Eutarsopolipus hebronae, Seeman, 2021

Seeman, Owen D., 2021, Contrasting species diversification of Eutarsopolipus (Acariformes: Podapolipidae) on Castelnaudia and Notonomus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), Zootaxa 4971 (1), pp. 1-74 : 39-41

Eutarsopolipus hebronae sp. nov.

( Figs 25–26 )

Diagnosis. Adult female: Gnathosomal length 61–65, width 60–67, cheliceral stylets 75–84; tarsi II-III setae tc′′ 3–4. Larval female: Gnathosomal length 50–55, width 50–53, cheliceral stylets 64–66; tarsi II-III setae tc′′ 2–3.

Material examined. Holotype female, ex Castelnaudia cordata . Mt Mee SF, 6 km NNW barracks, 27° 2ʹ 53ʺ S 152° 40ʹ 49ʺ E, 8 Jan-3 Mar 1992, D. Cook, flight intercept trap, IN5148, HR# T 68607 ( QMS 113463 ) . Paratypes. All ex C. cordata . 6 females, 3 larvae, as follows: all ex. C. cordata . 3 females, 1 larva, same data as holotype ( QMS113464–66 , ANIC 52-003964 ); 1 larva, McIntosh Rd, Unumbar SF, 28° 25ʹ 19ʺ S 152° 42ʹ 14ʺ E, 25 Nov 1972, G. Monteith, IN6467, HR# T 64329 ( ANIC 52-003965 ); 1 female, Lower Coomera , 28° 12ʹ 20ʺ S 153° 10ʹ 46ʺ E, 9 Jan-6 Apr 1995, G. Monteith, pitfall trap, IN5998, HR# T 68610 ( QMS 113467 ); 2 females, 1 larva, Lever’s Plateau, 28° 18ʹ 57ʺ S 152° 50ʹ 53ʺ E, 22 Feb-8 May 1976, G. & S. R. Monteith, pitfall trap, rainforest, IN5485, HR# T 68619 ( QMS 113468–69 , ZMH-A0015194 ). 1 female, 1 larva in ANIC; 1 female in ZMH .

Other material examined. 4 females from type locality, mounted with specimens of E. umbonatus . Not included as paratypes.

Notes: 1 female from each of Mt Mee and Lever’s Plateau are E. hebronae but too poor to be considered paratypes. There is also a pharate female from McIntosh Rd .

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 25–26 ; n = 6).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 25B ). Length 61 (61–65), width 60 (60–67). Cheliceral stylets 78 (75–84), setae ch 35 (29–38), su 17 (13–15).

Idiosoma . Length 420 (345–430), width 290 (255–340). Prodorsal plate eroded mid-anteriorly; setae slender; setae v1 6 (5–7), v2 alveolar remnant, sc1 10 (6–10), sc2 95 (85–105). Distance between setae v1–v1 56 (54–66), sc1–sc1 105 (93–105), v1–sc1 33 (21–30), v2–v2 64 (67–69), sc2–sc2 140 (135–150), sc1–sc2 40 (33–43). Opisthosomal setae slender. Plate C setae c1 9 (7–9), c2 12 (11–13), distance between setae c1–c1 82 (69–85). Plate D setae d 10 (7–10), d–d 145 (130–150), cupuli ia well apart from d, anterolaterad d. Plate EF setae f 10 (9–13), f–f 86 (79–95), cupuli im well apart from f, anterolaterad f. Plate H divided or fused weakly, seta h minute. Venter: coxisterna 1 well defined, coxisterna 2 with some folds, coxisterna 3 weakly defined; coxal setae slender, 1a 3 (2–3), 2a 5 (4–5), 3a 7 (6–7), 3b 5 (5). Alveoli of 1b, 2b present.

Legs ( Figs 26 D-E). Setal counts legs I–III, femur-tarsus: 3-2-6(+ φ)-8(+ ω), 0-1-4-6, 0-1-4-6. Leg I. Femur I, d minute, l’ 3 (3), vʺ 8 (6–7); genu I, l′ 3 (3), l″ 3 (3–4); tibia I, d 50 (50–65), l’ 11 (11–13), lʺ 3 (3–4), v’ 8 (5–7), vʺ 12 (10–15), k 5 (5–7), φ 10 (10–12); tarsus I, tc’ 22 (19–20), tcʺ 18 (16–20), pl’ 15 (12–16), pl’’ 23 (20–23), pv′ 2 (2), pvʺ 2 (2), ω 5 (4–5), s 5 (5–6), u′′ 2 (m–2). Leg II. Genu II, l′ 4 (4–6); tibia II, d 45 (45–50), l’ 11 (9–12), v’ 19 (17–19), vʺ 21 (22–29); tarsus II, tc′ 4 (3–4), tc″ 4 (3–4), pl″ 52 (38–50), pvʺ 2 (2), u’ 6 (6–7), u′′ 2 (m–2). Leg III. Genu III, l′ 5 (4–5); tibia III, d 40 (35–50), l’ 8 (8–10), v’ 15 (14–18), vʺ 30 (26–30); tarsus III, tc’ 3 (2–3), tc″ 4 (3–4), pl″ 40 (40–50), pvʺ 2 (2), u’ 6 (6), u′′ m (m).

LARVIFORM MALE. Unknown.

LARVAL FEMALE (n = 3).

Gnathosoma . Length 50–55, width 50–53. Cheliceral stylets 64–66, setae ch 35–36, su 8–10.

Idiosoma . Length 210–270, width 165–210. Prodorsal plate with setae v1 6–7, v2 alveolar remnant, sc1 7–9, sc2 90–120. Distance between setae v1–v1 33–40, sc1–sc1 74–86, v1–sc1 29–34, v2–v2 51–60, sc2–sc2 80–90, sc1–sc2 25–30. Plate C setae c1 7–9, c2 10–13, distance between setae c1–c1 50–59. Plate D setae d 8–10, d–d 61–74, cupuli ia anterolaterad d. Plate EF setae f 9–11, f–f 43–52, cupuli im anteriad to anterolaterad f. Plate H long and narrow, 16–20 wide, ca. 30–40 long bearing setae h1 ca. 150, h2 8–10. Venter: coxisterna 1-2 moderately well defined, with few folds, coxisterna 3 poorly defined, membranous; coxal setae slender, 1a 3, 2a 5, 3a 5, 3b 5–6. Alveoli of 1b, 2b present.

Legs. Setal counts legs I–III, femur-tarsus: 3-2-6(+ φ)-8(+ ω), 0-1-4-6, 0-1-4-6. Leg I. Femur I, d minute, l′ minute, v″ 5–7; genu I, l′ 3, l″ 2–3; tibia I, d 75–80, l’ 3, l’’ 2–3, v’ 6–8, v’’ 9–12, k 3–5, φ 11–12; tarsus I, tc’ 15–16, tc’’ 16, pl’ 9–13, pl’’ 18–20, pv′ m–2, pv’’ 2, ω 3–4, s 5–6, u′′ minute. Leg II. Genu II, l′ 3–4; tibia II, d 45–50, l’ 9–10, v’ 13–18, v’’ 23–26; tarsus II, tc′ 2–3, tc ″ 2–3, pl ″ 45–50, pv’’ 2, u’ 5–6, u′′ minute. Leg III. Genu III, l′ 3–4; tibia III, d 40–42, l’ 9–13, v’ 12–15, v’’ 20–26; tarsus III, tc’ 2, tc ″ 2–3, pl ″ 40–50, pv’’ 2, u’ 5–6, u′′ m–2.

Differential diagnosis. Eutarsopolipus hebronae sp. nov. differs from E. despoticus sp. nov. by having a much larger gnathosoma (61–65 × 60–67 versus 45–51 × 47–51) and cheliceral stylets (75–84 versus 50–55). The species also differ in the size of setae tc″ on tarsi II-III, being much larger in E. hebronae (3–4) than E. despoticus (2–3). Even though these setae are only about 1 μm longer, they are obviously larger, being around twice as massive in E. hebronae . These differences in gnathosomal size and tarsal setae are present in the adult and larval female.

Etymology. It is with great pleasure that I name this species for Wendy Hebron, with whom I have shared the role of collection manager for 14 years. Not only has her welcome and proficient assistance in the Queensland Museum arachnology collection been greatly appreciated, but her fine efforts have allowed me to dedicate more time to acarology.

Remarks. This species was found co-infesting its host species with E. umbonatus sp. nov. and an undescribed species of Eutarsopolipus close to E. echinatus Seeman, 2019a ( Tables 1 , 2 ).

Figures

FIGURE 25. Female, gnathosomas, of Eutarsopolipus despoticus sp. nov. (A) and Eutarsopolipus hebronae sp. nov. (B).

FIGURE 26. Female, legs I-III of Eutarsopolipus despoticus sp. nov. (A-C) and legs II-III of Eutarsopolipus hebronae sp. nov. (D-E). Left side, dorsal view.