Picipterodectes, Mironov, Sergey, Literak, Ivan, Hung, Nguyen Manh & Capek, Miroslav, 2012

Mironov, Sergey, Literak, Ivan, Hung, Nguyen Manh & Capek, Miroslav, 2012, New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines and woodpeckers (Aves: Passeriformes and Piciformes) in Vietnam, Zootaxa 3440, pp. 1-49 : 37

Genus Picipterodectes gen. n.

Type species: Picipterodectes sasiae sp. n., by original designaton.

Diagnosis. BOTH SEXES.Vertical setae ve absent. Hysterosomal setae c1, d2, e2 absent. Prodorsal shield covering median area of prodorsum, split by transverse band of soft cuticle at level of scapular setae se, si into anterior and posterior parts. Scapular shields narrow. Humeral shields absent. Supranal concavity well expressed. Setae c2 and cp on soft striated tegument. Legs I, II subequal in size. Setae wa anterior to setae la and ra on tarsi I, II. Seta gT of tibia I in proximal half of segment. Setae cG and mG on genua I, II setiform. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I distinctly shorter than solenidion ω 3 on tarsus I. Femora II with ventral crest. Seta sR of trochanters III present; solenidion σ of genu III absent. Seta kT of tibia IV absent.

MALE. Epimerites I fused into a Y (with short sternum), fused part connected with epimerites II by narrow transverse bands. Coxal fields I and III closed, coxal fields II, IV open; all coxal fields with extensive sclerotized areas. Opisthosomal lobes present, moderately elongated, approximately as long as wide, distal part poorly sclerotized, with membranous rounded posterior margin. Setae h3 long whip-like, represented by macrosetae as setae h2. Setae h1 situated anterior to bases of opisthosomal lobes, close to lateral margins of opisthososma. Setae ps1 filiform, minute, situated anterior to level of h3. Genital arch at midlevel of trochanters IV, with well developed branches; aedeagus much longer than genital arch, running backward immediately from its apex. Genital papillae strongly reduced, situated closely to anterior margin of genital arch. Paragenital apodemes, genital shields and other sclerotized structures around genital apparatus absent. Opisthoventral shields narrow. Corolla of anal suckers with indentations; surrounding membrane without striae. Adanal shields absent. Setae ps3 anterior to anal suckers. Setae g and ps 3 in high-trapezoid arrangement. Epimerites IV present. Legs III, IV subequal, slightly longer than legs I, II. Tarsus IV without apical claw–like process, setae d and e button–like.

FEMALE. Epimerites I shaped as a V. Lobar region of opisthosoma clearly separated from remaining part of opisthosoma; opisthosomal lobes well developed, with long terminal appendages. Hysteronotal shield split dorsally into anterior and lobar shields, these parts remain connected ventro-laterally. Macrosetae h2 spindle–like, with short filiform apices. Epigynum horseshoe-shaped, large. Apodemes of oviporus connected with epimerites IIIa. Translobar apodemes present. Setae ps2, ps3 filiform, arranged in low trapezium. Legs I slightly thicker and longer than legs II. Genu IV dorsally inflated. Solenidia φ of tibiae IV much shorter than on tibiae III.

Differential diagnosis. The new genus belongs to the Proterothrix generic group (Mironov 2009) and in overall appearance it is a typical representative of this group. It clearly differs from the genus Proterothrix Park and Atyeo, 1971 and three other genera of this group, Afroproterothrix Mironov and Wauthy, 2010, Megalodectes Park and Atyeo, 1971 , and Nanopterodectes Mironov, 2009, by the following combination of features: in both sexes, idiosomal setae c1, d2, and e2, solenidion σ of genu III and seta kT of tibia III are absent; in males, the distal part of opisthosomal lobes is poorly sclerotized and resembles terminal membranes. Within the generic group, Proterothrix has the full set of leg setae occurring in Proctophyllodidae , and most its species also have full set of idiosomal setae (with the exception of Proterothrix megacaula , which lacks setae c1). Picipterodectes is similar to Afroproterothrix in lacking idiosomal setae c1, d2; however the latter genus, in contrast to Picipterodectes , has also lost idiosomal setae f2 and trochanteral setae sR III, but retains the solenidion σ of genu III.

Hosts. Picifomes, Picidae , Sasia .

Etymology. The generic name is a combination of the Picidae host family and the Pterodectes feather mite genus.