Stigmaeus longiclipeatus, Doğan & Doğan & Erman, 2017

Doğan, Sibel, Doğan, Salih & Erman, Orhan, 2017, Description of five new species of the genus Stigmaeus Koch (Acari: Raphignathoidea: Stigmaeidae) from Turkey, Zootaxa 4276 (4), pp. 451-478 : 471-473

Stigmaeus longiclipeatus sp. nov.

Female (n = 1) ( Figs. 24 , 25 ). Body elongated. Integument striated except for shields. Length of body 401, width 189. Gnathosoma 58. Leg I 142, leg II 109, leg III 117, leg IV 130.

Dorsum of idiosoma. Most dorsal idiosomal shields ornamented. Central area of propodosomal shield reticulated, without vacuoles, but margins of shield with vacuoles. Central area of central shield reticulated, shield with vacuoles marginally, other shields only with vacuoles except intercalary and suranal shields smooth. Prodorsum with a large shield medially and two small shields laterally. Apodemal marking present in the center of propodosomal shield. Posterior of propodosomal shield with tubercles. Propodosomal shield bearing three pairs of setae (vi, ve, sci), but eyes and post-ocular bodies absent. sce on minute individual platelets. c 1 and d 1 on central shield. Median zonal shields divided, candle flame-like, bearing setae e 1. Marginal and lateral zonal shields longitudinally elongated and bearing setae d 2 and e 2, respectively. Intercalary shields small, divided and bearing f 1. Suranal shield divided, with three pairs of setae (h 1-3), h 2 longer than others. Humeral shields located ventrolaterally, smooth, and carrying setae c 2. Length of marginal shield about as long as central shield. Lateral zonal shields elongated with setae e 2 located anteriorly on shield. Dorsum with 14 pairs of setae (setae h 3 present). All dorsal idiosomal setae smooth. Lengths of dorsal idiosomal setae: vi 15, ve 20, sci 20, sce 28, c 1 18, c 2 41, d 1 18, d 2 21, e 1 17, e 2 20, f 1 21, h 1 23, h 2 30, h 3 14. Distances between dorsal idiosomal setae: vi - vi 29, ve -ve 42, vi -ve 22, sci -sci 58, ve -sci 35, sce -sce 136, sci -sce 36, c 1- c 1 29, d 2- d 2 118, c 1- d 1 54, c 1- d 2 59, d 1- d 1 24, d 2- d 1 44, e 2- e 2 102, d 2- e 2 67, d 1 - e 1 59, d 1- e 2 38, e 1- e 1 32, e 2- e 1 36, f 1- f 1 36, e 1- f 1 31, e 2- f 1 50, f 1- h 1 53, f 1- h 2 54, f 1- h 3 50, h 1- h 1 26, h 2- h 2 56, h 3- h 3 72, h 1- h 2 11.

Venter of idiosoma. All ventral shields smooth. Coxisternal shields divided at midline and bearing three pairs of intercoxal setae (1a, 3a, 4a). Aggenital shields divided, bearing four pairs of aggenital setae (ag 1-4), but ag 1 not on shield on right side. Genital and anal shields contiguous, bearing two pairs of genital (g 1, 2) and three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1-3). Lengths and distances of setae: 1a 11, 3a 14, 4a 10, 1a -1a 32, 3a -3a 30, 4a -4a 29, ag 1 8, ag 2 10, ag 3 8, ag 4 11, ps 1 29, ps 2 27, ps 3 17.

Gnathosoma . Chelicerae 64, palp 50. Subcapitulum with two pairs of adoral setae (or 1,2) and two pairs of subcapitular setae (m, n). Lengths and distances of subcapitular setae: m 9, n 10, m -m 19 n -n 17, m -n 7.

Legs. Leg segments without reticulation. Counts of setae and solenidia on legs I–IV: coxae 2–2–2–2, trochanters 1–1–2–1, femora 4–4–3–2, genua 5(+1κ)–5–1–2, tibiae 5(+1φ+1φρ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ)–5(+1φρ), tarsi 13(+1ω)–9(+1ω)–7(+1ω)–7(+1ω).

Male and immature stages. Unknown.

Etymology. The species name longiclipeatus is a combination of the Latin words clipeatus (shield) and longus (long), referring to the long marginal and lateral zonal shield on the dorsum of the body.

Type material. Holotype female, from litter under Prunus sp., 40° 27' 14''N, 39° 27' 16''E, 1378 m.a.s.l., 25 November 2014, Harşit Valley , TURKEY.

Remarks. Stigmaeus longiclipeatus sp. nov. closely resembles S. ladanae Nazari, Khanjani & Kamali, 2012 in that the marginal and lateral zonal shields are elongated, h 3 is present, aggenital shield is divided, four pairs of aggenital setae are present, setal formulae of femora I–IV: 4–4–3–2; but it differs from the latter by suranal shield divided in S. longiclipeatus vs. entire in S. ladanae , apodemal marking present in new species vs. absent in the latter, genu III with 1 seta in the new species vs. 2 setae in S. ladanae , coxisternal, aggenital, genital, anal shields and leg segments smooth in the new species whereas reticulated in S. ladanae ( Nazari et al. 2012) .

Despite being represented by a single specimen, we consider that none of these character states is subject to any intraspecific variation in the Stigmaeidae . That is, no variation is ever noted for the division of the suranal shield, presence or absence of apodemal markings and the number of genual setae. Therefore, this single specimen must represent a new species.

Data on morphological variation in these mites are scattered in some papers concerning the taxonomy on this group ( Akyol 2011; Doğan et al. 2015a, b, 2016; Dilkaraoğlu et al. 2016a, b; Bingül & Doğan 2017; Bingül et al. 2017; Koç & Poyraz Tınartaş 2017). They mentioned some asymmetries and numerical variations on genitals, aggenitals, some dorsal and ventral body setae, and differences in length and shape of some body setae in the Stigmaeidae . One minor asymmetric morphological variation in this species is noted: ag 1 is not situated on the same shield as the others on right side. This observed character variation, occurring only on one side, may be considered as a bilateral asymmetric anomaly.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Stigmaeus longiclipeatus sp. nov. (Female) A. Dorsal view of idiosoma, B. Ventral view of idiosoma.

FIGURE 25. Stigmaeus longiclipeatus sp. nov. (Female) A. Leg I, B. Leg II, C. Leg III, D. Leg IV.