distinguished by the characters listed in Table 7 .

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 19. Prozercon dramaensis sp. nov. 16. Dorsal view of female. 17. Ventral view of female. 18. Dorsal view of male. 19. Ventral view of male.

FIGURES 36 – 39. New occurences of Prozercon species found in Greece.