Zambedania madagascariana, Camerik, Anne M. & Magowski, Wojciech Ł., 2014

Camerik, Anne M. & Magowski, Wojciech Ł., 2014, The genus Zambedania Mahunka 1972 (Acari: Heterostigmatina: Pygmephoridae) — redescription of the type species Z. africana and descriptions of two new species from Africa and South America, Zootaxa 3793 (1), pp. 71-98 : 83-88

Zambedania madagascariana sp. n.

Figs 7–13 .

Diagnosis. The female of Z. madagascariana is unique among those of its congeners by having prodorsal stigmata subdivided. It differs from Z. argentiniana by stigmata being short, about ca. 1/3 of PdS length and located posteriorly, aggenital plate smooth, tibiotarsus I robust, tarsal IV empodium present, and from Z. africana by Ta IV with one claw.

Description. Phoretic female ( holotype; measurements in Table 2 ).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 8 A, not to scale). Cheliceral setae ch1 ~ ch2 horizontally aligned slender, barbed. Both palpal setae d Fe and d Ge smooth. Supracoxal setae pp not evident. Dorsomedian apodeme clearly visible. Ventral structures not seen. Pharyngeal pumps present; however, shapes not clearly seen: first pump in gnathosoma, second under PdS, third in opisthosoma ( Fig. 8 B, not to scale).

Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig. 7 B). PdS with anterior edge apparently rounded. Stigmatal slits not reaching anterior edge ( Fig. 8 B). Seta v2 relatively short, inserted anteriad of scapulars sc2. Bothridial sc1 elliptical globose, coarsely barbed; sc2 very long and strongly barbed. Opisthosomal dorsal setae barbed, not on protuberances. Setae h1 ~2 h2. On Ps pseudanal setae ps1 shortest. No cupules seen.

Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 7 A). Both ap1 and ap2 complete. Appr posteriorly links continuously to well-developed apsej. Sclerotized ap 3 and 4 extend from anterior edges of bases of legs III and IV and fuse with appo. Ap5 rudimentary, at posterior edge of base of legs IV. Ag distally undulated, subcircular; smooth. Ventral setae smooth to slightly or strongly barbed. Seta 4b longest. On Ps seta ps3 longest.

Legs. Legs I ( Figs. 9–10 ). TiTa: apical claw robust, sharp; flanked on each side by strongly sclerotized leafshaped unguinals u' - u". Eupathidia: proral ( p") laterad of claw, tectals ( tc', tc") on common pinnaculum; fastigials ( ft'- ft") inserted dorso-laterad of tectals, on separate pinnacula. Relative sizes of eupathidia: ft' < ft" (longest of all); tc' < tc"; p" > tc' but < ft'. Solenidia: ω long and slender, φ1 and, φ2 slightly <½ ω. Relative sizes of setae: pl' < pl", both one-sidedly barbed; one-sidedly barbed pv' <barbed pv"; weakly barbed s of intermediate length. Tibial v' > v", both feathered; barbed l' ~ one-sidedly barbed l"; one-sidedly barbed d longest on segment, placed closely to cluster φ1- φ2; barbed seta k ~ l'. Ge: v' > v", both barbed; l" ~ ½ l'. Fe: d > 3 1/ 4 v "; barbed v" < one-sidedly barbed l'. Tr: v' slightly over ~ 5/6 Ge v'.

Legs II ( Fig. 11 ). Padlike empodium between two simple, curved claws. All leg setae barbed Ta: tc' > pl" and tc"; pv' > pv"; u' distalmost and shortest seta on segment; baculate solenidion ω ~ 2 Ti φ. Ti: v" > v', both onesidedly barbed; φ ca. ~ 1/3 of length of segment and close to d. Ge: v' ~ l' and l". Fe: d longest seta of leg II, reaching to base of pretarsus; v" <one-sidedly barbed l'. Tr: v' as long as Fe v".

Legs III ( Fig. 12 ). Two terminal claws and empodium as in leg II. All setae barbed. Ta: pl" longest seta on segment; tc' stout, ~ slim tc"; pv' ~ pv"; u' short, distalmost on segment. Ti: d short, close to elongate φ; v' longest tibial seta; v" ~ l'. Ge: one-sidedly barbed l' > v'. Fe: d longest on leg; seta v' missing on left leg, present on right leg ( Fig. 12 B), somewhat < d. Tr: v' one-sidedly barbed ~ 3/4 Fe d.

Legs IV ( Fig. 13 ). Only one laterally-placed claw on leg IV, next to empodium. All leg setae barbed. Ta: pl" longest seta on segment; tc'′ > tc'; pv' > pv". Ti: solenidion φ small; l' ~ v'; v' ~ v"; seta d longest tibial seta. Ge: v' <Ti l'; Fe: d longest on leg IV but shorter than whole leg, v' ~ 1/3 d; Tr: v' > Fe v'.

Material examined. The specimen labelled " Zambedania africana Mahunka 1972 ", now described as holotype of Z. madagascariana , sp. n.; loc. Sainte Marie, Madagascar. Mad 89/52. Date: none available. Leg. B. Hauser.

Deposition of types. Holotype (HT): Department of Arthropodology and Entomology, Museum of Natural History, Geneva 6, Switzerland.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Idiosoma: A—venter, B—dorsum.

FIGURE 8. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Prodorsum: A—gnathosoma dorsal aspect in ventral view; B—prodorsal shield (PdS), dorsal view.

FIGURE 9. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Leg I (left): dorso-lateral view.

FIGURE 10. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Leg I, tibiotarsus (left): dorso-lateral view (some setae omitted).

FIGURE 11. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Leg II: A—dorsal view (left); B—tibial seta v " (right).

FIGURE 12. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Leg III: A—dorsal view (left); B—dorsal view of femur (right).

FIGURE 13. Zambedania madagascariana sp. n. Leg IV (left): dorso-lateral view.