Acanthodavacarus klompeni, Walter, 2004

Walter, David Evans, 2004, From the subantarctic to the subtropics: a revision of the Davacaridae Kethley, 1977 (Acari: Trigynaspida: Mesostigmata) with the description of a new genus and three new species, Journal of Natural History 38 (16), pp. 2033-2049 : 2041-2044

Acanthodavacarus klompeni n. sp.

( figures 1A, B, C , 2A, C, D , 4–6 )

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: female. Queensland, Australia. Ex subtropical rainforest leaf litter and soil, Darraboola Creek (28‡13’S, 153‡08’E), Lamington National Park, 12 October 1995, D. E. Walter. In QM . PARATYPES: Queensland. Border Ranges, Lamington National Park: five females, two males, deutonymph, four protonymphs, two larvae same data as holotype; five females, six males, deutonymph, two protonymphs same data except 26 June , 23 July , 3 August 1995 ; five females Moran’s Creek (28‡14’S, 153‡08’E), 26 June 1995, 3 September 1996 ; two larvae, Park Monument (28‡11’S, 153‡07’E), 15 November 1996 ; female ex rotting wood and bark, Brush Box Circuit , 23 October 1998 ; two females W. Canungra Creek , 22 September 2000 ; one male Wishing Tree Track , 25 February 1999 ; three females, five males, deutonymph, protonymph, larva ex canopy crow’s nest fern litter, Border Track , 13 January to 2 February 1995 . Mt Glorious, Maiala National Park: female, male ex subtropical rainforest litter, Greene’s Falls , 6 October 1995 . Mt Glorious, Cedar Creek (27‡19’S, 152‡46’E), two females ex subtropical rainforest litter, 5 July 1995 . Mary Cairncross Park, Maleny (26‡47’S, 152‡52’E): three females, one male, ex rotting wood and bark in subtropical rainforest, 20 October 1998 . Conondale Ranges: male ex subtropical rainforest litter, Lobster Creek (26‡40’S, 152‡39’E), 20 September 1995 ; male ex riparian rainforest litter, Kilcoy Creek (26‡46’S, 152‡35’E), 14 February 1996 ; female, male ex subtropical rainforest litter, Bundaroo Creek (26‡42’S, 152‡36’E), 13 July 1995 . All D. E. Walter. In UQIC, ANIC, OSAL.

Diagnosis. As for genus and with the following further details.

Adult female. Pinkish in life, body 426–459 M m long, primary shields ( figures 2C , 4A ) with smoothly micropunctate ornamentation and short densely pilose setae; secondary sclerotization leathery and micropunctate. Podonotal shield ( figure 4A ) with 13 pairs of setae; mesonotal and pygidial shields each with five setae; marginal setae numerous. Opisthosomal glands ( figures 2D , 4A , 5A ) with large openings (8–12 across), vestibules (10–15 deep) cup-like. Peritreme reaching about to hind margin of coxa II. Tritosternum (67–80 long): base (16–20) with elongate (20–21) distal collar encompassing about half of the laciniae; laciniae with short stalk, deeply divided distally. Sternal shield ( figures 2A , 5A ) bearing two pairs (s2–3) of simple setae (21–28 long); st1 (26–30) simple, on small platelets. Mesogynial shield ( figures 2A , 5A ) subtrapezoidal, micropunctate, extending anteriorly to level of st5; latigynial shields each with two setae (st5, 6); pregenital shield obtriangular, with punctate ornamentation and simple setae st4 (20–23). Opisthogaster covered by broad shield with 11–12 pairs of simple to densely pilose setae; metapodal shields obscured. Second cheliceral article (137–158 long) with fixed digit ( figure 4C ) bearing gabelzahn (offset distal tooth) and row of six teeth, the most basal the largest; movable digit (37–41 long) with row of four to five teeth. Subcapitulum ( figures 1C , 4D ) with two pairs of rows of genal teeth forming an obtuse angle, deutosternal gutter with scattered, irregular rows of denticles; corniculi (21–25) inserted dorsally; palpcoxal seta (16–18) barbed; anterior (28–31); external (24–28) and internal (30–31) hypostomal setae simple to sparsely barbed; tectum truncate denticulate ( figures 1B , 4B ). Leg I (360–435) subequal to or somewhat shorter than leg IV (375–412). Vaginal sclerites rod-like, Y-shaped.

Adult male. Similar to female except somewhat smaller (body 353–393 long); sternigenital shield ( figure 5B ) with four pairs of simple sternal setae, including simple genital valve setae (13–16); st1 inserted on small sclerites; st5 on small platelets; genital valves at level of coxae III–IV, anterior valve (24–27 across) subcircular, bearing crescentic posterior valve.

Larva. Setae j1, 3–6; z2, 4–5; s4, 6; J2–5; S3–5; Z3–5; JV1–2, 5; ZV2; pa, po; st1–3 present; podonotal region ( figure 6A ) with two weakly defined shields; setae j 1 in soft cuticle; mesonotal and pygidial shields not visible. Fixed digit with excrescence, paraxial lobe, five small teeth, and a large basal tooth. Subcapitulum with two pairs of setae. Tritosternum (52–55) fully formed. Setation of palp trochanter, femur, genu, tibia: 0-4-5-11, respectively. Anal plate ( figure 6B ) bearing three circumanal setae. Posterior gland (gld4) well developed.

Protonymph. Podonotal region ( figure 6C ) with single weakly defined plate and weakly sclerotized mesonotal and pygidial regions. Setae z1, s2–3, 5; J1, Z1–2; S2; and r-R series setae added; seta j2 apparently not added. Fixed digit with excrescence, paraxial lobe, five to six small teeth, and a large basal tooth. Subcapitulum with four pairs of setae. Intercoxal shield with three pairs of setae; st 5 in soft cuticle. Peritreme runs to mid-coxa III. Setation of palp trochanter, femur, genu, tibia: 1-4-5-12, respectively. Anal region with three circumanal setae. Posterior gland (gld4) well developed.

Deutonymph. Hypertrichous, podonotal shield ( figure 6D ) with adult setation (j2 added); mesonotal shields each with three setae; pygidial shield with adult setation. Setation of palp trochanter, femur, genu, tibia: 2-5-6-14, respectively. Intercoxal region with five pairs of setae. Ventrianal shield with one pair of ventral setae (JV4) and three circumanal setae; JV1–3, 5; ZV1–3; SV 1–2 in soft cuticle. Posterior gland (gld4) well developed.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Dr Hans Klompen who is exploring its molecular characters.

Remarks. This mite is widely distributed in south-east Queensland, and the various collections appear to be identical morphologically. Specimens have been kept alive for months by providing nematodes as a food resource; however, no feeding was ever observed and no reproduction occurred. Therefore, it is not clear if these mites are nematophagous, scavenge on dead nematodes or feed on the fungi that grow on their corpses.

Figures

FIG. 1. (A–C) Acanthodavacarus klompeni, n. sp. (A) Chelicerae from antero-ventral view (arrow points to cheliceral lobe); (B) chelicerae and tectum from lateral view (arrow points to cheliceral lobe); (C) subcapitulum and tritosternum. (D) Davacarus lindquisti, n. sp., subcapitulum and tritosternum.

FIG. 2. (A, C, D) Acanthodavacarus klompeni, n. sp. (A) Female sterno-genital region with intercoxal setae labelled; (C) dorsum of adult female (scale bar: 100Mm); (D) close-up of opisthosomal glands with exudates. (B) Davacarus lindquisti, n. sp., female sternogenital region with intercoxal setae labelled.

FIG. 4. Acanthodavacarus klompeni, n. sp., adult female. (A) Dorsum; (B) tectum; (C) chelicera; (D) subcapitulum and palp. Scale bars: 100 Mm (A); 50 Mm (B–D).

FIG. 5. Acanthodavacarus klompeni, n. sp. (A) Venter of female; (B) venter of male. Scale bar: 100 Mm.

FIG. 6. Acanthodavacarus klompeni, n. sp. (A) Dorsum of larva; (B) venter of larva; (C) dorsum of protonymph; (D) dorsum of deutonymph. Scale bar: 100 Mm.