Picobia troglodytidus Sikora and Skoracki

Sikora, Bozena, Fajfer, Monika, Kavetska, Katarzyna & Skoracki, Maciej, 2012, Three new species of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitizing the wrens (Aves: Troglodytidae), Zootaxa 3167, pp. 57-65 : 62-64

Picobia troglodytidus Sikora and Skoracki sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–19)

Description. PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE (holotype and 5 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex rounded. Infracapitulum apunctate. Peritremes M-shaped, each medial branch with 6–7 chambers, each lateral branch short, with poorly visible chambers. Movable cheliceral digit edentate in distal part, 125 (120–125) long. Stylophore apunctate, 160 (155–160) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided into 2 short and punctate sclerites, bearing bases of setae ve and si. Setae vi and ve situated at same transverse level. All propodonotal setae slightly beaded. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1: 2: 3. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae d 2 1.4–1.6 times longer than e 2. Pygidial shield well sclerotized, punctate. Setae f 2 1.6–1.8 times longer than f 1. Setae h 1 and f 1 subequal in length. Alveoles of setae 3 a– 3 a not coalesced. Genital plate present, punctate near bases of genital setae, bases of aggenital setae situated at anterior margin of this shield. Aggenital setae ag 1 situated anterior to level of setae ag 2. Length ratio of setae ag 1: ag 2: ag 3 1: 1: 2. Setae ps 1 and ps 2 subequal in length. Setae g 1 hair-like. Genital lobes absent. Coxal fields I–IV well developed. Setae 3 c 2.8 times longer than 3 b. Legs. Most of dorsal setae of legs I and II lightly beaded. Antiaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV unequal in size. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III–IV subequal in length. Lengths of setae: vi 65 (55–65), ve 105 (95–105), si 150 (150–160), se 175 (170–175), c 1 195 (185–200), c 2 165 (150–160), d 1 175 (160), d 2 165 (155–165), e 2 115 (100–110), f 1 45 (40–50), f 2 70 (70–80), h 1 45 (45–55), ps 1 and ps 2 15 (15), g 1 25 (25), ag 1 (50–55), ag 2 50 (50–55), ag 3 100 (110–115), tc’III–IV and tc” III– IV 55 (55–60), 3 b (25), 3 c (70).

MALE. Not found.

Type material. Female holotype (physogastric form) and 5 female paratypes (physogastric form) from Henicorhina leucophrys (Tschudi); COSTA RICA, Cartago, 11 March 1898, coll. C.F.Underwood. Mites removed by M. Skoracki.

Type deposition. All material is deposited in the AMU (AMU–SYR. 351), except 1 female paratype in the ZSM ( ZSMA 20112003) and 1 female paratype in the ZISP ( ZISP AVB 011- 2908 -004).

Etymology. The specific name troglodytidus derives from to the family name of the type host, Troglodytidae .

Differential diagnosis. Picobia troglodytidus sp. nov. is morphologically similar to P. cetti Skoracki, 2011 described ex Cettia cetti (Temminck) ( Sylviidae ) from Turkey (Skoracki 2011). In females of both species, the hypostomal apex is rounded, all propodonotal setae are lightly beaded, the pygidial shield is well sclerotized and densely punctated, terminal setae h 1 are distinctly shorter than h 2, the genital plate is present; aggenital setae ag 1 and ag 2 are subequal in length; the antaxial and paraxial claws of tarsi III and IV are unequal in size. The new species differs from P. c e t t i as follow: in females of P. troglodytidus , the propodonotal shield is divided into two short sclerites; each medial branch of the peritremes has 6–7 chambers; length ratio of setae vi: ve is 1: 2; aggenital setae ag 1 are situated anterior to the level of setae ag 2; pseudanal setae ps 1 and ps 2 are subequal in length. In females of P. c e t t i, the propodonotal shield is divided into three sclerites; each medial branch of the peritremes has 2–3 chambers; length ratio of setae vi: ve is 1: 1; aggenital setae ag 1 and ag 2 are situated in the same transverse level; pseudanal setae ps 2 are 1.5 times longer than ps 1.