Alliphis transversus, Halliday, 2010

Halliday, R. B., 2010, Revision of the Australian Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) 2596, Zootaxa 2596 (1), pp. 1-60 : 8-12

Alliphis transversus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–8 )

Alliphis sp. — Costa, 1975: 263.

Material examined. Holotype. Female, Queensland, Gillies Highway, 30 March 1965, on Onthophagus tricavicolli s, G. F. Bornemissza coll. (in ANIC). Paratypes. New South Wales. 6 females, 3 males, Tooloom Scrub, near Urbenville, 28 February 1974, G. Monteith coll., on Cephalodesmius armiger (in HUJ); 6 females, same data (in UQIC); 1 female, 1 male, Ulladulla, 27 March 1978, on Onthophagus granulatus in trap baited with cow dung, J. Feehan coll.; 3 females, 2 males, Shoalhaven River Bridge, between Bungendore and Braidwood, 11 November 1966, on scarab on human excrement; 3 females, Cabbage Tree Creek, between Braidwood and Batemans Bay, 11 November 1966, on beetles on human excrement; 2 females, 4 males, Durras Lake, near Batemans Bay, 11 November 1966, on beetles on kangaroo and pig dung (1 male in OSU); 2 females, 1 male, Durras Lake, 24 December 1964, on O. leanus, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, same data except O. granulatus ; 3 females, 1 male, 2 DN, same data except O. nurubuan australis ; 1 male, same data except O. auritus ; 2 females, 1 male, Somersby, 9 April 1964, on O. auritus, G. F. Bornemissza coll., 2 females, 2 males, Marulan, 15 October 1964, on O. nurubuan australis, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 2 females, 4 males, 2 DN, Putty, 14 April 1965, on O. tenebrosus, G. F. Bornemissza and G. A. Yapp coll.; 1 female, Ulladulla, 27 March 1978, on O. sydneyensis in trap baited with human excrement, J. Feehan coll.; 1 female, Cabbage Tree Creek, near Nelligen, 5 May 1965, on O. australis, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, 21 miles north of Tenterfield, 6 December 1965, 6 December 1965, on O. australis, G. A. Yapp coll.; 1 female, Colo Heights, 14 April 1965, on O. tenebrosus, G. A. Yapp coll.; 1 female, Batemans Bay, 21 December 1964, on O. bornemisszai, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, Clyde Mountain, 31 March 1964, on O. hoplocerus, G. F. Bornemissza coll. Northern Territory. 5 females, 3 males, Banksia Camp, 16 April 1976, on O. quinquetuberculatus flying to cow dung, J. Feehan coll.; 2 females, 1 male, Lee Point, Darwin, 28 January 1968, on O. discolor, E. G. Matthews coll.; 1 female, same data except Amphistomus tuberosus ; 1 DN, Caranbirini, 22 April 1976, on O. dunnal flying to cow dung, J. Feehan coll.; 1 female, McArthur River, 16 April 1976; 1 female, Howard Springs, 27 January 1968, on O. glabratus, E. G. Matthews coll. Queensland. 3 females, 2 males, 1 DN, Paluma, 24 April 1969, on O. paluma, G. F. Bornemissza and P. Ferrar coll.; 3 females, Ingham, 1 May 1964, on O. laminatus, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 male, 1 DN, Gillies Highway, Heales Lookout, 7 May 1969, on O. mundill, G. F. Bornemissza and P. Ferrar coll.; 3 females, 4 miles west of Paluma, 13 April 1969, on O. paluma, I. Common and M. Upton coll.; 1 female, 1 male, Cardwell Range, 2 May 1964, on O. jangga, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 2 males, Gillies Highway, 30 March 1965, on O. tricavicollis, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, same data except Coptodactyla glabricollis ; 2 males, Atherton, 26 March 1965, on O. cuniculus, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 2 females, Yungaburra, 27 March 1965, on O. capella, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 3 females, Yungaburra, 7 May 1969, rainforest, on O. dicranocerus, G. F. Bornemissza and P. Ferrar coll.; 1 female, Yungaburra, 7 May 1965, on O. capella, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, 2 males, 5 miles west of Paluma, 24 April 1969, on O. bornemisszai, G. F. Bornemissza and P. Ferrar coll.; 2 females, 1 male, 3.5 km SW of Mt. Baird, 15°10'S 145°07'E, 3–5 May 1981, on O. laminatus, J. Feehan coll.; 3 females, 1 km north of Rounded Hill, 15°17'S 145°13'E, 5–7 May 1981, on O. laminatus, J. Feehan coll.; 7 females, 1 male, Hazelmere, 24 km NW of Cooktown, 15°24'S 145°03'E, 8 May 1981, on O. bicavicollis, J. Feehan coll.; 1 female, Batavia Downs, 12°40'S 142°40'E, 3–10 March 1993, trap baited with kangaroo dung, I. Cunningham coll.; 2 females, Iron Range, 15–21 April 1977, open forest, on O. tricavicollis, R. I. Storey coll.; 3 females, Lamington National Park, Green Mts., Bridle Track, 28°13'S 153°07'E, 15 January 1995, pitfall trap, R. Kitching coll. ( UQIC); Atherton, 7 May 1964, on O. capella, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; 1 female, Conway Range National Park, 28 March 1968, on Amphistomus tuberculatus, E. G. Matthews coll.; 1 female, Levers Plateau, 18 April 1964, on Cephalodesmius laticollis, M. Smith coll.; 1 female, Tamborine Mtn., 7 December 1967, on O. neostenocerus, E. Matthews coll.; 1 female, 5 miles west of Paluma, 21 April 1969, on O. bornemisszai, G. F. Bornemissza coll.; Paluma Dam Road, Mt, Spec, 30 March 1968, on Coptodactyla depressa, E. G. Matthews coll.; 1 female, Mossman Gorge, 3 April 1968, on Coptodactyla depressa, E. G. Matthews coll. South Australia. 1 male, 28 km SE of Kingston, 14 November 1976, W. W. K. Houston coll.

Victoria. 2 females, Boolara , 4 May 1963, on O. australis, G. F. Bornemissza coll .; 2 females, Elmhurst , 2 km SE of Gleneagle Stn., 30 September 1976, 10 cm under sheep dung, on O. mniszechi, J. Feehan and S. Runko coll . Western Australia. 1 female, Wyndham , 19 March 1931, on O. fissiceps, T. G. Campbell coll. (all in ANIC unless otherwise stated) .

Description. Female. Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal shield covering entire idiosoma, length 421–473 µm, width 268–305 µm (n=10), with faint polygonal ornamentation throughout, indistinct medially, some stronger lines of ornamentation postero-laterally. Shield with 30 pairs of setae and ca. 14 pairs of pores. Seta j 1 and most opisthonotal setae slightly lanceolate, others fine, smooth, pointed; z 1 shortest, ca. 10 µm, S 5, Z 5 longest, ca. 20 µm.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Tritosternum with elongate trapezoidal base and finely pilose laciniae. Pre-sternal area with faint transverse lineate ornamentation. Sternal shield with irregular anterior and posterior margins, surface smooth or with indistinct antero-lateral polygonal ornamentation. Shield with three pairs of smooth pointed setae, subequal in length; and two pairs of lyrifissures, the anterior pair very conspicuous, oriented at 90° to long axis of body, posterior pair smaller, slightly oblique. Metasternal pores in minute circular platelets; metasternal setae free in soft skin, flanked by small triangular endopodal plates between coxae III and IV. Epigynal shield teardrop-shaped, posterior margin rounded, smooth except for a single curved line of ornamentation parallel to its posterior margin; epigynal setae inserted on lateral margins of shield. Anal shield slightly wider than long, with semi-circular anterior margin and straight postero-lateral margins; with faint polygonal ornamentation; anus elongate, located in centre of shield; para-anal and post-anal setae subequal in length; cribrum conspicuous. Unsclerotised opisthogastric skin with two pairs of setae between epigynal and anal shields, and a further seven pairs lateral to anal shield; metapodal plates elongate oval, oriented obliquely. Stigmata located at a level between coxae III and IV, peritremes extending anterior to coxae I. Peritrematal shields very narrow medial to peritremes, wider outside peritremes, fused with dorsal shield from level of coxa II, unornamented, extending to a tapering posterior end behind stigmata to mid-level of coxa IV, with two small pores behind stigma. Small triangular exopodal plates present between coxae I–II and III–IV.

Gnathosoma . Hypostomal seta h 3 and palp coxal seta subequal in length (ca. 25 µm), rostral seta h 1 longer and thicker (ca. 40 µm), h 2 shorter (ca. 15 µm) ( Fig. 3 ). Deutosternal groove with five transverse rows of denticles, 6–8 denticles per row, and a smooth anterior transverse line; corniculi robust, slightly curved inward; internal malae strongly fringed. Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 0 0/1 0/1 0, femur 1 1/0 2/0 1, genu 2 1/0 2/0 1, tibia 14, tarsus 15. Palp trochanter seta av long (ca. 35 µm), pv much shorter (ca. 15 µm). Seta al on palp femur long and spatulate, al 1 on palp genu slightly spatulate, al 2 strongly so; palp tarsal claw with two spatulate tines. Central process of epistome spiculate, long enough to reach mid-level of palp genu, basal section with sloping serrated margins ( Fig. 4 ). Fixed digit of chelicera with a bifid distal tooth and three small proximal teeth, pilus dentilis short, fine, dorsal seta fine, prostrate ( Fig. 5 ). Movable digit with a prominent terminal hook and two small triangular teeth, arthrodial membrane a small, rounded flap.

Legs. Chaetotaxy: Leg I. Coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/2 1, femur 2 3/2 2/2 2, genu 1 3/2 2/1 2, tibia 1 3/2 2/1 2. Leg II. Coxa 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 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. Coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, genu 1 2/1 2/1 1, tibia 1 1/1 2/1 1, tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. Leg IV. Coxa 0 0/0 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 1 2/1 1/ 0 1, genu 1 2/1 2/0 1, tibia 1 1/1 2/1 1, tarsus 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. All setae smooth and pointed, most dorsal setae thicker than ventral and lateral setae. Tarsi I–IV each with a well-developed pair of claws, those on tarsus I smaller and less robust than those on tarsi II–IV.

Genital structures. Insemination ducts unfused, opening into sacculus through oval-shaped pores ( Fig. 6 ), sacculus not visible in available specimens, apparently unsclerotised.

Male. Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield length 313–368 µm, width 203–229 µm (n=10), structure and chaetotaxy as for female.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 7 ). Pre-sternal area with a pair of irregular obliquely oriented elongate platelets. Sternal, metasternal, and epigynal shields fused to form a sterno-genital shield, with five pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; anterior pair large, conspicuous, transverse, posterior pair smaller, oblique; metasternal pores in shield between coxae III. Antero-lateral and postero-lateral corners of shield bluntly pointed. Surface of shield with indistinct polygonal ornamentation anteriorly and longitudinal markings between coxae IV; other features of ventral idiosoma as for female except fewer pairs of opisthogastric setae.

Gnathosoma . Fixed digit of chelicera with two teeth; movable digit with a single blunt tooth, spermatodactyl robust, projecting beyond end of movable digit, widened distally ( Fig. 8 ). Other features of gnathosoma as for female.

Legs. Legs II slightly thicker than those of female, without spurs or other secondary sexual characters.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the unusual transverse orientation of the first pair of sternal lyrifissures.

Notes. Alliphis transversus has several character states that are not typical for the genus: (1) the first pair of sternal lyrifissures are large, and oriented transverse to the long axis of the body. In the other species where the female is known, these lyrifissures are small, and oblique or longitudinal in orientation; (2) in the female, the metasternal platelets are absent, and the metasternal pores and metasternal setae are inserted in the soft skin. In other species of Alliphis , the metasternal setae and pores are inserted together on metasternal platelets; (3) the movable digit of the chelicera of the female has two small teeth, where other species have one large tooth; (4) the male has no spurs on the legs, while these spurs are present in many other species. These features mean that A. transversus sits rather uncomfortably in the genus Alliphis . It may require a new genus, but I refrain from taking that action at the moment until the genus is revised more fully.

The adult female of A. transversus may easily be distinguished from most other species in the genus by the large size and transverse orientation of the first pair of sternal lyrifissures. The females of some species of Alliphis are unknown, but A. transversus may be distinguished from these by characters of the male or deutonymph. The male of A. transversus may be distinguished from those of A. rotundianalis Mašán 1994 , A. trichiensis Ramaraju & Mohanasundaram 1996 , A. magnus Gu & Fan 1997 and A. montanus Koroleva 1968 by the lengths of the dorsal shield setae. In the male of A. transversus , j 1 are the longest setae on the dorsal shield – in the other species listed, other setae are longer, especially j 3, z 1, s 2. The male of A. transversus also shares with the female the very long and thick rostral setae, which have not been recorded in other species. Alliphis halberti Ryke & Meyer 1957 is known only from the deutonymph. The deutonymph of A. transversus has very long and thick rostral setae, which are short and fine in the deutonymph of A. halberti .

Alliphis transversus is a widespread and abundant species. It occurs across northern Australia, and in the east from north Queensland to Victoria, in both forest and agricultural habitats, where it is phoretic on a wide range of dung beetle species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Alliphis transversus. 1, female, dorsal shield; 2, female, ventral idiosoma; 3, female, hypostome; 4, female, epistome; 5, female, chelicera; 6, female, insemination ducts; 7, male, ventral idiosoma; 8, male, chelicera. Scale bar = 100 µm for 1, 2, 7; 50 µm for 3, 4, 5, 8; 25 µm for 6.