Prozercon morazae, 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 : 22-24

Prozercon morazae sp. nov.

( Figs 30–33 , 38 )

Material examined. Holotype. Female: E-2551, Greece, Arkadia county, Aroania Mts., Planitero, Planitero (Landon) Springs, platanus gallery and limestone rocks in the village, 640 m a.s.l., N37°56.022’ E22°09.971’, 07.04.2009, leg. Dányi, L., Kontschán, J., Murányi, D. Paratypes. Locality and date as for the holotype (3 females); E-2550, Greece, Arkadia county, Tetrazi Mts., Ag. Theodora, rocky maple forest, 490 m a.s.l., N37°21.269’ E21°58.782’, 05.04.2009, leg. Dányi, L., Kontschán, J., Murányi, D. (2 females, 1 male).

Diagnosis. Peritrematal shield with posterolateral tips reaching level of R1. Dorsal podonotal setae pilose, except j5 smooth. Marginal R-setae smooth, thorn-like, other opisthonotal setae plumose. Setae S2 inserted slightly lateral to a line connecting Z1 and Z2, equidistantly. Setae S3 and S4 pointed, not extending beyond margins of opisthonotum. Glands gdS2 (Po2) situated on a line connecting S2 and Z2, gdZ3 (Po3) anterior to insertions of Z4. Setae J3-4 reaching bases of the following setae.

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma: 330–347 μm (338 μm); width: 228–242 μm (235 µm) (n = 6). Holotype: length: 340 µm; width: 238 µm.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 30 ). Podonotum with 20 pairs of setae, j1-6, z2-6, s1-6, r2 and r4-5 inserted dorsally, setae r1 and r3 inserted ventrally, on peritrematal shields. Podonotal setae pilose except j5 short, smooth and needle-like. Setae j2-6, s1, s4-5, z2, z4-6 pointed, j1, z3, s2-3, s6, r2, r4-5 brush-like. Setae s2, r2 and r4 shorter than other brush-like marginal setae. Glands gds1 (po1) situated posteromedial to insertions of s1; gdj4 (po2) situated on line connecting j4 and z4; gds4 (po3) on line connecting s4 and s5. Podonotal shield covered by reticulate pattern. Opisthonotum with 19–21 pairs of setae, J1-5, Z1-5, S1-5, marginal R-series with four to six pairs of setae, six pairs in majority of specimens. Setae J1-5, Z1-4 and S2-4 similar in shape and length, densely pilose, pointed. Setae Z5 and S5 brush-like, plumose, extending beyond margin of opisthonotum. Setae S1 plumose, twice as long as short, smooth and thorn-like R-setae. No J-, Z- and S-setae reaching insertions of the following setae of the series. Setae J5 extending beyond margins of opisthonotum. Setae S2 inserted slightly lateral to line connecting Z1 and Z2, equidistantly. Bases of central opisthonotal setae medium-sized. Length of opisthonotal setae and distances between their insertions as in Table 10. Glands gdZ1 (Po1) situated anteromedial to insertions of Z1; gdS2 (Po2) on line connecting S2 and Z2; gdZ3 (Po3) anterior to insertions of Z4; gdS5 (Po4) near JV5, in anterolateral position. Whole opisthonotal shield covered by relatively large, distinct, irregular pits. Dorsal cavities uniform, weakly developed.

Ƥ 3 Ƥ 3 Ƥ 3 J 1 25 23 Z 1 25 20 S 1 14 10 J1-J 2 28 31 Z1-Z 2 44 37 S1- S 2 33 25 J 2 27 23 Z 2 24 20 S 2 21 19 J2-J 3 32 19 Z2-Z 3 30 18 S2- S 3 25 17 J 3 28 23 Z 3 22 20 S 3 21 21 J3-J 4 31 18 Z3-Z 4 27 25 S3- S 4 35 30 J 4 25 23 Z 4 17 17 S 4 20 18 J4-J 5 31 21 Z4-Z 5 44 36 S 4-5 28 18 J 5 19 21 Z 5 24 19 S 5 28 18

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 31 ). Peritrematal shield separated from dorsal shields by a narrow membranous slit, with posterolateral tips reaching level of R1, covered by fine reticulation. Peritremes slightly bent. Chaetotaxy and poroidotaxy of ventral shields typical for genus Prozercon . Sternal shield well sclerotised, 45 μm long and 54 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 slightly broadening apically, longer than preanal and adanal setae, setae JV5 similar in shape and length to setae S1, plumose. Anal valves with vestigial euanal setae. Glands gv3 situated lateral to adanal setae. Anterior surface of ventrianal shield covered by squamous pattern to level of JV3-ZV3-ZV4.

Male ( Figs 32–33 ). Length of idiosoma: 258 μm; width: 194 μm (n = 1). Chaetotaxy, poroidotaxy and sculptural pattern of dorsal, ventrianal and peritrematal shields similar to those of the female, except that setae j4 barely pilose in male and setae S5 of male similar in shape to Z1-4 and S2-4, pointed. Length of opisthonotal setae and distances between their insertions as in Table 10. Sternigenital shield bearing four pairs of setae. Peritrematal shield laterally fused to ventrianal shield, the membranous slit between dorsal and ventral shields lacking.

Etymology. The new species is named in honor of the prominent acarologist, Dr. María Lourdes Moraza (Departamento de Zoología y Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Navarra).

Remarks. The new species belongs to the group characterised by the following features: podonotal setae plumose with the exception of j5; setae S1 plumose; S-series complete; setae S3 similar in shape and length to S2, not reaching beyond margin of opisthonotum. Distingushing characters of the four species of the group ( Prozercon morazae sp. nov., Prozercon escalai Moraza, 1988 , Prozercon orhani Urhan & Ayyildiz, 1996c and Prozercon umidicola Urhan, 2002 ) are presented in Table 11 .

Figures

FIGURES 30 – 33. Prozercon morazae sp. nov. 30. Dorsal view of female. 31. Ventral view of female. 32. Dorsal view of male. 33. Ventral view of male.

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