Phthiracarus lentulus (C. L. Koch)

Kamill, B. W., 1981, The Phthiracarus species of C. L. Koch, Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Zoology series) 41, pp. 263-274 : 270

Phthiracarus lentulus (C. L. Koch)

(Figs 19-24)

Hoplophora lentula Koch , 1841: Heft. 32, t. 16. Regensburg [type series presumed lost]. NEOTYPE (here designated), Taimering, Regensburg (RNH, Leiden, P2001-4).

Phthiracarus lentulus : Jacot, 1936: 175 [in part]. Topotypes, Unter-Isling/Burgweinting, Regensburg (MHN, Geneva, 3135h) [examined].

[ Phthiracarus lentulus : Feider & Suciu, 1957: 5. Misidentification.]

Adult: Medium-sized. The aspis (Figs 21-23) ranges in length from 270-310 µm with a maximum width of 220-240 µm. Setae (il) and (la) are about equal in length and both pairs of setae extend half the distance il-ro. The rostral setae (ro) reach the anterior aspal margin. The sensilli are 70-90 µm in length and slender; proximally the sensillar margin is smooth while the distal part is serrated. The exobothridial setae (ex) are moderately long. The notogaster (Figs 19-20) ranges in length from 500-580 µm with a greatest depth of 400-440 µm. All the setae are short (less than c1-d1), stout and more or less erect. Seta c3 is located on the posterior collar margin and setae c1-2 submarginally. Vestigial f1 is located anterior to the seta h1 while the fissures ip and ips are absent. On each anal plate there are three setae (ad1-2 vestigial); setae an1-2 being slightly longer than ad3 The chelicerae are 190-200 µm long with 18-26 sharply pointed spines on the paraxial surface of the principal segment and 17-35 conical spines antiaxially. The leg chaetotaxy is of the 'complete type', the solenidia being long and almost straight. On tarsus I the distal seta coupled with solenidion to, is long and divided into two parts by a longitudinal constriction. On femur I (Fig. 24) setae a, (v) and l' are all located at about the same level on the segment. Seta d, which is almost as long as l', is thickened, curved and bluntly serrated.

Material: Four specimens from moist wood, moss and litter, Taimering, Regensburg, 19.vi.1961 (L. van der Hammen), deposited in the collections of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden. One of these specimens (P2001-4) is hereby designated as the neotype.

Remarks: Koch recorded lentula predominantly in moss in woods and described the species as being of medium size with short notogastral setae. It is evident that the sensilli were probably either short or very fine, since these were not included by Koch in his original figure. The sensilli are indeed very fine in lentulus (Fig. 23), a feature which was also noted by Jacot in his redescription of this species.