Gaeolaelaps lenis Vatankhah & Nemati

Vatankhah, Farzaneh, Nemati, Alireza, Esfandiari, Mehdi & Shishehbor, Parviz, 2016, Description of a new species of Gaeolaelaps (Acari: Laelapidae) from Iran, with a key to world species of the genus with short peritremes, Zootaxa 4121 (5), pp. 566-574 : 567-571

Gaeolaelaps lenis Vatankhah & Nemati sp. nov.

Figures 1–10 .

Specimens examined and type deposition. Holotype female, Shahrekord, Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province, nest of Formica sp. ( Formicidae ), coll. F. Vatankhah, 2014. Paratypes: five females, same data as holotype. The holotype and three of the paratypes are deposited in the Acarological Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural College, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran (APAS). Two female paratypes are deposited in the Plant Protection Department, Agricultural College, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran, and Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz Am Museum, Görlitz, Germany.

Diagnosis (Adult female). Dorsal shield with nearly parallel lateral margins and distinct reticulation posterior to J1, with 38 pairs of simple acicular setae, z3 absent; sternal and epigynal shields smooth; peritremes short, extending to the middle-level of coxae II; tarsus of leg IV (125–134 long) with elongate setae: ad2–3 (0.41–0.43 and 0.44–0.48 × the length of tarsus IV respectively) and pd2–3 (0.63–0.70 × the length of tarsus IV).

Description. Adult female (Four specimens measured)

Dorsal idiosoma. Idiosoma oval-shaped, 566–571 long, 312–334 wide (at level of setae r3), lateral margins of dorsal shield almost parallel, shield not covering whole idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ), 526–564 long from its anteromedian edge anterior to bases of setae j1 to its posteromedian edge posterior to bases of setae Z5, 240–247 wide at level of setae r2–r3 (widest part), podonotal part smooth, reticulation more distinct posterior to setae J1, shield with 38 pairs of thin, simple acicular setae, 21 pairs on podonotal region (j1–6; z1, z2, z4–6; s1–6; r2–5; z3 absent) and 17 pairs on opisthonotal part (J1–5; Z1–5; S1–5) including PX2–3 between J and Z series. Unsclerotised cuticle laterad of podonotal region with a smooth sub-triangular accessory shield ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal setae mostly short, length varies, not reaching to base of following in series, j1, z1, j2 and s 1 18 –26, other dorsal setae 30–36, Z5 longest 48– 50. Setae J4 located far from J5, distance of J4–J5 62–65. Unsclerotised cuticle laterad of podonotal part with r6 (18) (between s6 and Z1) and laterad of opisthonotal with R6 (between S4 and S5). Podonotal and opisthonotal regions with 19 pairs of pore-like structures, as shown in Figure 1 .

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Base of tritosternum with 29–36 long, 12–14 wide, pilose laciniae free for 82–84 and fused basally for 7–12. Pre-endopodal area granulated, with a pair of distinct sclerotised pre-sternal plates. Sternal shield 144–146 long (along midline from anterior edge to its posterior margin), 151–165 wide (at level of projection between coxae II-III) and 11 5–120 at level of st2, smooth except for very thin striae adjacent to lateral margins, anterior margin not clearly defined, posterior margin irregular. Sternal setae smooth, st1–st3 (36–41), distance between st1–st1 (72–82), st2–st2 (94–108) and st3–st3 (101–108); iv1 slit-like, located slightly behind st1, iv2 pore-like, between st2–st3. Setae st4 (26–31) and pore-like iv3 located on integument behind posterior margin of sternal shield. Smooth tongue-shaped epigynal shield 178–192 long at midline, 72–74 wide at epigynal setae, ratio of length to width (L/W) 2.47–2.59, with one pair of simple acicular setae (st5 = 26–29). Paragenital pores (iv5) on soft integument between epigynal seta and coxa IV. Anal shield subtriangular, reticulated, 91–96 long (at midline from the anterior margin to the posterior edge of the cribrum), 82–84 wide (at widest point), post anal seta (38–41) longer than para-anal setae (26). Cribrum extending posterolaterally slightly above post-anal seta insertion. Opisthogastric surface with one pair of narrow and slightly elongate paragenital platelets, one pair of suboval metapodal plates (24–26×10–12), two pairs of minute platelets between st5 and Zv1 setae, seven pairs of smooth acicular setae, Zv1 (26–29), Zv2 (34–36), Jv1 (26–31), Jv2 (36), Jv3–4 (31–34) long, Jv5 longest (40–48), and five pairs of pore-like structures, plus para-anal gland pores gv3 on lateral margins of anal shield at level of anterior edge of anal opening. Stigma located at anterior level of coxa IV. Peritremes narrow and short, extending anteriorly to anterior part of seta r2 (slightly above the mid-level of coxa II), peritrematal plate fused with posterior point of sub-triangular accessory shield, widest opposite coxae II–III, with one glandular poroid gp and one lyrifissure ip ( Figs 1, 2 ), separated from exopodal shield. Post-stigmatic plate small, extending to mid-level of coxa IV, with three pore-like structures. Narrow crescent-shaped and small sub-triangular exopodal plates observed adjacent to exterior part of coxae IV and between coxae II-III respectively. Endopodal plates II/III incorporated to lateral margins of sternal shield, III–IV strip like, angular and in contact with fragmented narrow parapodal platelets located at interior side of coxae IV.

Gnathosoma . Epistome denticulate, with a bifid medioventral process projecting beyond the anterior margin, with minute teeth between two apical spikes ( Fig. 3 ). Hypostome ( Fig. 4 ) with 3 pairs of smooth simple acicular setae; h1 (24–29), h2 (19–26) and h3 (29–36). Palpcoxal setae 22–24 long. Deutosternal groove with six rows of denticles: 9, 11, 9, 11, 8 and 7 (from anterior to posterior rows respectively). Corniculi horn-like, internal malae with median barbed extensions longer than smooth lateral lobes. Chelicera with lateral lyrifissure and arthrodial brush, moveable digit (50–60) with two teeth; middle article (82–86) ending in fixed digit (53–62) with five teeth in addition to terminal tooth ( Fig. 5 ). Palp chaetotaxy normal (sensu Evans & Till, 1965), with simple setae except al1 and al2 of genu slightly thickened, al1 with tip rounded and al2 spine-like; palp tarsal claw two-tined ( Fig. 6 ). Lengths of palp segments: trochanter 48, femur 48–50, genu 38–41, tibia 36–38, tarsus 22–24.

Legs. Tarsi I–IV with claws and ambulacra. Leg I 516–528, coxa 79–84, trochanter 34–36, basifemur 22–24, telofemur 82–84, genu 72, tibia 77–84, basitarsus 12–14, telotarsus: 132–134; Leg II 355–374, coxa 46–55, trochanter 46–48, basifemur 14–21, telofemur 48–50, genu 55–60, tibia 50–60, basitarsus 19–22, telotarsus 70–72; Leg III 305–334, coxa 41–48, trochanter 36–46, basifemur 14–22, telofemur 46–48, genu 43, tibia 43–46, basitarsus 19–22, telotarsus 55–65; Leg IV 487–523, coxa 36–55, trochanter 77–84, basifemur 17–24, telofemur 84, genu 70–77, tibia 72, basitarsus29–34, telotarsus 96–101. Legs I and IV longer than legs II and III.

Leg chaetotaxy ( Figs 7–10 ): Chaetotaxy of all leg segments normal for Gaeolaelaps (sensu Faraji & Halliday, 2009). Leg I ( Fig. 7 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0; trochanter 1 0/2 1/1 1; femur 2 2/1 3/3 2; genu 2 3/2 3/1 2; tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II ( Fig. 8 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0; trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1; femur 2 3/1 2/2 1 (av slightly thicker than other setae on the segment); genu 2 3/1 2/1 2; tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2 (av and pv slightly thicker than other setae on the segment); tarsus 3 3/ 2 3/2 3 + mv, md (pl1, al1, pv1–2, av1–2, md and mv slightly thicker than other setae on the segment). Leg III ( Fig. 9 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0; trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1; femur 1 2/1 1/0 1; genu 2 2/1 2/1 1; tibia 2 1/1 2/1 1; tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md (the thickness of setae similar to those on tarsus II). Leg IV ( Fig. 10 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0; trochanter 1 0/2 0/ 1 1; femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 (pd slightly thicker than other setae on the segment); genu 2 2/1 3/0 1 (av slightly thicker than other setae on segment); tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2 (av and pv slightly thicker than other setae on the segment); tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md (av1–2, pv1–2, mv and md slightly thicker than other setae on the segment; ad2–3 and pd2–3 longer than the others, as much as 0.41–0.43, 0.44.0 48 and 0.63–0.70 × the length of tarsus IV respectively). All setae fine and needle-like unless otherwise noted.

Insemination structures. Not seen.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from the Greek word lenis (smooth), and refers to the smooth surface of sternal and epigynal shields.

Remarks. Gaeolaelaps lenis is differentiated by the following combination of characters: dorsal shield with 38 pairs of setae (z3 absent) and distinct reticulation posterior to J1, the distance between J4–J5 is nearly twice the length of J4, sternal and epigynal shields smooth; peritremes short, extending to the middle-level of coxae II, and possesses small free post-stigmatic plate extending to the middle-level of coxa IV; tarsus of leg IV (125–134 long) with elongate setae: ad2–3 (0.41–0.43 and 0.44–048 × the length of tarsus IV respectively) and pd2–3 (0.63–0.70 × the length of tarsus IV). It is similar to other species such as G. nolli ( Karg, 1962) , G. arabicus ( Hafez et al., 1982) , G. kargi ( Costa, 1968) , G. praesternalis ( Willmann, 1949) after Karg (1993) and G. iranicus Kavianpour & Nemati, 2013 in general appearance but can be distinguished as follows.

Gaeolaelaps nolli with 39 pairs of dorsal shield setae (z3 present), sternal shield has thin reticulation in lateral surface and epigynal shield distinctly reticulated, elongate pd2–3 on tarsus IV, length of J4 setae nearly equal to distance between J4–J5.

Gaeolaelaps arabicus (based on personal comm from Dr. A. K. Nasr), dorsal shield 39 pairs of setae (z3 present), lacking dorsal shield reticulation, the endopodal plates small and triangular (elongate and angular in G. lenis tarsus IV without elongate setae (ad2–3 and pd2–3 elongated in G. lenis .

Gaeolaelaps kargi , G. praesternalis and G. iranicus may be similar to G. lenis Vatankhah & Nemati , but all of them have a long peritreme nearly extending to coxa I.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Gaeolaelaps lenis Vatankhah & Nemati sp. nov. Female: 1. dorsal idiosoma; 2. ventral idiosoma.

FIGURES 3 – 6. Gaeolaelaps lenis Vatankhah & Nemati sp. nov. Female: 3. epistome; 4. hypostome; 5. chelicera; 6. palp.

FIGURES 7 – 10. Gaeolaelaps lenis Vatankhah & Nemati sp. nov. Female: 7. Leg I; 8. Leg II; 9. Leg III; 10. Leg IV.