Zercon darai Moraza

Moraza, María Lourdes, Arroyo, Julio & Bolger, Thomas, 2009, Three new species of mites (Acari: Zerconidae) from canopy habitats in Irish forests, Zootaxa 2019, pp. 29-39 : 32-34

Zercon darai Moraza sp. nov.

( Figs 6–8 )

Material examined Holotype. Female: Ireland, Co. Laois, Baunreagh, Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis ) 85 year old plantation (~ 53º 07' N, 7º 34' W), from lower canopy, slide MC3L-2, altitude: 360 m., 7 November 2005. Holotype deposited in MZUNA. Paratypes: 3 females, 1 male, same locality and date, collected in the canopy and in moss from different heights in the canopy (all deposited at MZUNA); 2 females from Ireland; Co, Kerry, Tomies Wood ( Quercus petreae ) in Killarney National Park (~ 52º 03' N, 9º 35' W), altitude: 60 m., 5 July 2007, from moss mats in the middle canopy, deposited at MZUNA.

Diagnosis Anterior margin of ventri-anal shield with two pairs of setae. Dorsal opisthonotal fossae of general size and appearance, with smooth margins. Glands gdJ4 (Po3) is situated between J and Z setal rows, on the line connecting setae J4 and Z4; glands gdZ2 (Po2) on the line connecting setae Z2 and S3. Setae J1-J5 with 1 or 2 pinnules, uniform in length and not reaching the bases of following setae; setae Z1, Z2 and S2 similar in shape and length to setae J. Setae Z3-Z5, S3-S5 thickened apically with hyaline sheaths and one pinnule distally, longer than other opisthonotal setae; marginal setae R and other podonotal setae similar in shape. Opisthonotal shield with reticulate pattern at the anterolateral corners, and large pits at the posterior region.

Description FEMALE. Length of idiosoma: holotype 570 (547–578 in 5 paratypes), width 404 (366–418 in 5 paratypes). Podonotal shield: 286 long, 385 wide. Opisthonothum: 283 long, 404 wide. (n = 6).

Dorsum ( Fig. 6 ) Podonotal shield with reticulate pattern; opisthonotal shield with reticulate pattern on anterior corners; anterior and posterior central area of opisthonotal shield with pits arranged in a reticulate pattern, largest posteriorly. Podonotum with 20 pairs of setae ( Fig. 7 ); j1 and r3 clearly barbed (37 and 47 long, respectively); other podonotal setae with one pinnule (22–25 long); setae r1 (19) and r3 on dorsoperitrematal shields; setae s6 32 long. Gland openings distinct; gdj2 (po1) situated near j2; gdj4 on line connecting j4 and z4; gds4 postero-paraxial to insertion of setae s4. Four pairs of podonotal lyrifissures. Opisthonotum with 20 pairs of setae ( Fig. 6 ): row J with 5 pairs of short, uniform setae ( Fig. 7 ); row Z with five pairs of setae: Z1, Z2, S1 and S2 similar in shape to J1, setae Z3-Z5, S3-S5 thickened, with hyaline sheaths and one pinnule distally; setae Z3 and S3 similar in shape and three times as long as Z1; S4 reaching beyond lateral margin of idiosoma, similar in length and shape to setae Z4; Z5 twice as long as J. Marginal setae S1 and R1-R6 not reaching beyond bases of following marginal setae, similar in shape to other marginal podonotal setae. Glands gdz6 (Po1) situated on line connecting setae z6 and Z1, glands gdZ2 (Po2) on line connecting setae Z2 and S3; glands gdJ4 (Po3) on line connecting setae J4 and Z4, and enlarge glands gdS5 (Po4) behind line connecting setae Z5 and S5. Dorsal opisthonotal fossae rounded, of general appearance, similar in size. Dorsal lyrifissures as in figure 5. Length of opisthonotal setae and distance between setal bases within longitudinal I-, Z-, and S-rows as follows: J1 – J5 (19–22), Z1 (15), Z2 (25), Z3 (41–42), Z4 (51), Z5 (59), S1 (27), S2 (24), S3 (36), S4 (45), S5 (49), R (24–25); J1-J2> J2-J3> J3-J4> J4-J5 (40), Z1-Z2> Z2-Z3> Z3-Z4 <Z4-Z5; J1-J1<J2-J2> J3-J3> J4-J4 <J5-J5> J1-J1.

Venter ( Fig. 8 ). Ventral chaetotaxy, adenotaxy, poroidotaxy and shape of ventral shields typical for genus. Sternal shield 100 long and 75 wide at level of setae st2, a reticulate surface and straight posterior margin. Sternal setae smooth and thin, with filiform ends; st1 and st 2 28–29 long; st3 and st 4 24–26 long. Ventri-anal shield with scamous ornamentation, fused to dorsal shield in posterior margin. Anterior margin of ventri-anal shield with two pairs of setae; 8 pairs of thin and smooth pre-anal setae (17–28), except setae JV5 barbed, similar in shape to dorsal setae j1 (36 long). Post-anal seta slightly pilose. Anal valves with vestigial euanal setae, anal lyrifissures present. Glands gv2 triple, gv3 conspicuous. Peritreme curved; dorso-peritrematal shield with lines of ornamentation.

MALE. Idiosoma length 452, width 282. Dorsal chaetotaxy, adenotaxy and poroidotaxy similar to female. Sternogenital shield fused with endopodal elements between coxae II–III and III–IV, with 5 pairs of setae (st1-st5). Band between setae st1 and st2 weakly sclerotized. Ventri-anal shield with 8 pairs of ventral setae, 2 pairs on anterior margin of the shield.

Notes Z. darai belongs to the same group of species as Z. curryi . All of the other species differ from Z. darai in having similar shape and length of setae S2 and S3, among other characters. Both Z. pinicola and Z. foveolatus have longer thickened opisthonotal setae apically flattened with hyaline rounded endings; however the relative length between setae Z3 and Z2 differs from this character in Z. darai .

Etymology The species name “ darai ” refers to Dara O’Mairtin.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 8. Zercon darai Moraza, sp. nov. Female. 6. Dorsal idiosoma; 7. Detail of several dorsal setae; 8. Ventral idiosoma.