Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra ( Karg, 1985 )

Nemati, Alireza & Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J., 2016, Description of a new species of Cosmolaelaps Berlese and the male of C. brevipedestra (Karg) from Iran, with notes on some other species of Cosmolaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae), Zootaxa 4066 (5), pp. 535-551 : 540-544

Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra ( Karg, 1985)

Hypoaspis (Cosmolaelaps) brevipedestra Karg, 1985: 234 .

Hypoaspis (Cosmolaelaps) brevipedestra . — Karg, 1988: 516; Faraji et al., 2008: 207. Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra . — Farrier & Hennessy, 1993: 68; Kazemi, 2015: 426; Moreira et al., 2014: 319; Moreira, 2014: 204.

Female ( Figures 13–21 )

Note. The information on morphological characters of C. brevipedestra is based on the female holotype, and on female and male specimens of this species which were sent to Dr. Wolfgang Karg ( Germany) in 1998 to compare with type material and confirm the identification.

Specimens examined. Holotype Hypoaspis (Cosmolaelaps) brevipedestra Karg, 1985 : ZMB Kat. Nr. 39957, Eins, aus Eberswalde (Ftau Unget), Isoptera, I. Apr. 1984. Other materials: Khuzestan province, Ahwaz (31°19'22" N, 48°40'50" E, alt 16 m), three females, one male, nest of ant Tapinoma simrothi Krausse , coll., A. Nemati, 1998; four females, two males in the nest of Pheidole pallidula Nylander and Monomorium destructor (Jerdon) , coll., A. Nemati, 1998; two females, and one male, Izeh (Khuzestan province), soil of Tapinoma sp. nest, coll., A. Nemati, 2012; two females, Bushehr (Bushehr province), soil of unknown ant nest, coll., A. Nemati, 2015; one female and one male, Shiraz ( Fars province), soil of unknown ant nest, coll., A. Nemati, 2015. All specimens were deposited in APAS.

Dorsal idiosoma. The female dorsal setation of C. brevipedestra is similar to its male ( Fig. 22 ). Dorsal shield with (n=5) 431–475 long (holotype: 540), width at level of seta r3 338–384 (398); dorsal setae broad scimitarshaped with a knob-like projection near the base; almost all reach to the base of next seta in the series; shield with 22 pairs of setae on podonotal part including: j1–6; z1–6; s1–6; r2–5, opisthonotal region with 17 pairs of setae including two pairs of px setae (px2–3) and three unpaired Jx. Dorsal setae length varies from 47 to 55 (42–60 in holotype), except for j1 (27), z1 (27) and Z5 (59) acicular, the latter is plumose at its distal part.

Ventral idiosoma. Tritosternum with trapezoidal base (18–23) and pilose laciniae (60–62) fused at base for a small distance. Pre-sternal plates well sclerotised with linear striation. Sternal shield with fine linear reticulation in lateral areas, 83–90 (92) long, and 88–104 (99) wide at level of st2, the ratio of length/width at st2 is 0.86–0.94, anterior and posterior margins concave, sternal setae smooth, st1–3 (31–42; holotype: 42–45), iv1–2 slit-like, setae st4 (34–39; holotype: 40), and pore-like iv3 located on integument near lateral corners of sternal shield. Epigynal shield slightly widened posterior to coxa IV, 195–221 (215) long (excluding hyaline part beneath the posterior margin of sternal shield), 91–117 (124) at level between coxae IV, 137–187 (166) at widest part between st5 and Zv1, ratio of length/widest part is 1.18–1.42, with one pair of setae (st5 = 31–34; holotype: 40), surface with reticulated pattern ( Figs 13, 17 ). Anal shield with linear reticulation, with semi-circular anterior margin, 65–83 (94) long, 62–75 (84) wide, post-anal seta 21–26 (30), para-anal setae 21–23 (27). Opisthogastric surface with a pair of sub-oval metapodal plates, two pairs of small platelets, four pairs of pore-like structures, a pair of conspicuous pore-like structures at lateral margins of anal shield, and 13–17 pairs of acicular setae (18 pairs in holotype). Stigmata located at the mid-level of coxa IV and surrounded by broad stigmatal plate. Post-stigmatal plate with two pores, and extending nearly to the posterior level of coxa IV, peritrematal plate wide, separated from exopodal plate, and with rod-like section bearing a pore-like structure opposite to middle level of coxa III; peritremes extending to the anterior margin of coxa I. A pore-like structure present on basal part of peritreme near stigmatal opening ( Fig. 13 ). Endopodal plates II/III fused to lateral margins of sternal shield, endopodal III/IV wide, angular, and extending posteriorly to posterior level on interior side of coxae IV. Exopodal plates fragmented, with small and angular plate between coxae II/III, and longer plate between III–IV, with crescent-shaped expansion posterior to coxae IV, fused with posterior tip of endopodal plate interior of coxae IV.

Gnathosoma . Hypostome ( Fig. 14 ) with three pairs of smooth simple setae; h1 (34–39), h2 (13–16) and h3 (44–47). Deutosternal groove, internal malae and curniculi are similar to C. malmiriensis sp. nov. Epistome with more denticles at lateral margins and shorter extension in median mucronate part than in C. malmiriensis ( Fig. 15 ). Chelicerae ( Fig. 16 ) with moveable digit 38–40 (42), with two teeth, middle article (91–101; holotype: 111) ending in fixed digit 33–36 (45), bearing three minute distal teeth followed by three larger proximal teeth (this situation was observed in fixed digit of C. brevipedestra holotype that drawn wrongly with a total of five teeth in original description), and with setaceous pilus dentilis. Palp chaetotaxy normal (sensu Evans & Till, 1965), with acicular setae, except al on femur and al1 on genu slightly thickened, palp tarsal claw two-tined.

Legs. Tarsi of all legs ( Figs 18–21 ) with claws and ambulacra. Leg I ( Fig. 18 ): 369–416 (428 in holotype), coxa 60–65 (62), trochanter 34–36 (35), basi-femur 18–21, telo-femur 55–65 (femur in holotype: 89), genu 47–52 (57), tibia 49–62 (69), tarsus 104–117 (116). Leg II ( Fig. 19 ): 273–299 (310 in holotype), coxa 31–44 (32), trochanter 42–47 (40), basi-femur 16–18, telo-femur 36–49 (femur in holotype: 69), genu 42–44 (45), tibia 39–42 (45), tarsus 55–68 (79). Leg III ( Fig. 20 ): 263–296 (284 in holotype), coxa 26–42 (37), trochanter 52 (32), basifemur (18–23), telo-femur 44–47 (femur in holotype: 69), genu 31–34 (37), tibia 26–29 (35), tarsus 65–73 (74); leg IV ( Fig. 21 ), 346–406 (413 in holotype), coxa 26–47 (37), trochanter 62–73 (62), basi-femur 21–29, telo-femur 52–55 (femur in holotype: 84), genu 42–49 (59), tibia 44–47 (57), tarsus 99–107 (114). Legs I and IV longer than legs II and III. Chaetotaxy: Leg I ( Fig. 18 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0; trochanter1 0/2 1/1 1 (pd slightly thicker and longer than other setae of this segment); femur 2 2/1 3/3 2; genu 2 3/2 3/1 2; tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II ( Fig. 19 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0; trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1; femur 2 3/1 2/2 1; genu 2 3/1 2/1 2; tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2; tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. Leg III ( Fig. 20 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/10; trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1; femur 1 2/1 1/0 1; genu 2 2/1 2/1 1; tibia 2 1/1 2/1 1; tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. Leg IV ( Fig. 21 ): coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0; trochanter 1 0/2 0/1 1; femur 1 2/11 /0 1; genu 2 2/1 3/0 1; tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2; tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md.

Notes. Ventral seta st4 and pore iv3 were initially observed on the endopodal plates, but remounted specimens showed no alveoli on these plates. In remounted dissected specimens st4 and iv3 were found on the integument posterior to the lateral corners of sternal shield.

Male ( Figures 22–26 )

Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield 351–361, long, width at level of setae r3 260–273, (n=3) ( Fig. 22 ); with linear reticulation at lateral margins and some fine reticulation on opisthonotal part. Chaetotaxy similar to female, z1 thin, acicular, j1 and Z5 thick and rod-like, the latter distally plumose. All dorsal setae broad, with a knob-like basal projection ( Figs 12 , 23 ) except j1, z1 and Z5. Dorsal setae length varies from 40 to 48, with Z5 and J5 (29–33), z1 and j1 (15–17) shorter than the others.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 24 ). Presternal plates, separated, sclerotised and fused with anterior margin of holoventral shield. Holoventral shield 296–312 long from anterior margin to posterior margin of post-anal seta insertion, 111–117 wide between coxae II/III, 78–81 and 88–94 between st2–st2 and st5–st5 respectively, 157–164 at widest part near Zv1 and 75–78 at narrowest part between Jv4–Jv5. Reticulated throughout, bearing ten pairs of simple pointed setae ( Fig. 25 ), st1–5 (26–29), Jv1–5, Zv1–5 (20–33), with nine pairs of pore-like structures, iv1–3 slit-like, para-anal and post-anal (18–23), endopodal plates fused with lateral margins of holoventral shield in area between coxae II–IV. Metapodal platelets apparently fused with holoventral shield. Soft cuticle with ten pairs of relatively short acicular setae. Peritrematal plate broad bears two pore-like structures in a bulge like section at level of coxa II–III.

Gnathosoma . As in female except chelicerae ( Fig. 26 ) with middle segment (65–68), fixed digit (18–20) bearing two small teeth. Pilus dentilis absent. Movable digit (24–26) with four prominent teeth and an arched distal hook; curved spermatodactyl attached to the movable digit at its basal part.

Legs. All legs with pretarsus and ambulacra, chaetotaxy similar to female, leg I 364–367, leg II 270–283, leg III 229–247 and leg IV 320–341.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 17. Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra (Karg), Female: 13. Ventral idiosoma, 14. Subcapitulum, 15. Epistome, 16. Chelicera, 17. Genital shield reticulation.

FIGURES 18 – 21. Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra (Karg), Female: 18. Leg I, 19. Leg II, 20. Leg III, 21. Leg IV. (Scale bars: 100 micrometers).

FIGURES 22 – 26. Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra (Karg), Male: 22. Dorsal idiosoma, 23. Example of a dorsal seta, 24. Ventral idiosoma, 25. Example of a ventral seta, 26. Chelicera.

FIGURES 11 – 12. The thickness of dorsal shield setae (Female): 11. Cosmolaelaps malmiriensis sp. nov. 12. Cosmolaelaps brevipedestra.