Stigmaeus kurdistaniensis, Khanjani & Amini & Khanjani, 2015

Khanjani, M., Amini, F. & Khanjani, M., 2015, A new species of the genus Stigmaeus koch (Acari: Stigmaeidae) from Kurdistan province, Iran and description of male of Prostigmaeus khanjanii Bagheri and Ghorbani, Acarologia 55 (1), pp. 49-60 : 50-54

Stigmaeus kurdistaniensis n. sp.

( Figs. 1-2 )

Diagnosis — Prodorsum with large, reticulated shield; eyes absent and post-ocular bodies present; median hysterosomal shield with 2 pairs of setae; suranal shield entire, with 2 pairs of setae (h 3 absent). All dorsal shields reticulated. Endopodal shields and coxal areas reticulated; dorsal setae long and serrate. Aggenital plate reticulated and with 3 pairs of setae (ag 1 -ag 3) and genital shield with 1 pair of setae (g). Palp tarsus with one tridentae eupathidium and palp genu with 2 setae. Femora I-II with 6, 5 setae respectively; genua I-IV 3(+ κ)-3(+ κ)- 1-1. Palp and leg’s segments with reticulations.

Type materials — Holotype female and 3 paratype females collected from soil under apple trees, Malus domestica Borkh. (Rosaceae) , Iran: Kurdistan Province, Ghorveh city (35°10’ N, 47°48’ E, 1906 m a.s.l.) 4 September 2013, coll. F. Amini. The holotype female and 2 paratype females are deposited as slide-mounted specimens in the Collection of the Acarology Laboratory, University of Bu-Ali Sina , Hamadan, Iran and one paratype female will be deposited in the National Collection of Arachnida, Plant Protection Research, Pretoria, South Africa.

Description

Female (n = 4) — Colour in life red. Idiosoma oval. Measurements of holotype with measurements of paratypes in parentheses: Length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 600 (559 – 618), (including gnathosoma) 761 (700 – 753); width 420 (313 – 415).

Dorsum ( Figure 1A ) — All dorsal shields reticulated; prodorsum with large shield medially; bearing three pairs of setae (vi, ve, sci), post ocular bodies (pob) present and eyes absent, setae sce located on small plates laterally; hysterosomal area C-E with a large shield medially and 4 pairs of small plates, median hysterosomal shield with two setae (c 1, d 1), setae d 2 located on large, lateral, hysterosomal shields; ventro-lateral, humeral plate with setae c 2; intercalary shields (F) with setae f 1; suranal shield (H) entire, bearing 2 pairs of setae (h 1-2). All dorsal setae long and with a cluster of barbs distally except setae c 2 sparsely serrate; setae c 2 longer than the others. Lengths of dorsal setae: vi 95 (93 – 97), ve 125 (114 – 123), sci 73 (67 – 75), sce 93 (93 – 98), c 1 86 (82 – 90), c 2 136 (130 – 137), d 1 88 (82 – 90), d 2 91 (86 – 94), e 1 90 (82 – 92), e 2 98 (87 – 99), f 1 96 (87 – 99), h 1 90 (90 – 92), h 2 85 (84 – 86). Distances between dorsal s etae: vi-vi 35 (39 – 40), ve-ve 100 (89 – 103), sci-sci 175 (154 – 180), sce-sce 235 (232 – 251), c 1 -c 1 89 (77 – 94), c 2 -c 2 420 (312 – 417), d 1 -d 1 92 (73 – 95), d 2 -d 2 291 (257 – 293), e 1 -e 1 83 (73 – 82), e 2 -e 2 292 (243 – 289), f 1 -f 1 165 (145 – 167), h 1 -h 1 68 (56 – 65), h 2 -h 2 141 (134 – 142), vi-ve 125 (62 – 125), ve-sci 58 (57 – 67), sci-sce 50 (37 – 47), c 1 -c 2 95 (99 – 157), d 1 -d 2 108 (92 – 106), e 1 -e 2 101 (82 – 94), h 1 -h 2 45 (37 – 45), c 1 -d 1 100 (93 – 105), d 1 -e 1 100 (81 – 102), e 1 -f 1 79 (75 – 83), f 1 -h 1 91 (72 – 89); ratio: vi/vi-vi 2.71 (2.38), c 1 /c 1 -c 1 0.97 (0.95 – 1.06), d 1 /d 1 -d 1 0.96 (0.99 – 1.17), e 1 /e 1 - e 1 1.08 (1.12 – 1.13), f 1 /f 1 -f 1 0.58 (0.59 – 0.6), h 1 /h 1 -h 1 1.32 (1.61 – 1.42), c 1 -c 1: d 1 -d 1: e 1 -e 1: f 1 -f 1: 0.53 (0.53 – 0.56): 0.55 (0.50 – 0.56): 0.50 (0.49 – 0.50): 1.0 (1.0).

Venter ( Figure 1B ) — Ventral cuticle striated coxisternal regions I-II and III-IV with reticulations ( Figure 1B ). Lengths of setae 1a 36 (35 – 40), 1b 38 (31 – 40), 1c 70 (65 – 72), 2b 63 (59 – 67), 2c 42 (39 – 43), 3a 38 (38 – 42), 3b 43 (38 – 45), 3c 45 (31 – 40), 4a 41 (36 – 43), 4b 37 (37 – 41), 4c 37 (33 – 38), ag 1 34 (33 – 37), ag 2 39 (37 – 40), ag 3 49 (47 – 50), g 27 (25 – 30), ps 1 65 (66 – 73), ps 2 37 (37 – 45), ps 3 40 (39 – 44). Aggenital area reticulated, with 3 setae (ag 1-3), setae ag 3 longer than ag 1-2; genital shield with 1 pair of setae (g); anal plate with 3 pairs of setae (ps 1-3), pseudanal setae ps 1 distally serrated and almost two times longer than setae ps 2-3.

Gnathosoma ( Figure 1C ) — Ventral infracapitulum with two pairs of infracapitular setae, m 43 (40 – 43) and n 34 (29 – 36), two pairs of adoral setae, or1 29 (30 – 32), or2 38 (37 – 39) ( Figure 1C ). Chelicerae free 95 (95 – 100), movable digit 127 (126 – 132) ( Figure 1A ). Palp five segmented, palp tarsus with 4 simple setae + one simple eupathidium + one solenidion (ω) + one tridentae eupathidium, palp tibia with two setae + one well developed claw + one accessory claw seta-like, palp genu with one seta and palp femur with three setae ( Figure 1C ).

Legs ( Figures 1 D-G) — Length of leg I 253 (243 – 273); leg II 221 (208 – 238); leg III 230 (223 – 243), leg IV 251 (253 – 270). Setal formulae of leg segments (solenidia in parentheses and not included in setal counts) as follows: coxae 2-2-2-2; trochanters 1-1-2-1; femora 6-5-3-2, genua 3(+ κ)- 3(+ κ)- 1-1; tibiae 5(+ ’, + ’ρ)- 5(+ ’ρ)- 5(+ ’ρ)- 5(+ ’ρ); tarsi 13(+ ω)- 9(+ ω)-7(+ ω)-7(+ ω). Length of solenidia: I ω 25 (20 – 30), II ω 25 (26 – 28), III ω 15 (14 – 20), IV ω 15 (14 – 18); I ’ρ 39 (37 – 39), I ’ 16 (12 – 18), II ’ρ 32 (32 – 35), III ’ρ 24 (24 – 29), IV ’ρ 28 (27 – 29); I κ 72 (72 – 77), II κ 12 (10 – 11).

Male (n = 1) — Idiosoma oval. Length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 587, (including gnathosoma) 655; width 275.

Dorsum ( Figure 2A ) — Dorsal shields completely reticulated; prodorsal shield bearing four pairs of setae (vi, ve, sci, sce); post ocular bodies (pob) present; eyes absent; hysterosomal area C-F almost covered by large median and 3 pairs of plates laterally ( Figure 2A ); median and lateral hysterosomal shields fused, with setae c 1, d 1, d 2, e 1, intercalary shield divided with setae f 1; suranal shield entire, with two pairs of setae (h 1, h 2). All dorsal setae barbed. Lengths of dorsal setae: vi 92, ve 107, sci 70, sce 100, c 1 50, c 2 95, d 1 45, d 2 55, e 1 30, e 2 107, f 1 80, h 1 52, h 2 70. Distances between dorsal setae: vi-vi 37, ve-ve 85, sci -sci 67, sce-sce 232, c 1 -c 1 57, c 2 -c 2 275, d 1 - d 1 57, d 2 -d 2 182, e 1 - e 1 42, e 2 -e 2 150, f 1 -f 1 92, h 1 -h 1 37, h 2 -h 2 80, vi-ve 55, ve-sci 62, sci-sce 45, c 1 -c 2 50, d 1 -d 2 65, e 1 - e 2 60, h 1 -h 2 25, c 1 -d 1 67, d 1 - e 1 60, e 1 -f 1 42, f 1 -h 1 52. Ratio: vi/vi-vi 2.48, c 1 / c 1 -c 1 0.87, d 1 / d 1 -d 1 0.78, e 1 / e 1 - e 1 0.71, f 1 / f 1 -f 1 0.86, h 1 / h 1 -h 1 1.4, h 2 / h 2 -h 2 0.87, h 1 /h 2 0.74, c 1 -c 1: d 1 -d 1: e 1 -e 1: f 1 -f 1: 0.62: 0.62: 0.45: 1.0.

Venter ( Figure 2B ) — Endopodal shields I-II and III-IV with reticulations. Lengths of setae 1a 22, 1b 35, 1c 35, 2b 35, 2c 27, 3a 2, 3b 22, 3c 17, 4a 27, 4b 25 and 4c 20, ag 1 26, ag 2 30, ag 3 38, ps 1 27, g 1 2, g 2 2. Aggenital plate smooth with three setae (ag 1-3).

Gnathosoma ( Figures 2 C-D) — Ventral infracapitulum reticulated and with two pairs of infracapitular setae, m 30 and n 22, two pairs of adoral setae, or1 22, or2 32 ( Figure 2B ). Chelicerae free 132, movable digit 65 ( Figure 2D ). Palp five segmented, palp tarsus with 4 simple setae + one simple eupathidium + one solenidion (ω) + one tridentate eupathidium, palp tibia with two setae + one well developed claw + one spine-like accessory claw, palp genu with two seta and palp femur with three setae ( Figure 2C ).

Legs ( Figures 2 E-H) — Length of leg I 224, leg II 195; leg III 185, leg IV 205. Setation same as female except tarsi I-IV with two solenidia and solenidia longer. Length of solenidia: I ω 1 43, I ω 2 25, II ω 1 38, II ω 2 22, III ω 1 32, III ω 2 12, IV ω 1 26, IV ω 2 12; I ’ρ 35, I ’ 15, II ’ρ 31, III ’ρ 20, IV ’ρ 23; I κ 55; II κ 8.

Remarks — The new species Stigmaeus kurdistaniensis n. sp. resembles S. siculus ( Berlese, 1883) in that dorsal shields are reticulated, median hysterosomal shield with two setae, pob present, eyes and h3 absent. However it differs from the latter in: all dorsal and ventral setae longer than that of S. siculus ; ventral infracapitulum and all leg and palp segments with reticulations in E. kurdistaniensis instead of smooth in S. siculus and pob small, between setae ve -sci in the new species instead of large in S. siculus .

The new species also resembles S. echinopus Summers, 1962 , in having all leg and palp segments with reticulations, suranal shield entire and reticulated, pob present and median hysterosomal shield with two setae. However, S. kurdistaniensis differs from the latter in: aggenital shield reticulated instead of smooth in S. echinopus , all dorsal and ventral setae longer than those of S. echinopus and genual setae κ short in S. kurdistaniensis in contrast to long in S. echinopus .

Immature stages — Unknown.

Etymology — The species is named after the locality where it was collected, namely Kurdistan province.

Figures

FIGURE 1: Stigmaeus kurdistaniensis n. sp. (female): A – Dorsal view; B – Ventral view; C – Palp; D – Leg I; E – Leg II; F – Leg III; G – Leg IV.

FIGURE 2: Stigmaeus kurdistaniensis n. sp. (male): A – Dorsal view; B – Ventral view; C – Palp; D – Chelicera; E – Leg I; F – Leg II; G – Leg III; H – Leg IV.