Pterodectes pitangi Mironov, 2008

Mironov, Sergey V., Literak, Ivan & Čapek, Miroslav, 2008, New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Zootaxa 1947, pp. 1-38 : 17-22

Pterodectes pitangi Mironov sp. n.

( Figs. 10–12)

Type material. Male holotype ( ZISP 4395 ), 6 male and 4 female paratypes ex Pitangus sulphuratus (Linnaeus, 1766) (Tyrannidae) , Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Nova Andradina , 22° 15’ S, 53° 21’ W, 30 July 2006, I. Literak and M. Č apek. Holotype, 4 male and 2 female paratypes ( ZISP 4395-4401 ) – ZISP, rest paratypes – PaU.

Male (holotype, measurements for 6 paratypes in parenthesis). Idiosoma, length × width, 365 (365–385) x 160 (160–170), length of hysterosoma 235 (235–250). Prodorsal shield: 106 (100–110) × 100 (100–115), lateral margins with narrow and deep incisions extending to bases of setae si, posterior margin slightly concave, antero-lateral extensions short and rounded, surface uniformly punctate; scapular setae se separated by 55 (55–65) ( Fig. 10 A). Setae ve present. Setae cp situated ventrally on soft tegument. Humeral shields rudimentary (in some specimens absent), situated anterior to bases of setae cp. Setae c2 situated dorso-laterally on soft tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 26 (26–28) × 8–9. Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 232 (230– 240), width in anterior part 100 (95–108), anterior margin strongly concave, surface uniformly punctate. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 53 (50–60). Opisthosomal lobes as long as wide at base; posterior ends of lobes roughly rounded; setae h2 and h3 situated on posterior margin of lobes. Terminal cleft as a wide U with divergent branches, 20 (20–22) in length; lateral margins with narrow membrane in posterior half. Supranal concavity present. Setae f2 situated anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 thin setiform, 60 (46–60); setae ps2 82 (70–82) long, slightly thickened, with filiform apical part; setae ps1 minute, filiform, 9 (7–9) long, situated slightly distant from margin of terminal cleft, approximately at level of seta ps2. Distance between dorsal setae: se:c2 71 (70–78), c2:d2 100 (93– 100), d2:e2 75 (75–93), e2:h3 53 (46–55), d1:d2 31 (20–33), e1: e2 33 (28–46), h1:ps2 20 (17–22), h2:h2 60 (60–62), h3:h3 44 (42–46), ps2:ps2 70 (70–72).

Epimerites I free, posterior ends with pair of short and acute extensions (in some specimens epimerites fused in a narrow U with very thin connecting piece) ( Fig. 10 B). Coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerite rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields II, III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized area at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, 24 (22–24) × 53 (53–57); basal sclerite of genital apparatus with semicircular posterior margin; aedeagus sword-shaped, 64 (64–69) long, not extending to anterior end of anal opening; genital papillae connected by bases. Genital and adanal shields absent. Anal suckers 12 (11–12) in diameter, corolla smooth. Opisthoventral shields occupy outer parts of lobes, posterior end extending to base of setae ps2, inner margins bears setae ps3 slightly posterior to level of anal discs and with blunt extensions at level of anterior end of terminal cleft. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 9 (7–9), 3a:4a 42 (42–44), 4a:g 44 (42–44), g:ps3 57 (55–60), ps3:ps3 67 (67–78), ps3:h3 25 (25–28).

Legs I slightly thicker than legs II, femora I, II with ventral crests, other segments of these legs without processes. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I short, stick-like, 17 (14–17) long, situated at midlevel of segment; genual seta cG I, II, mG I, II setiform ( Figs 11 A, B). Legs III and IV similar in form and size. Solenidion σ 1 of genu III in distal part of segment. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding seta f, and seta d of tarsus III shorter than corresponding seta f. Tarsus IV 33 (31–33) long, without apical claw-like process; setae d, e button-like, seta d situated at level of distal one third of segment, seta e situated apically; solenidion ϕ of tibia IV approximately 1.5 times longer than tarsus IV including pretarsus ( Fig. 11 D).

Female (4 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 525–540 × 185–205, length of hysterosoma 355–370. Prodorsal shield: general form as in male except for deep angle-shaped lateral incisions surrounding setae se, 115–125 × 130–140, setae se separated by 75–80 ( Fig. 12 A). Setae ve present. Humeral shields rudimentary, situated anterior to bases of setae se. Setae cp situated on soft tegument. Setae c2 situated dorso-laterally. Setae c3 lanceolate, 30–34 × 7–9. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 60–70. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield completely separated by narrow transverse band of soft tegument. Anterior hysteronotal shield slightly enlarged in anterior part, anterior margin concave, greatest length 254–270, width at anterior margin 130–140, surface uniformly punctate, with pair of pale sclerotized patches of ovate form in posterior angles. Length of lobar region 95–100, greatest width 105–110. Lobar shield almost completely dissected into two pieces by little roughly rectangular incision situated anterior to terminal cleft. Supranal concavity absent. Terminal cleft as a narrow inverted V, 65–68 long, distance between lobar apices 25–35. Setae h1 on lobar shield, distant from its anterior margins. Setae h1 and f2 arranged in low trapezium. Setae h2 spindle-like, 55–58 × 8–9. Setae ps1 near to inner margins of opisthosomal lobes. Setae h3 setiform, 14–22 long, about 1/6 of terminal appendages. Distance between dorsal setae: se:c2 92–100, c2:d2 115–130, d2:e2 130– 140, e2:h2 55–60, h2:h3 40–45, d1:d2 25–30, e1: e2 45–52, h1:h2 25–32, h1:h1 40–42, h2:h2 75–80, h3:h3 42–48.

Epimerites I fused as a narrow U, fused part of epimerites with short and acute extension ( Fig. 12 B). Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large heavy sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum horseshoeshaped, with lateral ledge-like extensions, greatest width 75–88. Primary spermaduct with short cylindrical enlargement (7–9 long) near to head of spermatheca; secondary spermaducts, slightly longer than enlargement; copulatory opening ventral, situated posterior to anal opening ( Fig. 11 G). Pseudanal setae ps2, ps3 setiform, setae ps2 situated at level of posterior end of anal opening, distance between setae: ps2:ps2 58–64, ps3:ps3 24–30, ps2:ps3 15–24.

Three distal segments of legs I, II as in male, femur I without ventral crest, femur II with narrow ventral crest. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I thin stick-like, 17–22 long. Genual seta cG I, II, mG I, II setiform. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding seta f, and setae d of tarsi III, IV shorter than corresponding seta f. Genu IV dorsally slightly inflated, with longitudinal crest, genu III without dorsal crest ( Figs. 11 E, F).

Differential diagnosis. Pterodectes pitangi sp. n. looks most similar to the previous species, P. molothrus , by having setiform setae h3 and lacking lacunae on dorsal shields in males. In both sexes of P. pitangi , the prodorsal shield has deep lateral incisions at the level of scapular shields ( Figs. 11 A, 13 A), the anterior margin of hysteronotal shield is distinctly concave, the humeral shields are very little or scarcely distinct rudiments placed anterior to setae cp; in males, the aedeagus is relatively short and does not extending to the anal opening, solenidion ϕ of tibia IV is 1.5 times longer than corresponding tarsus and pretarsus ( Fig. 11 D); in females, the anterior hysteronotal shield bears only one pair of pale sclerotized patches in posterior angles. In both sexes of P. molothrus , the prodorsal shield has no lateral incisions, the anterior margin of hysteronotal shield is straight, the humeral shields are little longitudinal plates situated dorsally regarding to setae cp; in males, the aedeagus extends to the anterior end of the anal opening, solenidion ϕ of tibia IV does not extend beyond midlevel of ambulacral disc; in females, the anterior hysteronotal shield bears only 3–4 pairs of pale sclerotized patches along lateral margins and numerous pit-like lacunae in posterior half. Deep lateral incisions in the prodorsal shield and the presence of rudimentary humeral shields in both sexes discriminate P. pitangi from other known Pterodectes species.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host and is a noun in the genitive case.