Davacarus lindquisti, 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 : 2047-2048

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930310001617733
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/243AE64B-FC78-FFB7-00E4-F3C650AD70CF
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Davacarus lindquisti
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Davacarus lindquisti n. sp.

( figures 1D View FIG , 2B View FIG , 3C View FIG , 9 View FIG , 10 View FIG )

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: Queensland: adult female, from subtropical rainforest leaf litter and soil, Glow Worm Gully (28‡14’S, 153‡09’E), adjacent to Lamington National Park , Queensland, 27 June 1995, D. E. Walter. In QM . PARATYPES: Queensland: Border Ranges: two males, same data as holotype; Lamington National Park: seven females, three males from subtropical rainforest leaf litter and soil, Darraboola Creek (28‡13’S, 153‡08’E), 23 July 1995 ; female ex subtropical rainforest litter, Moran’s Creek (28‡14’S, 153‡08’E), 27 June 1995, 3 September 1996 ; female ex litter in brush box treehole, Wishing Tree Track , 9 September 1999 . Mt Glorious: Maiala National Park: male ex subtropical rainforest litter, Greene’s Falls , 6 October 1995 ; two males, Love Creek , 5 July 1995 . All D. E. Walter. In UQIC, ANIC, OSAL.

Diagnosis. Yellow-brown davacarid mites with elongate, mostly barbedacuminate dorsal setae; podonotal shield reticulate laterally, micropunctate medially; mesonotal shields each with six setae; pygidial shield with seven setae; sternal shield of female with three pairs of setae; internal malae simple. Endogynium with lung-shaped punctate regions and branched, toothed sclerites. Male genital setae present.

Adult female. Yellowish in life, body 390–450 M m long, primary shields ( figure 9A View FIG ) with reticulate to smoothly micropunctate ornamentation and elongate, barbed setae, each far exceeding insertion of next seta in series; secondary sclerotization leathery and micropunctate. Podonotal shield ( figure 9A View FIG ) reticulate laterally, smoothly micropunctate medially, with 12 pairs of setae; mesonotal shields (80 across) reticulate, each with six setae; pygidial shield (81–103 across) weakly reticulate laterally, micropunctate medially, bearing seven setae; marginal setae numerous, barbed, inserted on small plates or in leathery cuticle; lateral marginal setae simple to sparsely barbed. Peritrematal shields fused to parapodal shields at level of coxae IV, uniting anteriorly, and bearing two pairs of setae (j1, z1); peritreme reaching to mid-coxa II. Sternal shield ( figures 2B View FIG , 10A View FIG ) bearing three pairs (s2–4) of setae, st4 (50–51) barbed, st2–3 (28–31) simple; st1 (44–57) strongly barbed, on small platelets. Tritosternum (70–75), base (25–28) with distal collar, laciniae fused basally (stalk~18–20, free portion~26–28) and divided distally. Ventrianal shield (118–140 across) reticulate to smoothly micropunctate, bearing five pairs of simple to barbed setae (50–66 long); metapodal shields reticulate. Opisthosomal gland openings 5–8 across. Mesogynial shield subtrapezoidal, with micropunctate ornamentation; latigynial region with two pairs of setae (st5, 6) on weakly defined shields. Second cheliceral article (93–101 long) with fixed digit bearing gabelzahn and row of 12–15 teeth ( figure 9C View FIG ); movable digit (37–41 long) with row of 11–15 blunt teeth, and separate distal tooth; ventral excrescence (28–33 long) strongly fimbriate; lateral lobe with row of fleshy teeth. Subcapitulum ( figure 9D View FIG ) with two pairs of rows of genal teeth forming an obtuse angle, deutosternal gutter obsolete; corniculi (18–22) inserted dorsally; palpcoxal seta (27–28) and anterior hypostomal seta (19–24) barbed; external (28–33) and internal (33–47) setae simple to sparsely barbed; tectum ( figure 2B View FIG ) rounded, denticulate. Leg I (430–453) somewhat shorter than leg IV (475–510). Endogynium ( figure 3C View FIG ) with a pair of lung-like processes, each with 25–30 ventral punctae, leading to dorsal teeth united by a bridge medially and a complex of vaginal sclerites with large horn-like median processes with denticulate arms.

Adult male. Similar to female except somewhat smaller (body 410–422 long); sternigenital region ( figure 10B View FIG ) with five pairs of sternal setae, st1 barbed, inserted on small sclerites, st2–4 on smoothly micropunctate sternogenital sclerite, st 5 in soft cuticle; genital valves at level of coxae III–IV, anterior valve (33– 40 across) subcircular, micropunctate, bearing two simple setae; posterior valve crescentic.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Dr Evert Lindquist in recognition of his tremendous contributions to the study of the Mesostigmata .

Remarks. This species has the least strongly expressed secondary sclerotization in the family and the four primary dorsal plates are clear in even fully sclerotized specimens.