Reticulolaelaps lativentris Karg, 1978

Nemati, Alireza, Khalili-Moghadam, Arsalan & Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J., 2019, A review of the genus Reticulolaelaps Costa and redescription of R. elsae (Joharchi, Babaeian & Jalalizand) comb. nov., Persian Journal of Acarology 8 (2), pp. 77-99 : 92-93

Note on Reticulolaelaps lativentris Karg, 1978

Pseudoparasitus lativentris (Karg) . Joharchi and Babaeian (2015): 37 .

Specimen examined

Hypoaspis (Reticulolaelaps) lativentris , male, Nr. 4045, Chel. Karg, 78, ZMB Kat. Nr. 50561, paratypus, Chile, Umgebung von La Union (Prov. Valdivia). Modrige Erde aus feuchtcm Wald in tief. Tal. 26.10.1965 .

Reticulolaelaps lativentris was described by Karg (1978) from Chile, near La Union, on the road to Valdivia, in muddy soil ( Karg 1978; Moreira 2014). Although Nemati et al. (2013) and subsequently Joharchi and Babaeian (2015) removed this species from this genus and transferred it to Pseudoparasitus Oudemans, 1902 , we now consider it as a species of Reticulolaelaps . It is difficult to ignore that some characters (dorsal hypertrichous condition, male with separate anal shield and the presence of four rows of deutosternal denticles) of this species are not completely consistent with the previous definition of Reticulolaelaps as proposed by Nemati et al. (2013) and Joharchi and Babaeian (2015), but this is almost consistent with the definition of Reticulolaelaps given in this article.

Joharchi and Babaeian (2015) also stated that Reticulolaelaps lativentris does not fit easily into the genus Pseudoparasitus , because the epistome has smooth anterior edge, palp tarsal claw has two pointed tines (three-tined, posterior tine small in almost all Pseudoparasitus ) and metasternal setae st4 apparently absent (always present in Pseudoparasitus ). They excluded this species of Reticulolaelaps because it lacks the hypostomal flap characteristic of Reticulolaelaps species, the chaetotaxy of genu IV (2 2/1 3/0 1) is normal for the genus, its hypostomal groove has six rows of denticles, and the male has a holoventral shield.

We have had the opportunity to study the specimen: Hypoaspis (Reticulolaelaps) lativentris , male, as cited above. We did not find the holotype in the Karg collection in the Berlin Museum. This species with reticulate holodorsal shield is similar to other Reticulolaelaps species as shown in Figures 1, 2 , 26 . The tritosternum has a small basal part and laciniae fused together and half as long (laciniae are free and pilose in Pseudoparasitus species). Female sternal shield concave in posterior margin (almost straight in all Pseudoparasitus ) bears iv1–3 (with iv 1–2 in Pseudoparasitus ). Metasternal setae st4 absent (present in all Pseudoparasitus ); the left and right endopodals at anterior level of coxae II are connected by a sclerotized rod like bridge almost fused with anterior margin of sternal shield ( Figs. 4 , 9 , 31 ) (absent in Pseudoparasitus ). Genitoventral shield large, expanded posterior to coxae IV, extending near the anal shield (genitoventral shield in all species of this genus except R. elsae , more expanded laterally than Pseudoparasitus ). Epistome anterior margin smooth (deeply denticulated in Pseudoparasitus ). Internal malae smaller than corniculi but similar in shape and with two smooth hornlike lobs (see the diagnosis of Pseudoparasitus ). All the sclerotized parts of the body including legs are well ornamented throughout (legs of Pseudoparasitus lack such character). With two tined palp tarsal claw (three tined in Pseudoparasitus ). Male with holoventral shield (see the note below). Genu IV with ten setae (with av and pv) ( Fig. 32 ) (with nine setae, av absent, in Pseudoparasitus ). The remnant of membranous flaps could be seen at anterior side of hypostome in dissected gnathosoma in above mentioned microslide ( Pseudoparasitus lack such flaps). Consequently, according to the above explanation it transpires that this species has the most important Reticulolaelaps genus characters and we put it in its original genus.

Note

In some genera of Laelapidae , male specimens have two conditions of ventral shield fusion. Some species: Cosmolaelaps rectangularis Sheals (based on Costa 1968), Androlaelaps [ A. cenrocarpus (Berlese) , A. hirsti (Keegan) , A. longipes (Bregetova) and A. tauffliebi Till have a male with a separate anal shield. This condition can also be observed in R. lativentris male.

The existence of a hypertrichous condition can be seen in some species of some laelapid genera, while the other species of the same genera have normal condition. Some species of Androlaelaps have hypertrichous condition in dorsal, ventral or both dorsal and ventral sides, while most species have normal condition of chaetotaxy in ventral and dorsal idiosoma. Androlaelaps taterae (Zumpt and Patterson) and A. walkerae Till have hypertrichous condition both in dorsal and ventral sides, A. theseus Zumpt has this condition in ventral idiosoma.

In order to clarify the above statement, the definition of Pseudoparasitus genus was presented above.

Figures

Figure 9. Reticulolaelaps elsae (Joharchi, Babaeian & Jalalizand, 2016) – Fusion of peritrematal and dorsal shields.

Figures 1–4. Reticulolaelaps elsae (Joharchi, Babaeian & Jalalizand, 2016) – 1, 2. Dorsal idiosoma; 3. An example of dorsal shield seta; 4. Ventral idiosoma.

Figures 25–26. Reticulolaelaps faini Costa, 1968 – 25. Ventral idiosoma; 26. Detail of dorsal shield reticulation.

Figures 31–32. Reticulolaelaps lativentris Krag, 1978 – 31. Endopodals II-III connection; 32. Setae av and pv of genu IV.