Montesauria ralliculae ( Atyeo and Gaud, 1977 ) Hernandes & Valim & Mironov, 2010

Hernandes, Fábio A., Valim, Michel P. & Mironov, Sergey V., 2010, On the identity of Pterodectes ralliculae Atyeo and Gaud, 1977 (Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 44 (5 - 6), pp. 369-377 : 371-376

Montesauria ralliculae ( Atyeo and Gaud, 1977) comb. nov.

Pterodectes ralliculae Atyeo and Gaud, 1977: 141 , figs. 1–6.

Material examined

Male holotype, two male and three female paratypes ( YSU 3088 ) ex Rallina forbesi (Sharpe, 1887) (= Rallicula forbesi ) ( Gruiformes : Rallidae ) (bird skin AMNH 419356 , 7 October 1933, R. Archbold, Al Rand colls.), Mafulu , Central Division, Papua New Guinea, no other data; two male and two female paratypes ( USNM), same collection data ; two male and two female paratypes ( ZISP), same collection data .

Male holotype ( Figures 1A,B , 3A–C )

Ranges for two paratypes are indicated in parentheses. Length of idiosoma 368 (335– 350), width 130 (118–125). Prodorsal shield 107 (95–100) in length, 107 (100–102) in width, anterolateral extensions widely rounded, lateral margins with shallow incisions at the level of setae se, posterior margin with two shallow concavities, surface posterior to scapular setae with numerous large circular lacunae, anterior part with pair of longitudinal heavily sclerotized apodems ( Figure 1A ). Setae ve present, rudimentary. Scapular setae si situated slightly posterior to level of se. External scapular setae se 113 (113) in length, 3 thick at base, apices thick (not filiform), bases separated by 54 (50–55); bases of si separated by 38 (36–38). Humeral shields present, fused to bases of epimerites III. Setae c2 set on soft tegument near anterior angles of hysteronotal shield, setae cp set on ventral margins of humeral shields. Setae c3 lanceolate, 33 (33–34) in length and 7 (7–8) in width. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 4 (8–10). Hysteronotal shield: 252 (240–250) in length, 98 (93–95) in width, anterior margin nearly straight; surface with large circular lacunae arrayed from anterior margin to level of opisthosomal lobe bases. Opisthosomal lobes well developed, strongly elongated, about 2.5 times longer than wide. Terminal cleft semiovate, large, total length 53 (55–59), greatest width (at level of setae ps1) 40 (28–38). Supranal concavity distinct, circular in shape, situated near anterior end of terminal cleft. Setae f2 absent. Setae h1 situated approximately at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 filiform, nearly twice shorter than setae h2. Setae ps1 situated anterior to setae h3, at level of setae ps2, equidistant from inner and outer margin of opisthosomal lobes. Length of opisthosomal setae: h2 197 (197), h3 82 (73–78), ps1 5 (5), ps2 95 (83–89), ps3 23 (24–25). Distance between dorsal setae: si–c1 60 (51–53), c1–c2 23 (21–23), c1–d1 45 (37–43), d1–d2 32 (36–38), d1–e1 84 (78–84), d2– e1 52 (48–53), e1– e2 43 (37–45), e1–h1 50 (43–48), e2–h1 10 (8–10), h2–h2 65 (45–57), h3–h3 46 (32–43).

Epimerites I fused as a short Y, forming a short sternum, posterior end of sternum free from epimerites II ( Figure 1B ), epimerites I, II without wide sclerotized areas; inner ends of epimerites IIIa with thin and acute extensions towards setae 3a; epimerites IVa weakly developed, thin. Genital arch situated at level of trochanters IV, 17 (14–19) in length, 28 (32–35) in width. Aedeagus ensiform, reaching anterior end of terminal cleft, 85 (79–83) in length. Genital papillae set at midlevel of genital arch. Rudimentary epimeral sclerite rEpIIa present. Distance between ventral setae: 3a–4a 45 (38–40), 4a–g 30 (35–39), g–ps3 45 (38–43), ps3–ps3 46 (43–46). Anal suckers 12 (12– 13) in diameter and separated by 25 (22–25), corolla edentate, external membrane with sparse radial striae. Opisthoventral shields completely covering opisthosomal lobes and flanking anal area from lateral sides. Setae ps3 posterolateral to anal suckers, on inner margins of opisthoventral shields.

Solenidion σ 1 of genu I stick-like, 6 (6–7) long, situated at midlevel of segment; setae cGI and cGII spine-like; setae mGI and mGII needle-like, seta mGI slightly shorter than mGII ( Figure 1A ). Femur I and II with ventral crest ( Figure 1A,B ). Solenidion σ 1 of genu III in distal part of segment. Genu IV with round ventral crest situated in distal part of segment ( Figure 3B ). Tarsus IV 25 (22–24) in length, with apical claw-like process, and with longitudinal ventral crest between bases of setae r and w, setae d and e button-shaped ( Figure 3C ).

Female ( Figures 2A–C , 3D,E )

Measurements of three paratypes. Length of idiosoma 483–495, width 165–167. Prodorsal shield: 117–122 in length and 137–139 in width, shape, surface and arrangement of scapular setae as in male. Setae ve present, rudimentary. Setae se 115–121 in length, their bases separated by 72–73; pair si separated by 46–58. Humeral shields present, fused with epimerites III. Setae c2 set on small subtriangular sclerites; cp on humeral shields as in male; setae c3 lanceolate 29–32 in length and 8–9 in width.

Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 2–3. Hysteronotal shield not separated into anterior and lobar pieces ( Figure 2A ), 355–363 in length, 128–135 in width, surface with large lacunae covering shield from anterior margin to level of setae h2. Terminal cleft as a narrow U, 68–70 in length, 8–12 in width. Supranal concavity indistinct. Setae f2 absent. Setae h2 spindle-like, 48–52 in length and 8–10 in width. Setae h1 inserted at midlevel between setae e2 and h2. Setae ps1 closer to lobar apices than to level of setae h2, situated approximately equidistant from inner and outer margins of opisthosomal lobes. Setae h3 16–20 long. Distance between dorsal setae: si–c1 60–63, c1–c2 29–32, c1–d1 60–61, d1–d2 59–62, d1–e1 135–142, d2–e1 80– 82, e1– e2 57–60, e1–h1 80–82, e2–h1 30–33, h2–h2 73–80.

Epimerites I fused as a V ( Figure 2B ). All coxal fields open. Translobar apodemes wide, fused anterior to terminal cleft. Distance between ventral setae: 1a–3a 54–63, 3a–g 20–25, 4a–ps3 102–103, g–4a 115–117, ps2–ps3 20–23, ps2–ps2 35–37, ps3–ps3 18–20. Setae ps2 and ps3 filiform, with bases forming a trapezium at level of anal opening. Spermatheca and spermaducts as in Figure 2C ; secondary spermaducts 10–13 long, primary spermaduct with egg-shaped enlargement in proximal quarter, copulatory opening situated ventrally, at the posterior end of anal opening.

Solenidion σ 1 of genu I stick-like, 10–13 long, situated close to midlevel of segment ( Figure 3D ), structure of genual setae cG and mG of legs I, II as in male. Femur II with ventral crest ( Figure 2B ); genu IV with longitudinal dorsal crest ( Figure 3E ). Legs IV extending by ambulacral discs at maximum to level of setae h1.

Diagnosis

Montesauria ralliculae is most similar to mites of the merulae species group ( Mironov 2006) by the following combination of characters: in both sexes, setae f2 are absent; in the male, setae ps1 are moved laterally from the inner margins of the opisthosomal lobes, the anal suckers are surrounded by a membrane with radial striation, and genua IV with a ventral, semi-circular apophysis. Nevertheless, it clearly differs from other Montesauria species by the following features: in both sexes the prodorsal shield bears two longitudinal heavily sclerotized crests, scapular setae se have relatively thick apices; in males, the opisthosomal lobes are 2.5–3 times longer than wide and separated by a large semi-ovate terminal cleft which is at least twice as wide as the lobe width; in females, the hysternotal shield is entire, i.e., it is not separated into anterior and lobar parts.

In both sexes of other known Montesauria species , the prodorsal shield does not have a pair of longitudinal heavily sclerotized crests, scapular setae se are always filiform in apical part; in males, the opisthosomal lobes are moderately elongated, their length exceeds greatest width not longer than 1.5 times and the terminal cleft is not wider than the lobe width; in females, the hysteronotal shield is separated into the anterior and lobar shields or these parts at least, are clearly demarked.

Figures

Figure 1. Montesauria ralliculae (Atyeo and Gaud, 1977). Male holotype: (A) dorsal view, (B) ventral views.

Figure 2. Montesauria ralliculae (Atyeo and Gaud, 1977). Female paratype: (A) dorsal view, (B) ventral view; (C) spermatheca; pd, primary duct; sd, secondary ducts; hs, head of the spermatheca.

Figure 3. Montesauria ralliculae (Atyeo and Gaud, 1977). Male paratype: (A) genu I; male holotype: (B) genu IV and (C) tibia-tarsus IV; female paratype: (D) genu I and (E) IV.