Amerodectes pheucticus, Mironov & Galloway, 2021

Mironov, Sergey V. & Galloway, Terry D., 2021, Feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines and kingfishers in Canada, Zootaxa 5016 (1), pp. 1-55 : 16-20

Amerodectes pheucticus sp. n.

( Figs. 8–10 )

Type material. Male holotype, 16 male and 19 female paratypes from the Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus (Linnaeus, 1766) ( Passeriformes : Cardinalidae ), (RBGR/122/PWRC/15; SM 2621), CANADA, Manitoba, Winnipeg , 10 May 2015, coll. T.D. Galloway and C.R. Wushke.

Depository. Holotype, 5 male and 5 female paratypes — CNC, remaining paratypes — WRME and ZISP.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 10 paratypes in parentheses) ( Figs. 8 , 10 A-E). Idiosoma, length × width, 400 (375–410) × 160 (155–165), length of hysterosoma 255 (250–280). Prodorsal shield: entire, anterolateral extensions pointed, lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin with a pair of wide and shallow concavities, posterior corners pointed, surface with small ovate lacunae in anterior part, length 120 (110–125), width 115 (105–115). Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of scapular setae se separated by 55 (50–55). Scapular shields narrow, barely developed dorsally. Humeral shields represented by narrow longitudinal sclerites situated ventrolaterally. Bases of setae cp touching ventral margin of humeral shields; setae c2 on striated tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 30 (28–30) long, about 7.5 (7.5–8) wide. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin slightly concave, anterior corners rounded, surface with minute circular lacunae, greatest length 255 (245–260), width at anterior margin 105 (105–110). Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields about 20–25. Opisthosomal lobes approximately as long as wide at base; posterior margins of lobes roughly rounded, with short and blunt extensions at bases of setae h2 and h3. Terminal cleft shaped as a wide U with strongly divergent branches, 28 (26–28) long. Supranal concavity semicircular. Setae f2 anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 narrowly lanceolate, 48 (45–48) long; setae ps2 105 (95–105) long. Setae ps1 filiform, about 5 long, situated on margin of terminal cleft at level of setae ps2. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 100 (95–105), d2:e2 95 (90–100), e2:h3 53 (48–55), d1:d2 32 (32–38), e1: e2 35 (33–35), h1:ps2 20 (20–22), h2:h2 60 (55–65), h3:h3 40 (40–45), ps2:ps2 73 (70–75).

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with a pair of short and acute lateral extensions and small acute median extension. Coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa barely distinguishable or absent. Coxal fields I–III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized areas at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, 27 (26–28) × 47 (45–47); aedeagus sword-shaped, 86 (80–86) long, extending to anterior end of anal opening; basal sclerite of genital apparatus shaped as transverse plate with slightly concave posterior margin ( Fig. 10A ). 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 with small rounded extensions bearing setae ps3, anterior border of these shields covering opisthosomal lobes with short truncate extension. Setae 4b situated posterior to level of setae 3a, setae ps3 at midlevel of adanal suckers. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4b 8 (8–12), 4b:4a 45 (40–45), 4a:g 48 (45–50), g:ps3 63 (58–60), ps3:ps3 68 (65–68), ps3:h3 38 (34–40).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Fig. 10B, C ). Solenidion σ of genu I half as along as this segment and situated at its midlevel. 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. Solenidion φ of tibia IV extending to proximal margin of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 25 (25–26) long, without apical process; setae d and e button-like, seta d at midlength of this segment ( Fig. 10E ). Length of solenidia: ω1 I 12 (12–15), ω1 II 10 (10–11), σ I 13 (13–14), σ III 10 (9–11), φ IV 35 (28–35).

FEMALE (range for 10 paratypes) ( Figs. 9 , 10F, G ). Idiosoma, length × width, 530–565 × 175–205, length of hysterosoma 375–415. Prodorsal shield: entire, anterolateral extension long and pointed, lateral margins shallowly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin with wide and short median extension and a pair of shallow concavities, posterior corners pointed, posterior surface with minute, circular lacunae, 130–140 × 130–145. Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of setae se separated by 72–75. Scapular shields narrow, barely developed dorsally. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shield 25–35. Humeral shields represented by narrow longitudinal sclerites, situated ventrolaterally. Setae cp touching ventral margins of humeral shields; c2 situated on striated tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 29–35 long, about 7.5–8 wide. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument and weakly connected ventrolaterally. Anterior hysteronotal shield: nearly rectangular, slightly attenuate posteriorly, anterior margin concave, anterior corner slightly extended laterally, surface with small circular lacunae gradually decreasing in size from posterior to anterior where they become minute and almost indistinguishable, greatest length 285–300, width at anterior margin 125–135 ( Fig. 9A ). Length of lobar region 95–105, greatest width 95–105. Terminal cleft narrow V-shaped, 65–70 long, about 10 wide at apices. Lobar shield split longitudinally by narrow band of soft tegument, surface without ornamentation. Supranal concavity absent. Setae h1 on anterior margins of lobar pieces; setae h1 and f 2 in trapezoid arrangement. Setae h2 spindle-like, 52–56 × 7.5–8. Setae ps1 situated on inner margins of opisthosomal lobes, closer to lobar apices than to level of setae h2. Setae h3 20–23 long, about 1/5th the length of terminal appendages. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 115–130, d2:e2 125–135, e2:h2 58–65, h2:h3 45–53, d1:d2 50–65, e1: e2 50–60, h1:h2 35–50, h1:h1 28–30, h2:h2 75–80, h2:ps1 25–30.

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with short median extension ( Fig. 9B ). Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes wide, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum with small lateral ledges, greatest width 68–85; apodemes of oviporus fused with epimerites IIIa. Pseudanal setae filiform, setae ps2 situated at level of posterior half of anal opening and widely separated from each other; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 51–60, ps3:ps3 23–28, ps2:ps3 23–25. Head of spermatheca narrowly conical; primary spermaduct with small enlarged section near head of spermatheca; secondary spermaducts including their distal poorly sclerotized parts 35–40 long ( Fig. 10G ).

Legs I, II as in male. Solenidion σ of genu I approximately half the length of this segment and situated at its midlevel. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II as in male. Setae d of tarsi II–IV much shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with narrow dorsal crest. Lengths of solenidia: ω1 I 17–20, ω1 II 12–15, σ I 16–18, σ III 10–12, φ III 28–34, φ IV 8–11.

Differential diagnosis. Amerodectes pheucticus sp. n. is close to A. passerinae Mironov and Chandler, 2017 from the Painted Bunting, Passerina ciris (Linnaeus, 1758) ( Cardinalidae ), in having the following: in both sexes, long spiculiform or narrowly lanceolate setae h3 (comparable in length to distance between them); in males, the aedeagus extending to the anterior end of anal slit, and the border of opisthoventral shields on lobes with a truncate denticle; and in females, the lobar shield split longitudinally. Amerodectes pheucticus differs by the following features: in males, the anterior part of the prodorsal shield has small ovate lacunae, the anterior corners of the hysteronotal shield are distinctly angular (not rounded), epimerites I are fused into a narrow U without any distinct stem, setae h3 are longer (45–48) and tarsus IV lacks an apical claw-like process; in females, the prodorsal shield has small circular lacunae in the posterior part; the lobar shields lack ornamentation and setae h1 are situated on the very margin of these shields. In males of A. passerinae , the prodorsal shield lacks ornamentation, the anterior corners of the hysteronotal shield are widely rounded, epimerites I are fused into a Y with a very short stem, setae h3 are shorter (35–38), and tarsus IV has a small apical claw-like process; in females, the prodorsal shield lacks ornamentation; each plate of the lobar shields has 2-3 circular lacunae in the anterior part, and setae h1 are distant from the anterior margins of these shields.

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the generic name of the type host and is a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Amerodectes pheucticus sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Amerodectes pheucticus sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 10. Amerodectes pheucticus sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male, ventral view, B, C—legs I, II of male, respectively, D, E—tibiae and tarsi III, IV of male, respectively, F—tibia and tarsus IV of female, G—spermatheca and spermaducts.