Neofedrizzia tani Pope and Chernoff

Seeman, Owen D., 2007, Revision of the Fedrizziidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Fedrizzioidea), Zootaxa 1480, pp. 1-55 : 49-50

Neofedrizzia tani Pope and Chernoff

Neofedrizzia tani Pope & Chernoff, 1978: 793 .

Type specimens. Holotype, F, MALAYSIA: Sarawak: Santubong, 23.ix.1969, K. Tan & R. Warren, alt. 100 ft. In mite collection of the United States National Museum, housed at USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD. Paratypes, 3 F, 8 M, same data as holotype.

Other specimens. 2 M, Malaysia, Sarawak, no other data. Deposited in QM.

Diagnosis. Both sexes: idiosoma 759–837 long; anterior hyaline projection does not extend past CxI; exopodal patterning between CxII–III striped; pedofossae III and IV absent; seta h1 with 9–10 barbs; distal spine-like process on palp femur 15 long; one non-filamentous excrescence ribbon-like, the other a serrated blade; femur III and IV with small lamellae. Female: sternal shield smooth, hind margin highly concave, seta st 1 10–15 long, much shorter than base of tritosternum; setae st2-4 <10 long; sternogynial shield smooth, with highly convex anterior margin. Male: tetartosternum absent, presternal processes not articulated with sternoventral shield, symmetrical, with blunt tips pointed inwards, and a medial rectangular process between the lateral processes; sternogynial shield (anterior of genital opening) smooth; genital opening placed between CxII–III, flanked by 16–22 pores.

Redescription. Female: Idiosoma 800–820 long, 605–630 wide; anterior hyaline projection with 1 pair of barbed setae 38–40 long. Tritosternum base obscured. Tetartosternum reticulate, sternal shield smooth, its posterior margin deeply concave; tetartosternum crown-shaped, 40–43 long at midline, 105–113 wide; st1 smooth, 10–15 long, st2 8 long, st3 8 long, st4 minute. Sternogynial shield 138–140 long, 153–155 wide, smooth, anterior margin convex, posterior margin rounded but not evenly so, anterolateral corners do not curve inwards slightly; 1 pair of pores and 3 setae flanking each side of shield. Ventral shield smooth medially and in intercoxal region, weakly reticulate laterally; 1 pair large semi-circular pores posteromedially of Cx IV, 1 pair of eye-like pores, 6–7 pairs of small round pores, and 7 pairs of small (<5 long) setae. Ventrianal shield 140 long, 375–420 wide, smooth, paranal setae 48 long, other setae minute; anterolateral corner of ventrianal shield not fused or weakly fused with ventral shield. Marginal shields smooth to lineate-reticulate. Pedofossae III and IV absent, CxIV-marginal suture weak, terminates well before edge of marginal shield.

Legs. TrI with seta pv1 slightly thicker than seta av1. FeI with seta pv3 longer and much thicker than setae pv1 and pv2. FeII with ventral lamella, seta pv 1 20–25 long, setiform, seta pv 2 15–20 long, setiform, seta ad1 obscured. GeII with setae ad3, pd3 obscured. FeIII with small lamella distal to av1; seta pv1 barbed, not spine-like, only slightly thickened; seta pd1 barbed, slightly thickened. GeIII and TiIII with pd setae obscured. FeIV with lamella, expanded distal to av1, seta pv1 barbed, thickened, seta pd2 just distal to ad2; seta ad2 thickened. TaII–III with seta av2 and av3 thickened, subequal in length; tarsus IV with seta av2 and av3 thickened, seta av2 thicker and shorter than seta av3.

Gnathosoma . Seta h1 curved, with 9–10 barbs, 58 long, distance between h1–h1 8; h2 with several small barbs, 45 long; h3 13 long, posterolaterad h2; palpcoxal seta 18 long. Corniculi on small tubercles. Palp, seta av1 on trochanter with> 6 long barbs, 50 long; av2 with few barbs, 45–50 long; palp femur with distal spine 15 long. Chelicera, fixed digit 145 long, movable digit 45–48 long; fixed digit with 2 large and 2 minute teeth; excrescences consist of a large brush-like process, a ribbon-like processes with a crenate and serrated margin, and a serrated blade.

Male: Idiosoma 830–840 long, 630–670 wide. Tritosternum base broad, 45–50 long, 48–50 wide. Presternal processes not articulated with sternoventral shield, symmetrical, slightly incurved, projecting from lateral margins sternal shield, 13 long, with rounded ends; medially with rectangular process 12–15 long, 38–43 wide, the posterior margins bearing setae st1, squat, 8 long. Sternal shield anterior of genital opening smooth. Seta st2 squat, 8 long, st3 10 long. Genital opening 60–70 long, 55–65 wide, with 18–22 large pores laterad the opening. Large lamellae on Cx I that also bear a posterior hook. Gnathosoma . Seta h3 posterolaterad h1, level with h2.

Remarks. Some of the type specimens are ruined, but although the holotype and allotype slides are spoiling around their margins, these mites are still in good condition. One female and three male paratype specimens are in excellent condition. The female of this species is immediately recognisable by their uniquelyshaped sternogynial shield, with its highly convex anterior margin.