Pogonolaelaps termitophilus, Joharchi & Ramroodi & Halliday, 2020

Joharchi, Omid, Ramroodi, Sara & Halliday, Bruce, 2020, Review of the genus Pogonolaelaps Nemati & Gwiazdowicz (Acari: Laelapidae) with description of a new species from Iran, Zootaxa 4820 (3), pp. 465-484 : 470-476

Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–23 )

Type material: Holotype, female, Zabol, Sistan region, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, 31°01′ N, 61°30′ E, alt. 492 m, 20 April 2018, S. Saravani Rad coll., on Microcerotermes sp. (Blattodea: Termitidae ). Paratypes: four females and one male, Zabol, Sistan region, Sistan va Baluchestan Province, Iran, 31°01′ N, 61°30′ E, alt. 492 m, 5 June 2018, S. Ramroodi coll.; on Microcerotermes sp. (Blattodea: Termitidae ), seven females and one male, Nimrooz, Sistan region, Sistan va Baluchestan Province, Iran, 31°05′ N, 61°26′ E, alt. 477m, 15 June 2018, S. Ramroodi coll.; in nest of Microcerotermes sp. (Blattodea: Termitidae ).

Description. Female (n=12)( Figs 1–17 ).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Figs 1 , 6 & 8 ). Dorsal shield length 785–795, width 517–560, oval shaped, convex, wellsclerotised, reticulation more distinct on lateral opisthonotal shield; truncate posteriorly and not covering entire idiosoma, hypertrichous (with approximately 54 pairs short setae, 23 pairs podonotal, 31 pairs opisthonotal), almost all setae acicular (28–34), except some on posterior margin of opisthonotal region (40–44), distinctly serrate in apical third ( Figs 1 & 8 ); soft cuticle on lateral posterior margins of idiosoma smooth (length 140–150), with four pairs of setae, all thick and distinctly serrate in the apical third. Shield with about 17 pairs of discernible pore-like structures, including 12 poroids (id1, id2, id4, id5, idm1, idm3-idm6, is1, idl1, idl4) and five gland openings (gd1, gd2, gd5, gd6, gd9), others indistinct, id1, id2, id4, idm1, idm3, idm4 & idm6 slit-like, see Figures 1 & 6 .

Ventral idiosoma ( Figs 2 , 7 & 9 ). Tritosternum with paired pilose laciniae (87–89), fused basally (16–18), columnar base (28–26 × 22–24 wide); presternal area very weakly sclerotised, transversely lineate. Sternal shield length 125–134, narrowest between coxae II (129–132), maximum width 230–246, anterior margin sinuate (convex medially), posterior margin concave, shield bearing three pairs of smooth pointed (st1 38–40, st2 37–41, st3 46–48); iv1 slit-like, located anterior to st1; iv2 slit-like, between st2 and st3, iv3 slit-like located on postero-lateral corners of sternal shield; surface with reticulate ornamentation laterally, central part smooth (or faintly reticulated); st4 absent. Endopodal plates II/III completely fused to sternal shield, endopodal plates III/IV elongate, triangular, more or less abutting parapodal platelets that bear gv2. Genitiventral shield slightly widened behind genital setae, length 364–368, 197–199 wide, anteriorly reaching beyond posterior margin of sternal shield; posterior edge gently tapered ( Fig. 9 ); bearing only setae st5 (33–36); widely separated from anal shield; surface without distinct reticulation, almost completely smooth except two pairs of approximately parallel lines in lateral part, circular paragenital pores (iv5) located on soft integument. Anal shield subtriangular, 152–166 long, 121–138 wide, lineate ornamentation laterally, with a pair of circular anterolateral pores (gv3), post-anal seta (28–32) thicker and slightly shorter than para-anal setae (30–33), cribrum consisting of a terminal tuft with 5–7 irregular rows of spicules and extending to level of post-anal seta ( Figs 2 & 7 ). Opisthogastric surface with one pair of elongate metapodal plates (53–58 × 9–10) plus three pairs of minute platelets and nine pairs of setae (equal length, 39–44), all setae arising from small platelets, setae are needle like (Zv1, Zv2, Jv1, Jv2, r6, R1) or spatulate and pilose (Zv4, Jv3, Jv4), ( Figs 2 & 7 ). Exopodal and parapodal platelets contiguous, strip-like, extending broadly behind coxae IV ( Figs 2 & 7 ) and anteriorly to the mid-level of coxa II. Peritreme extending from coxa IV to anterior level of coxa I, peritrematal shield wide, bearing four pairs of discernible pore-like structures, protruding band of cuticle lateral to the peritreme at the level of coxae II–III, a lyrifissure ip at level of coxa II and a gland pore gp at level of coxa III, post-stigmatic section bearing two pore-like structures, a lyrifissures ip and a gland pore gp ( Figs 2 & 7 ), anterior end not fused to dorsal shield.

Gnathosoma . Hypostomal groove with six rows of denticles each bearing 7–11 small teeth ( Fig. 3 ). Corniculi robust and hornlike, reaching beyond of mid-level of palp femur; internal malae free medially and densely fringed with elongate threads ( Figs 3 & 10 ). Hypostome with three pairs of setae (h1 45–47, h2 20–22, h3 54–56), palpcoxal setae 36–38, epistome sub-triangular with smooth antero-lateral margins ( Figs 4 & 12 ). Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 2, femur 5, genu 6, tibia 14, tarsus 15, all setae smooth and needle-like except al1 and al2 on palp genu, al on palp femur and v1 on the palp trochanter slightly thickened ( Fig 11 ); palp tarsal claw three-tined ( Fig. 11 ). Chelicera with dorsal seta, lyrifissure and well-developed arthrodial processes, movable digit (65–70) with two large teeth, fixed digit (40–41) with two distal teeth and a larger tooth adjacent to moderately thick pilus dentilis, followed by one proximal tooth in addition to small offset subapical hook ( Figs 5 & 13 ).

Legs. Legs I (613–623) and IV (705–719), longer than legs II (437–491) and III (509–528) (excluding pre-tarsus). Legs chaetotaxy as follows: leg I ( Fig. 14 ): 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. 15 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1, genu 2 3/1 2/1 2, tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2. Leg III ( Fig. 16 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, genu 2 2/1 2/ 1 1, tibia 2 1/1 2/1 1. Leg IV ( Fig. 17 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 1 1/2 0/1 0, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, genu 2 2/1 3/1 1, tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2. Tarsi II-IV with 18 setae (3 3/2, 3/2 3 + mv, md). All pretarsi with well-developed paired claws, rounded pulvilli and normal ambulacral stalk.

Insemination structures. Not seen, apparently unsclerotised.

Male (n=2) ( Figs 18–23 ).

Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield (620–630) long, (435–470) wide; ornamentation and chaetotaxy as in female.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figs 18 & 20 ). Sternal, genital, endopodal, ventral shields fused into holoventral shield, rounded posteriorly, weakly reticulated, more distinct laterally, bearing st1–5, two pairs of opisthogastric setae (Jv1 & Zv1), three pairs of poroids; anal shield free; a pore-like structure (gv3) laterad of para-anal setae, gland pore gv2 behind coxa IV discerned, cribrum with 3–4 irregular rows of spicules. Soft opisthogastric cuticle with five pairs setae, all setae arising from small platelets.

Gnathosoma . Epistome and subcapitulum similar to female. Fixed digit of chelicera with three teeth various sizes, a setaceous pilus dentilis. Movable digit of chelicera with one tooth, spermatodactyl short and straight, with blunt tip, free portion of spermatodactyl about 0.4x as long as movable digit, fringed hyaline arthrodial process at base of movable digit ( Figs 19 & 22 ). Palps similar to those of female ( Fig. 23 ).

Legs. Chaetotaxy as in female except pv1 on femur II spine-like ( Fig. 21 ).

Etymology. The new species is named “ termitophilus ” referring to its association with termites.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov., female. 1, dorsal idiosoma; 2, ventral idiosoma; 3, subcapitulum; 4, epistome; 5, chelicera.

FIGURES 6–13. DIC micrographs of Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov., female. 6, dorsal idiosoma; 7, ventral idiosoma; 8, general view of dorsal setae; 9, sternal and genitiventral shields; 10, internal malae; 11, palp, enlarged section of palp-apotele not to scale; 12, epistome; 13, chelicera.

FIGURES 14–17. Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov., female, 14, Leg I (trochanter-tibia); 15, Leg II; 16, Leg III; 17, Leg IV.

FIGURES 18–19. Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov., male, 18, ventral idiosoma; 19, chelicera.

FIGURES 20–23. DIC micrographs of Pogonolaelaps termitophilus sp. nov., male, 20, ventral idiosoma; 21, femur II; 22, chelicera; 23, palp tarsal claw.