Cilliba athiasae (Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol)

Stachowiak, Marcin, Halliday, Bruce & Bloszyk, Jerzy, 2008, Review of the genus Cilliba von Heyden (Acari: Uropodina: Cillibidae), Zootaxa 1881, pp. 1-42 : 6-10

Cilliba athiasae (Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol)

Uropoda (Cilliba) athiasae Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1964: 19 , Fig. 22 ; Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1965: 4; 1969a: 29; Hirschmann, 1979a: 21; Karg, 1989: 176; Wiśniewski, 1993a: 266; 1993b: 421; Wiśniewski & Hirschmann, 1993: 191.

not Cilliba athiasae .— Skorupski & Gwiazdowicz, 1997: 206; Skorupski & Luxton, 1998: 433; Gwiazdowicz, 1999: 39; 2000: 30; Maraun et al., 2001: 227; Čoja & Bruckner, 2003: 83 (misidentifications).

Material examined. 19 ΨΨ, 26 ɗɗ, 9 DN, 1PN, apparently syntypes, slides labelled 34/1, 34/2, 34/3, 34/4, 34/5, 34/6, 34/7, 34/8, 34/9, 34/10, 34/11, 34/12, no other data ( BSCZ).

Other material examined. Algeria. 9 ΨΨ, 12 ɗɗ, 2 DN, 160 km E of Algiers; Ait Oubane in Djurdjura Mountains, 1600 m, (1 sample, 10.1984); 1 Ψ, 5 ɗɗ, 8 DN, 40 km E of Algiers, El-Kahla, forest with Quercus suber (1 sample, 11.1984); 1 ɗ, 2 DN, 1 PN, 10 km W of Algiers, Bainem Forest, oak wood (1 sample, 11.1984); 1 ɗ, ca 70 km W of Algiers, above city of Tipaza, ca 450 m to Chenua Mount, litter under Pinus helepensis and brushwood maquis (1 sample, 11.1984). (AMU).

Redescription. Female. Strongly sclerotised, brown.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Length 587–670 µm, width 473–580 µm, based on Hirschmann & Zirngiebl- Nicol (1969a), Wiśniewski & Hirschmann (1993), and new observations. In material examined, length 587– 670 µm, width 473–580 µm, n = 22. Dorsal shield subcircular, with characteristic ornamentation of scattered circular pits over whole surface of shield. Marginal shield smooth, with numerous lyrifissures (id), fused with dorsal shield anteriorly; edge of marginal shield undulating posteriorly. Dorsal setae numerous, hook-like (ca 47 µm long). Submarginal setae simple (ca 13 µm long), marginal setae numerous, short, hook-like, slightly ventral in position, posterior marginal setae inserted on small tubercles.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Cuticle finely punctate. Sternal shield smooth, with five pairs of simple setae; st1 located close to anterior edge of epigynium, st2–st5 lateral to epigynium. Epigynium tongue-shaped (length ca 140 µm, width ca 85 µm), entirely covered with numerous small oval pits. Opisthosoma smooth, except region behind epigynium covered with pits. Ventral setae (v1–v5) simple, v1 = ½ length v2; setae v4–v5 located on small tubercles. Adanal setae Ad1 very short, Ad2 = 2 x Ad1. Unpaired seta Pa = length Ad1. Anal opening small, oval. Peritremes V-shaped, length ca 107 µm. Tritosternum 6-branched, with broad base, laciniae with finely serrated tips ( Fig. 6 ).

Gnathosoma . Epistome narrow, laterally serrated, anterior process finely spiculate. Hypostomal setae h1 very long (ca 39 µm) ( Fig. 4 ), simple; h2 short (ca 14 µm), robust, smooth; h3 = h2, simple; h4 short (ca 12 µm), curved, robust, laterally serrated. Hypostomal surface covered with fine denticles of varying sizes; denticles grouped in a single row at the level of setae h2 and distributed irregularly between setae h3–h4. Hypostomal groove smooth. Ventral setae pv1–pv2 on palp trochanters robust, pv1 ca 17 µm long, robust, distally serrated, pv2 ca 13 µm long, simple. Chelicerae of normal length, fixed digit with globular sensillus and small denticles on internal surface, movable digit shorter than fixed digit, with single denticle on the internal surface ( Fig. 5 ).

Legs ( Fig. 7 ). Structure and chaetotaxy typical for the genus. Tarsi II–IV subdivided into basitarsus and telotarsus by complete peripodomeric fissure. All setae simple.

Male. Strongly sclerotised, colour dark yellow to brown.

Dorsal idiosoma. Length 587–670 µm, width 507–580 µm, based on Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol (1969a) and Wiśniewski & Hirschmann (1993). In new material examined from different localities, length 849–934 µm, mean 891 µm, width 830–905 µm, mean 868 µm, n = 26. This species shows considerable variation in body size. Ornamentation and chaetotaxy as for female.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 8 ). Sternal region, endopodal shields and anterior part of opisthosoma ornamented with small circular pits. Operculum oval (68–81 x 48 –56 µm), with a pair of short eugenital setae. Sternal setae st1–st3 very short, st4–st5 longer. Two pairs of glands located near setae st3. Ornamentation and chaetotaxy of opisthosoma, peritremes and tritosternum, as for female.

Gnathosoma . Epistome as for female. Hypostomal groove finely serrated. Hypostomal setae h1 ca 44 µm, simple; h2 ca 9 µm, simple; h3 a blunt rounded dome, diameter 4 µm; h4 ca 10 µm, curved, smooth, located laterally on the hypostome ( Fig. 9 ). Palp trochanter setae pv1 ca 19 µm, simple, pv2 ca 14 µm. Structure of chelicerae typical for the genus.

Legs ( Fig. 10 ). Structure and chaetotaxy as for female, except setae d and pl on genu and tibia I robust, short. Setae av on genu, tibia and tarsus II robust. Tarsi II–IV subdivided into basitarsus and telotarsus by complete peripodomeric fissure. All leg setae smooth.

Deutonymph. Lightly sclerotised, colour yellowish to light brown.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 11 ). Length 550–577 µm, width 460–475 µm (n = 10). Dorsal shield subcircular, smooth, marginal shield absent. Posterior end of idiosoma undulate. Dorsal setae numerous, robust, ca 57 µm long. Between the setae ca 6 pairs of dorsal lyrifissures (id). Submarginal setae simple, ca 19 µm. Marginal setae very numerous, short, hook-like, slightly ventral in position.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 12 ). Sternal shield smooth, amphora-shaped, with narrow base, length ca 315 µm, extending behind coxae IV, with five pairs of very short, simple setae (st1–st5). Two pairs of lyrifissures: iv1 near camerostome, iv2 behind setae st5. Ventral shield wide, smooth, with five pairs of simple ventral setae; v1 = ½ length v2. Setae v1, v2 and v5 accompanied by circular pores. One pair of lyrifissures (iv3) located near setae v2. Anal shield triangular, with anal opening covered by a small valve and a pair of very short setae Ad1. Setae Ad2 and Pa on shield surrounding the anus, Ad2 = Pa. Peritreme long (ca 169 µm), with characteristic curve at level of coxae II, without poststigmatic extension, prestigmatic section reaching camerostome, stigmata at level of coxae III. Tritosternum 6-branched, with broad base ( Fig. 14 ).

Gnathosoma . Epistome narrow and serrated, distally bifid. Hypostome similar to female ( Fig. 13 ). Setae h2 serrated, h4 serrated distally.

Legs. Structure and chaetotaxy as for female.

Protonymph. Weakly sclerotised, colour white to yellowish.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 15 ). Length 521–535 µm, width 440–449 µm. Podonotal shield pear-shaped, large, smooth. Mesopodal shields small (ca 49 µm), elongate; irregular in shape (ca 71 µm); pygidial shield crescent-shaped (ca 116 µm wide); all shields smooth. Setae j3–6 and z5 short, robust, inserted on podonotal shield. Setae Z1, J1 and J2 longer, inserted on pleura between podonotal and pygidial shield. Setae z2, z3, s3– 6, S1 and Z2 submarginal, increasing in length posteriorly from z2, ca 20 µm to Z2, ca 50 µm (submarginal setae j2 and J4 should be present but could not be seen due to the poor quality of the single available specimen). Setae j1, s2, r3–5, R1, R3, S3, S4, Z3, Z4 and J5 long (ca 60 µm), massive, inserted on protuberances along the margin of the idiosoma, apparently supporting a soft, membranous fringe (80 µm wide), surrounding the idiosoma. Several idiosomal setae with associated circular pores.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Weakly sclerotised, smooth. Sternal shield poorly defined, with three pairs of simple sternal setae (ca 7 µm). Metapodal shields elongate (ca 55 µm), smooth. Opisthogastric integument with four pairs of simple ventral setae (v1, v3–v5); v1 and v3 anterior to the ventri-anal shield, v4 and v5 lateral to ventri-anal shield. Three pairs of glands open on soft ventral pleura near metapodal shields (gv1, gv2 and gl6). Ventri-anal shield oval, smooth, with anal opening, a pair of setae Ad and an unpaired seta Pa; Ad = ½ Pa. Peritreme short (ca 74 µm), simple, without poststigmatic section, prestigmatic section straight, stigmata at level of coxae III.

Larva. Unknown.

Ecology. This species has a Mediterranean geographic distribution ( Fig. 1 ). It was recorded by Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol (1969a) from Spain, Balearic Islands, and Algeria. It was erroneously recorded from Great Britain ( Skorupski & Luxton, 1998), Austria ( Čoja & Bruckner, 2003), Germany ( Maraun et al., 2001) and Poland ( Skorupski & Gwiazdowicz, 1997, 1998; Gwiazdowicz, 2000), but this is a misidentification of deutonymphs of Neodiscopoma splendida ( Kramer, 1882) . It inhabits leaf litter in deciduous forests, such as Quercus ilex , Laurus nobilis , and pine forests, with Pinus halepensis ( Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1969a).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Cilliba spp. = C. athiasae; = C. cassidoidea; = C. stammeri; polygon = C. rafalskii.

FIGURE 7. Cilliba athiasae, female, legs: I, II, posterolateral view; III, IV, anterolateral view.

FIGURES 22 – 27. Cilliba cassidoidea. 22, male, ventral idiosoma; 23, male, hypostome; 24, male, leg II, posterolateral view; 25, deutonymph, dorsal idiosoma; 26, deutonymph, ventral idiosoma; 27, deutonymph, tritosternum (after Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1969 a).

FIGURES 2 – 6. Cilliba athiasae, female. 2, dorsal idiosoma; 3, ventral idiosoma; 4, hypostome; 5, chelicera; 6, tritosternum.

FIGURES 8 – 10. Cilliba athiasae, male. 8, ventral idiosoma; 9, hypostome; 10, legs: I, II, posterolateral view; III, IV, anterolateral view.

FIGURES 11 – 16. Cilliba athiasae. 11, deutonymph, dorsal idiosoma; 12, deutonymph, ventral idiosoma; 13, deutonymph, hypostome; 14, deutonymph, tritosternum; 15, protonymph, dorsal idiosoma; 16, protonymph, ventral idiosoma.