Proterothrix murariui Constantinescu, 2019

Constantinescu, Ioana Cristina, Chisamera, Gabriel Bogdan, Petrescu, Angela & Adam, Costica, 2019, Two new species of feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae) from Indonesia, Acarologia 59 (2), pp. 196-210 : 203-208

Proterothrix murariui Constantinescu sp. n.

Figures 5–8

Zoobank: BB2C9D83-9308-433C-A422-5606060C5283

Type material — Holotype male and 19 paratypes (9 males and 10 females), from Meiglyptes tristis (Horsfield) ( Piciformes , Picidae ), INDONESIA, Kalimantan Island, Lhok Tuan, Kutai National Park , 22 May 1991, bird inventory number 15755, no other data. Type deposition . Holotype male (ANA 1453), 8 male (ANA 1454–1461) and 9 female (ANA 1462–1470) paratypes in MGAB collection, 1 male and 1 female paratypes in DZUnesp-RC collection .

Etymology — This species is named in honour of Dr. Dumitru Murariu, mammologist, correspondent member of the Romanian Academy, who led the expedition organized by “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History in the islands of the Indonesian archipelago in 1991, and collected himself some of the bird specimens on which the new species of feather mite was identified.

Description — Male (holotype, range for 4 paratypes). Length of idiosoma 244 (244–248), width 94 (106–124), length of hysterosoma 162 (164–166). Prodorsal shield entire, with lateral longitudinal bands of sclerotized tegument in anterior third, anterolateral extensions short and with acute tips, lateral margins with a short incision anterior to bases of setae se, posterior margin with wide blunt-angular extension, posterior angles round, length 78 (78–88), width 76 (72–76), surface without ornamentation ( Fig. 5A ). Scapular setae se separated by 44 (40–42). Scapular shields well developed. Humeral shields well developed, separated from outer sclerotized areas of epimerites III. Setae cp spiculiform, situated ventrally, setae c2 filiform, situated dorsally on humeral shields. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 18 (18–19) × 6 (4–6). Hysteronotal shield with anterior margin concave and wavy lateral margins, anterior angles rounded, distance from anterior margin to bases of setae h3 145 (146–152), greatest width in anterior part 72 (68–74), surface without ornamentation. Opisthosomal lobes short and narrow, with two almost trapezoidal membranous extensions at the base of setae h3 and h2. Setae h3 leaf-like, lanceolate with acute apex, 60 (60–70) × 16 (13–16). Setae h2 situated slightly anterior to setae h3, 120 (120–140) × 5 (5–6). Terminal cleft narrowly ovate, 20 (20–22) in length. Supranal concavity clearly outlined, triangular. Setae f2 slightly anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 near lateral margins of opisthosoma. Setae ps1 filiform, length 10 (6–8), situated near lateral margins of opisthosomal lobes, anterior to bases of setae h3. Setae c1 absent. Dorsal measurements: c2–d2 50 (48–56), d2– e2 51 (52–56), e2–h3 46 (46–56), d1–d2 20 (18–22), e1– e2 26 (22–24), h1–ps2 14 (14–20), h2–h243 (40–44), h3–h3 20 (20–22), ps2–ps2 56 (54–60).

Epimerites I fused into a Y, with a short sternum, posterior end of sternum with acute extensions directed laterally but not connected with epimerites II. Epimerites II long, with acute extensions on inner margins. Coxal field I almost closed, coxal field II and III open, coxal fields IV with narrow sclerotized areas at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa present, well developed ( Fig. 5B ). Pregenital sclerite (epiandrum) present, large. Genital arch 24 (24–25) long, 24 (20–24) wide, aedeagus band-shaped thickened in anterior half and narrowed in posterior half, 39 (40–42) long, extending to level of setae g. Genital papillae situated anterior to genital arch. A pair of adanal shields present, represented by slim plates, bearing setae ps3. Anal suckers 14 (12–14) in diameter, corolla indented, with 9 small teeth. Measurements of ventral side: 3a–4b 20 (20–22), 4b–4a 22 (20–22), 4a–g 34 (33–36), g–ps3 23 (22–24), ps3–ps3 8 (7–8), ps3–h3 44 (43–44).

Legs I longer than legs II, femora II with ventral crest ( Fig. 6A, B ). Seta e of tarsus I filiform. Setae mG I and mG II spiculiform, setae d of tarsi II, III much shorter than corresponding setae f. Tarsus IV 22 (20–22) long, setae w situated on small protuberance of tarsus, setae d, e button-like, seta d bigger in diameter than e, situated in basal and apical parts of segment, respectively ( Fig. 6D ). Length of solenidia: ω1 I 10 (10–12), ω1 II 7 (6–8), φ I 46 (44–48), φ II 36 (36–41), φ III 16 (16–18), φ IV 26 (24–28).

Female ( Figs. 7A, B ; 8 A–E; range for 5 paratypes): Length of idiosoma 344–360, width 126–134, and length of hysterosoma 248–262. Prodorsal shield entire, with lateral longitudinal bands of sclerotized tegument in anterior third, anterolateral extensions with rounded tips, lateral margins with short incisions anterior to bases of setae se, posterior margin with wide blunt-angular extension, length 90–94, width 96–100, surface without ornamentation ( Fig. 7A ). Scapular setae se separated by 54–57. Scapular shields narrow. Humeral shields well developed, separated from outer sclerotized areas of epimerites III. Setae cp spiculiform, situated ventrally, setae c2 filiform, situated dorsally on humeral shields. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 17–20 × 6–7. Anterior hysteronotal shield roughly rectangular, anterior margin straight, posterior margin convex, greatest length 160–176, greatest width in anterior part 90–94, surface without ornamentation. Length of lobar region 70–80, width at level of setae h2 76–82. Terminal cleft narrow parallel-sided in anterior 2/3 and large and with oblique margins in posterior 1/3, 48– 54 in length. Setae ps1 closer to inner margins than outer margins of opisthosomal lobes. Supranal concavity well developed, ovoid. Setae h1 on lobar shield, near anterior margin of this shield, surface of lobar shield without ornamentation. Setae h2 spindle-shaped, with terminal filament, 72–84 × 6–9. Setae h3 24–36 long, about 1/2 from the length of terminal appendages. Dorsal measurements: c2–d2 62–66, d2–e2 86–92, e2–h2 40–43, h2–h3 44–50, d1–d2 25–28, e1– e2 37–48, h1–h2 24–28, h2–ps1 38–42, h1–h1 36–38, h2–h2 60–70.

Epimerites I fused as a V. Coxal fields I, II without sclerotized areas, epimerites IVa absent ( Fig. 7B ). Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum horseshoe-shaped, greatest width 60–64. Secondary spermaducts short, about 10 long ( Fig. 8E ). Distance between pseudanal setae: ps2–ps2 46–54, ps3–ps3 15–20, ps2–ps3 28–34. Legs I slightly longer than legs II, femora II with wide ventral crest, setae mG I and mG II spiculiform. Length of solenidia: ω1 I 10–13, ω1 II 6–10, φ I 50–51, φ II 40–44, φ III 14–19, φ IV 6–8 ( Fig. 8 A–D).

Remarks — Proterothrix murariui Constantinescu , sp. n. is the first species of the genus discovered on a host of the family Picidae . This species has unique combination of character states and does not resemble any of the species of Proterothrix described so far. It cannot be included in any of the species groups defined so far within the genus. Males Proterothrix of murariui have three morphological character states within are unique in Proterothrix : a pregenital sclerite (epiandrum) present; the aeadegus is band-shaped, thickened in the anterior half and narrowed in the posterior half; and the terminal lobes have two pairs of trapezoidal, membranous extensions. In both sexes, dorsal setae c1 are absent, and setae cp are spiculiform. Females have the terminal cleft narrow, parallel-sided in the anterior 2/3, and large with oblique margins in the posterior 1/3. The presence of epiandrum in males is a rare occurrence among mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae , encountered only in some species of the genus Anisodiscus ( Hernandes and OConnor 2013). The absence of dorsal setae c1 is a character also found to some species of the Proterothrix megacaula species group. It is too premature to define a new group of species within the genus Proterothrix , based only on this species described here, but maybe the discovery of other species of the genus from woodpeckers, sharing common morphological characters, will make this possible in the future.

Figures

Figure 5 Proterothrix murariui sp. n., Male: A – dorsal view, B – ventral view.

Figure 6 Proterothrix murariui sp. n., Male: A – D – details of legs, dorsal view, A – leg I, B – leg II, C – leg III, D – leg IV; E – details of opisthosoma.

Figure 7 Proterothrix murariui sp. n., Female: A – dorsal view, B – ventral view.

Figure 8 Proterothrix murariui sp. n., Female: A – D – details of legs, dorsal view, A – leg I, B – leg II, C – leg III, D – leg IV; E – spermatheca; Abbreviations: hs – head of spermatheca, ps – primary spermaduct, sd – secondary spermaduct.