Amerodectes cathari, Mironov & Chandler, 2017

Mironov, Sergey V. & Chandler, C. Ray, 2017, New feather mites of the genus Amerodectes Valim and Hernandes (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Georgia, USA, Zootaxa 4344 (2), pp. 201-245 : 209-213

Amerodectes cathari sp. n.

( Figs. 1–3 )

Type material. Male holotype (BMOC-16-0825-023), 14 male and 19 female paratypes from Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840) ( Passeriformes : Turdidae ), USA, Georgia, Statesboro, Georgia Southern University campus, 32°25'15"N, 81°47'22"W, 6 October 2015, coll. C.R. Chandler.

Depository. Holotype, 6 male and 10 female paratypes—BMOC, 8 male and 9 female paratypes—ZISP.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 10 paratypes in parentheses). Idiosoma, length × width, 375 (370– 390) × 150 (140–160), length of hysterosoma 250 (240–255). Prodorsal shield: entire, anterolateral extensions rounded, lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin straight, posterior angles rounded, length 115 (110–120), width 110 (105–120), entire surface with numerous circular lacunae ( Fig. 1A ). Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of scapular setae se separated by 62 (60–65). Scapular shields narrow, scarcely developed dorsally. Humeral shields represented by narrow longitudinal sclerites. Setae cp on lower margin of humeral shields; setae c2 on striated tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 25 (22–25) × 8 (7.5–8). Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin straight, entire surface with circular lacunae, greatest length 250 (245–260), width at anterior margin 115 (105–120). Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields about 10. Opisthosomal lobes slightly shorter than wide at base; posterior margins of lobes roughly rounded, with mediumsized tooth-like extension at base of seta h2 and two small extensions at base of seta h3. Terminal cleft triangular, with rounded anterior end, 21 (21–23) long. Supranal concavity circular. Setae f2 anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 narrowly lanceolate, 22 (20–23) long, 4 (4–5) wide; setae ps2 85 (80–90) long; setae ps1 filiform, about 10 long, situated on margins of terminal cleft approximately at level of setae h2. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 92 (90–95), d2:e2 97 (90–100), e2:h3 48 (45–52), d1:d2 30 (30– 40), e1: e2 30 (25–30), h1:ps2 23 (20–26), h2:h2 60 (60–65), h3:h3 43 (42–45), ps2:ps2 72 (70–76).

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with a pair of short and acute lateral extensions and poorly expressed median extension ( Fig. 1B ). Coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa present, small. Coxal fields I–III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized areas at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, 25 (25–28) × 52 (50–55); basal sclerite of genital apparatus large, roughly ovate; aedeagus sword-shaped, 98 (95–98) long, extending slightly beyond anterior margin of anal opening ( Fig. 3A ). Genital papillae not connected at bases. Genital and adanal shields absent. Adanal suckers 15 (15–16) in diameter, corolla smooth, surrounding membrane with radial striae. Opisthoventral shields occupying lateral areas of opisthosoma and distal half of opisthosomal lobes; inner margins of these shields at level of anal suckers with roughly trapezoidal or rectangular extensions bearings setae ps3. Setae 4b situated distinctly posterior to level of setae 3a; setae ps3 approximately at level of posterior margins of adanal suckers. Distance between ventral setae: 4b: 3a 13 (10–13), 4b:4a 33 (32–38), 4a:g 53 (52–55), g:ps3 63 (60–65), ps3:ps3 68 (63–68), ps3:h3 30 (27–30).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Figs. 3C, D ). Solenidion σ 1 I about half the length of genu I, situated at midlevel of this segment. Genual setae cG I, II and mG I filiform, setae mG II slightly thickened basally. Setae d of tarsi II, III much shorter than corresponding setae f ( Fig. 3E ). Solenidion φ of tibia IV extending to base of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 28 (27–30) long, without apical process; seta d in basal half of segment ( Fig. 3F ). Length of solenidia: ω 1 I 15 (13–15), ω 1 II 11 (11–13), σ 1 I 12 (11–15), σ III 14 (14–15), φ IV 30 (28–32).

FEMALE (range for 10 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 530–545 × 180–190, length of hysterosoma 375–390. Prodorsal shield: shape and ornamentation as in males, 135–140 × 132–140. Setae ve rudimentary. Bases of setae se separated by 70–75. Scapular shields narrow, not developed dorsally. Humeral shields represented by narrow longitudinal sclerites, situated ventrally; bases of setae cp on ventral margins of humeral shields, setae c2 on striated tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 25–27 × 7.5–8. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument and weakly connected ventrolaterally ( Fig. 2A ). Anterior hysteronotal (prohysteronotal) shield nearly rectangular, slightly attenuate posteriorly, anterior margin straight, greatest length 285–295, width at anterior margin 130–140, entire surface with small circular lacunae, size of lacunae monotonously increasing to posterior end of this shield. Length of lobar region 100–105, greatest width 92–96. Terminal cleft narrow, with parallel-sided, 55–60 long, 8–9 wide. Lobar shield entire, with shallow median concavity on anterior margin, surface with 1–2 pairs of ovate lacunae near anterior margin. Supranal concavity ovate, poorly outlined. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity; setae h1 and f2 arranged in a low trapezium. Setae h2 spindle-like, 63–68 × 8–9. Setae ps1 situated on inner margins of opisthosomal lobes, closer to lobar apices than to level of setae h2. Setae h 3 18–26 long, about 1/3 the length of terminal appendages. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 115–125, d2:e2 125–135, e2:h2 65–68, h2:h3 42–50, d1:d2 40–58, e1: e2 38–40, h1:h 2 30–32, h1:h1 40–43, h2:h2 72–77, h2:ps1 32–35.

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with 3 small tooth-like extensions (lateral ones in some specimens poorly expressed) ( Fig. 2B ). Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, wide, fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum with small lateral ledges, greatest width 70–80; apodemes of oviporus free from epimerites IIIa. Pseudanal setae filiform, setae ps2 situated posterior to anal opening and widely separated from each other; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 43–45, ps3:ps 3 16–23, ps2:ps3 40–45. Primary spermaduct with small ovoid enlargement about 10 from head of spermatheca; secondary spermaducts 20–25 long, continuation of primary spermaduct inside head of spermatheca shaped as narrow cone ( Fig. 3G ).

Femora II with ventral crest, other segments of legs I, II without processes. Solenidion σ1 of genu I short, long, situated at midlevel of segment. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II as in males. Setae d of tarsi II– IV much shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with narrow dorsal crest. Lengths of solenidia: ω 1 I 15–16, ω 1 II 13–14, σ 1 I 14–16, σ III 10–15, φ III 32 –35, φ IV 12–13.

Differential diagnosis. Amerodectes cathari sp. n. is most similar to A. turdinus distributed on various thrushes of the genus Turdus Linnaeus ( Passeriformes : Turdidae ) in South America ( Berla 1959; Černý and Lukoschus 1975; Mironov and González-Acuña, 2011) in having in both sexes dorsal shields with ornamentation with numerous circular lacunae in both sexes, and setae h3 narrowly lanceolate and the opisthosomal lobes with acute denticle at bases of setae h2, and in males by the absence of sclerotized fields at the bases of trochanters IV. Amerodectes cathari differs from A. turdinus by the following features. In males, epimerites I are not connected with epimerites II, setae h3 are shorter than the distance between their bases (20–23 µm long), the extensions of opisthoventral shields are roughly rectangular, tarsus IV is without a claw-like extension; in females, setae h2 do not have a filiform apex, lacunae on the hysteronotal shields are distinctly smaller than on the prodorsal shield, solenidion σ1 is approximately half the length of genu I; the terminal cleft is 55–60 µm long, slightly shorter than setae h2. In males of A. turdinus , epimerites I are connected by narrow bands to medial parts of epimerites II, setae h3 are slightly longer than the distance between their bases (49–54 µm long), the extensions of opisthoventral shields are roughly triangular, tarsus IV has a small apical claw-like extension; in females, setae h2 have a short filiform apex, lacunae of the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields are similar in size, solenidion σ1 is less than half the length of genu I, and the terminal cleft is 44–49 µm long, approximately half as long as setae h2.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the generic name of the type host and is a noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Amerodectes cathari sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Amerodectes cathari sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Amerodectes cathari sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male, ventral view, B—genital arch, dorsal view, C – Elegs I – III of male, respectively, F—tibia and tarsus IV of male, G—spermatheca and spermaducts. Abbreviations: bs—basal sclerite of genital apparatus, co—copulatory opening, hs—head of spermathecal, ps—primary spermaduct, sd—secondary spermaducts.