Geckobiella javieri (Cruz)

Paredes-León, Ricardo, Klompen, Hans & Pérez, Tila M., 2012, Systematic revision of the genera Geckobiella Hirst, 1917 and Hirstiella Berlese, 1920 (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with description of a new genus for American species parasites on geckos formerly placed in Hirstiella, Zootaxa 3510, pp. 1-40 : 11-12

Geckobiella javieri (Cruz) new combination

Cyclurobia javieri Cruz, 1984: 5 .

Hirstiella javieri Bochkov, 2008: 338 .

Diagnosis. Female. Prodorsal shield pyriform with 2 pairs of setae (vi and sci) ( Fig. 2 F). Dorsal setae spatulate spinose (subclavate to clavate) (except barbed f2); ps1 sparsely pectinate, ps2 sparsely barbed and ps3 peripectinate. Solenidion ω 2 on tarsus I as long as companion seta ft.

Type. Male HOLOTYPE, male, deutonymphal, protonymphal and larval PARATYPES ( IESCA), probably lost.

Type locality. Cabo Cruz, Niquero, Granma, Cuba.

Type host. Cyclura nubila Gray.

Material examined. 3 females ex Cyclura nubila (IES12729), CUBA, Pinar del Río, Guanahacabibes, 21 February 1985 ( CNAC 007043–45). 1 female, 1 deutonymph, 2 larvae ex Cyclura nubila , CUBA, Pinar del Río, Mpio. Sandino, María La Gorda, 1 km SE from Hotel María La Gorda, 21° 41’ 55.34” N, - 84° 29’ 32.57” W, 10 m asl, 0 2 November 2011, coll. L. Márquez ( CNAC 007046–49).

Remarks. This species appears to be a specific ectoparasite of Iguanidae lizards (see Table 2 ). Geckobiella javieri was described originally based on male and immature specimens. One of us (RP-L) visited the Acarological Collection of IES but unfortunately the type series could not be located. However, three females were recovered from a specimen of Cyclura nubila collected from Cuba and deposited in the Herpetological Collection of IES (12729). The general morphology of these specimens is consistent with that of females of Hirstiella parasitic on Iguanidae (= Geckobiella sensu nov. in this study).

Based on the character matrix (Appendix 2), G. javieri and G. diolii share all character states (except the setal form of dorsal idiosomal setae h1). Additional differences between these species are found in the smaller size of G. javieri , in particular in the size of some structures such as the prodorsal shield length and width 181 x 189 (versus 198 x 226 in G. diolii ) ( Fig. 2 F–G), width between setal pair sci on prodorsal shield (WSCI) 112 (versus 125 in G. diolii ), leg lengths (excluding ambulacrum) from leg I to IV respectively 373, 292, 310 and 362 (versus 463, 360, 369 and 383 in G. diolii ), and solenidion ω 1 and ω 2 of tarsus I length 27 and 45 respectively (39 and 53 in G. diolii ).

In one specimen (CNAC007046) one seta vi was positioned outside the prodorsal shield.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Prodorsal shields of the species of Geckobiella. A, G. trombidiiformis; B, G. p e l a e z i; C, G. boneti; D, G. bakeri; E, G. pyriformis; F, G. javieri; G, G. diolii; H, G. donnae sp. nov. Scale bar 100 µm.