Uroiphis scabratus Berlese, 1903

Mašán, Peter & Halliday, Bruce, 2010, Review of the European genera of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) and the species occurring in Slovakia 2585, Zootaxa 2585, pp. 1-122 : 91-95

Uroiphis scabratus Berlese

( Figs 161–167, 169, 174–177)

Uroiphis scabratus Berlese, 1903: 245 .

Eviphis holsaticus Willmann, 1937: 181 . New synonymy.

Iphidosoma bennwili Schweizer, 1961: 145. New synonymy.

Crassicheles holsaticus .— Karg, 1963: 280; 1971: 125; 1993: 96; Evans, 1980: 35; Athias-Henriot, 1980: 31; Samšiňák, 1984: 46; Makarova, 1993: 18; 1994: 107; 1998: 115; Urhan, 2006: 227; Peverieri et al., 2007a: 173.

Thinoseius holsaticus .— Hirschmann, 1966a: 12.

Alliphis holsaticus .— Shoemake, 1970: 78.

Bactriphis bacillatus Athias-Henriot, 1980: 27 ; Makarova, 1993: 15; 1994: 107. Synonymy by Makarova (1993).

Diagnosis (adults and deutonymph). Dorsal idiosoma ( Figs 161, 163). Sexual dimorphism distinct. In female, idiosoma subglobular, almost hemispherical, 600–750 µm long, 440–625 µm wide ( Fig. 161); dorsal shield 530–560 µm long, weakly sclerotised, smooth and delicately striated on surface, suboval to subcircular, not completely covering dorsal idiosoma, exposing finely granulated strips of lateral and posteromarginal soft integument; dorsal setae j1, j2, z1 pointed and needle-like; other setae elongated, thickened, stick-like, with rounded tips. In male, idiosoma dorso-ventrally flattened; dorsal shield 484 µm long, 347 µm wide, suboval, longitudinally striated and reticulated laterally, completely covering dorsal surface ( Fig. 163); all dorsal setae normal, needle-like and acuminate. Dorsal shield with indistinct flat vertex, with 30 pairs of setae; z1 inserted ventrally in male. Setal lengths: in female, j1 52–58 µm; z5, J2, J5 short, columnar (z5 20–24 µm, J2 23–28 µm, J5 19–41 µm); other setae elongate, e.g. j5 75–80 µm, Z5 70–78 µm, S5 106–115 µm; in male, anterior and submarginal setae longer than posteromedial setae, j1 and j5 43–47 µm, j3 50–54 µm, j4 44–50 µm; J setae and Z5 short: J1–J3 14–16 µm, J5 9–10 µm, Z5 12 µm. Dorsal shield fused with anterior ends of peritrematal shields anterolaterally. Pore-like structures small, barely visible.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figs 162, 164). Presternal platelets absent. Sternal shield very weakly sclerotised, margins indistinct except for anterolateral corners, anterior margin straight, lateral margins concave ( Fig. 162); surface smooth and transparent, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of small slit-like pores; first pair of sternal setae situated on flat mounds; sternal pores oriented obliquely. Endopodal platelets II–III and III–IV fused, free from sternal shield. Metasternal setae st4 and adjacent pores situated on very weakly sclerotised metasternal platelets close to anterolateral margins of epigynal shield, metasternal platelets often indistinct. Epigynal shield long and slender, 75–85 µm wide, margins clearly defined, slightly constricted medially, acuminate anteriorly, rounded posteriorly, smooth; genital setae close to posterior margin, genital pores located in soft integument. Six small elongated post-genital sclerites present. Anal shield 118–133 µm long, 100–116 µm wide, suboval, smooth, with rounded anterior margin and three circum-anal setae; post-anal seta thicker and longer than adanal setae, stick-like. Exopodal platelets I–III absent, exopodals IV narrow and curved. Metapodal platelets small, suboval. Peritrematal shields well developed along whole peritreme, smooth, post-stigmatic section short and tapered; peritremes short, anterior ends reaching posterior margins of coxae I. Male with separate sterno-genital and anal shields ( Fig. 164); metapodal platelet narrow, curved; sterno-genital shield 245 µm long, fused with endopodal platelets II–III and III–IV, striate anterolaterally, with five pairs of setae and three pairs of pores; two indistinct post- sternogenital sclerites present; peritrematal shields narrow posteriorly, post-stigmatic section strongly reduced; peritremes short, anterior ends reaching the mid-level of coxa II; anal shield 95 µm long, 74 µm wide, suboval, with rounded anterior margin and truncate posterior margin, with three subequal needle-like circum-anal setae. Chaetotaxy of dorsolateral and opisthogastric integument sexually dimorphic: female with 14 pairs of setae, most of these setae modified, thickened, elongated and stick-like, only two pairs of setae (Jv1 and Jv2) simple and needle-like; male with seven pairs of setae; all simple, short and needle-like.

Gnathosoma . Palptarsus without paired macroeupathidia. Cheliceral segments and digits relatively robust, movable digit with two subdistal teeth in female, or with one strong subdistal tooth in male. Male spermatodactyl short, tubular, directed forward ( Fig. 174). Epistome with subtriangular base and short and smooth central projection in female ( Fig. 177), or central projection conspicuously elongated and delicately spinate in male ( Fig. 175).

Legs. All leg setae needle-like, except some setae on male coxae I and II shortened and markedly thickened, thorn-like. Chaetotaxy of legs normal for the family ( Table 3), legs without spurs.

Deutonymph ( Figs 165–169, 176). Sexual dimorphism distinct. Female deutonymph ( Figs 165, 166) with longer dorsal setae and more numerous setae on lateral and opisthogastric soft integument than male deutonymph ( Figs 167, 169). Idiosoma suboval to ovoid, dorso-ventrally flattened.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Figs 165, 167). Dorsal shield 430–500 µm long, 295–345 µm wide, covering whole dorsum, central region smooth or delicately reticulated, lateral regions with coarse reticulation and longitudinal striae; with 30 pairs of setae; j1 lanceolate, others fine and needle-like, z 1 in ventral position. Setal lengths: j1 43–50 µm, j2 37–46 µm, j3 36–45 µm, j4 31–39 µm, j5 31–41 µm, J1 23–35 µm, J2 20–32 µm, J5 17–27 µm.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figs 166, 169). Presternal platelets absent. Sternal shield large, well sclerotised, 205– 235 µm long, anterior margin undulating, posterior margin tapered and rounded, laterally striated, with four pairs of setae and three pairs of pores. Endopodal platelets II–III and III–IV separate, free in soft integument, not fused to sternal shield. Sternal setae st5 located in soft integument close to posterior margin of sternal shield. Six small slightly elongated post-genital sclerites present. Anal shield suboval, subequal in length and width or slightly longer than wide, 72–89 µm long and 66–83 µm wide, transversely striated, with three subequal circum-anal setae and large anus. Exopodal platelets I–III absent, exopodals IV narrow, curved. Metapodal platelets narrow, curved. Peritrematal shields strongly reduced, almost absent; peritremes well developed, thick and nodulated posteriorly, anterior ends reaching anterior margin of coxa I; post-stigmatic pore distinct. Lateral and opisthogastric soft integument with 14 pairs of setae in female deutonymphs ( Fig. 166) or seven pairs of setae ( Fig. 169) in male deutonymphs (excluding setae st5); all ventral setae simple, short and needle-like.

Gnathosoma . Cheliceral segments and digits robust ( Fig. 169). Epistome as in Fig. 176.

Remarks. There are seven slides of this species in the Berlese Acaroteca (and one vial which was not examined). Four of the slides are labelled Uroiphis scabratus , viz. 12/37, 24/4, 204/17–18, from dung and leaf litter in Italy (Firenze). These slides contain two males and seven deutonymphs, most of which are clearly visible. There are three other slides in the collection (159/12–14), with two deutonymphs of this species, but labelled Uroiphis striatus . Examination of these Berlese specimens confirmed the conspecificity of U. scabratus with the European species Crassicheles holsaticus . U. scabratus was designated as the type species of Uroiphis by Berlese (1903). Berlese did not designate or label any specimen as the type of this species, but Castagnoli & Pegazzano (1985) referred to slide number 12/37 as the type.

This species is saprophylic and coprophilic, and is found in decaying organic matter, usually together with Crassicheles striatus , a common and often highly abundant species. Its deutonymphs are known from phoretic associations with coprophilous insects including sphaerocerid flies ( Diptera ) and staphylinid beetles ( Coleoptera ). The adults are relatively rare. It is distributed from lowlands up to the subalpine zone (1,600 m in Malá Fatra Mts.).

Occurrence in Slovakia. (a) Verified published data. Belianske Tatry Mts.: Tatranská Kotlina, Ľadová Pivnica [6787] ( Fenďa & Košel 2004, 2005). Bukovské Vrchy Hills: Zboj [6901] ( Fenďa & Mašán 2003). Podunajská Rovina Flatland: without collection data ( Fenďa et al. 1998b).

(b) New data. Borská Nížina Lowland: 4 DN, 23 May 2009, Veľké Leváre [7468]. Malá Fatra Mts.: 1 DN, 11 June 1997, Šútovo, Chleb [6880]. Malé Karpaty Mts.: 25 DN, 14 May 1993, Bratislava , zoopark [7868]; 10 DN, 25 May 1993, Bratislava , zoopark ( Quedius ) [7868]; 1 DN, 25 May 1993, Bratislava , zoopark ( Tachinus ) [7868]; 3 DN, 5 May 2004, Bratislava, Patrónka [7868]. Podbeskydská Brázda hills: 1 DN, 9 July 2001, Oravská Polhora, Slaná Voda [6482]. Podunajská Rovina Flatland: 2 DN, 26 May 1993, Bratislava, Podunajské Biskupice [7869]. Považský Inovec Mts.: 1 DN, 16 September 1990, Hrádok, Hrádocká Dolina [7373]; 3 DN, 7 June 1998, Lúka (dung) [7373]; 2 DN, 10 May 1998, Lúka [7373]; 3 ♀♀, 7 DN, 10 May 1998, Hrádok, Hrádocký Potok [7373]; 1 DN, 3 May 2009, Modrová [7373]. Slovenský Kras Karst: 5 DN, 21 July 2003, Silica, Silická Ľadnica (moss) [7489]. Trnavská Pahorkatina Wold: 1 ♂, 578 DN, 3 May 1993, Brunovce [7373]; 23 ♀♀, 46 DN, 28 April 2002, Horná Streda [7373]. Žilinská Kotlina Basin: 4 DN, 17 October 1995, Stráňavy [6878].