Neocarus bajacalifornicus chamelaensis Vázquez & Klompen, 2009

Vázquez, Magdalena & Klompen, Hans, 2009, New species of New World Opilioacaridae (Acari: Parasitiformes) with the description of a new genus from the Caribbean region., Zootaxa 2061, pp. 23-44 : 30-32

Neocarus bajacalifornicus chamelaensis Vázquez & Klompen n. subsp.

( Figs. 20–26 )

Diagnosis: Ovipositor with a number of long, terminal setae (shared with N. bajacalifornicus and N. nohbecanus ). Palp tarsus with 5 pairs of foliate setae (4 in N. orghidani and N. nohbecanus ). Pregenital region female with 2 short stout and ribbed setae (none in N. nohbecanus ). Overall the new material is highly similar to N. bajacalifornicus . The new specimens differ by shorter stout, ribbed type setae in the sternal region (quite long in N. bajacalifornicus ), and a slightly different ratio of leg I length to body length: 2.1 in the new material vs. 1.8–1.9 in N. bajacalifornicus . At this point we cannot evaluate whether these differences represent geographical variation within one species or small differences between separate species. For the time being we propose listing the new material as a subspecies of N. bajacalifornicus based on the small morphological differences and the geographical separation.

Description. Based on observations on 6 females, 6 males, 9 tritonymphs, 6 deutonymphs, 6 protonymphs, 2 larvae (larvae in poor condition).

Gnathosoma . Chelicera ( Fig. 21 ). Basal segment in protonymph without setae; 1 seta (one male with 2 on one chelicera) added in deutonymph. Fixed digit with 3 setae in all instars. All setae smooth, rarely lightly barbed. Dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissure well developed. Fixed digit with 1 tooth, movable digit with 1 or 2 (second one may appear as a ridge rather than a tooth) and a well developed terminal hook. Movable digit with 1 distinct denticle on ventral surface, rarely with a small second one. Cheliceral digits in larva poorly developed and without teeth; digits in nymphs as in adults.

Subcapitulum ( Fig. 22 ). All 4 pairs of paralabial setae present in adults: pl1 small, conical; With's organ (pl2) membranous, discoid; rutella (pl3) with 1 row of 5 teeth, inserted dorso-laterally; pl4 very small, inserted dorsal on subcapitulum. In addition, 4 circumbuccal (cb), and 6–10 median and subcapitular (vm (in part), lvm, ldm, vp, lvp) setae. Sexual dimorphism indistinct. Lateral lips with distinct canals. Larva with only 2 circumbuccal setae, With's organ reduced to a membranous cone, and rutella reduced to large lobes without distinct teeth. Larva, proto-, deuto-, and tritonymphs with, respectively, 0, 2, 2–3, and 5–6 median and subcapitular setae.

Palp ( Figs. 23–24 ). Trochanter in adults with 3 (rarely 4) ribbed, tapering (r-type) setae; femur with 7–8 papilliform (p-type) and 11–15 r-type setae; genu with 2–5 (usually 4) p and 20–28 r setae. Tibia and tarsus partially fused. Tibia with approximately 8 smooth and 55 r setae. Palp tarsus with lyrifissures i π and i α. Setation including 5 d (leaf-like), 8 v, 3 s, 16 ch, and 9 sm setae. Pretarsus in shape of well developed pair of sessile claws. Sexual differentiation absent. Palp setation in immatures similar to that in N. calakmulensis . Larvae and protonymphs lack setae on the trochanter, most deutonymphs add a single seta, the tritonymphs carry 2–3. Femoral addition sequence for papilliform setae in proto-, deuto- and tritonymphs is 1, 2, and 6; on the genu both proto- and deutonymphs lack papilliform setae, the tritonymphs add 1–3. Addition sequence of d setae on the tarsus as in N. calakmulensis : larva: 0, protonymph: 2, deutonymph: 3; tritonymph: 4.

Idiosoma. Dorsum. Anterior dorsal shield with two pairs of eyes, female and male with, respectively, 116–126 and 102–106 stout, ribbed setae. Lyrifissures absent. Nymphs with, respectively, 30–34, 66–69, and 74–92 shield setae. Dorsal idiosoma between shield and the preanal segment without setae, but with numerous lyrifissures arranged in transverse rows. Preanal segment with 1 dorsal and 2 ventral setae; anal plates in adults with 8–11 stout, ribbed setae (females generally have slightly more than males). Anal plates of the larvae, proto-, deuto-, and tritonymphs with, respectively, 2, 2, 3–4, and 7–8 setae.

Sternitogenital region ( Figs. 25–26 ). Sternal verrucae each with 1 long, barbed tapering and 2–3 (rarely 1 or 4) smaller setae. Remaining sternal area with 2 pairs of long, tapering setae, 4–7 (usually 5–6) pairs of stout, ribbed setae, and 2 pairs of large, distinct, and 1 pair of slightly smaller lyrifissures; all different in shape and size from "standard" opisthosomal lyrifissures. Pregenital capsules each with 1 long tapering and 3 stout, ribbed setae. Pregenital and genital areas in male with, respectively, 4–5 and 4–6 short, stout ribbed setae. Pregenital area in female with 2–3 stout, ribbed setae; genital area without setae. Addition sequence of sternitogenital setae in larva, proto-, deuto-, and tritonymphs as in N. calakmulensis . Ovipositor ( Fig. 20 ) with 14–26 distinct, long and smooth terminal setae, lacking distinct glands or small non-terminal setae. Number of lobes could not be determined as the ovipositor in all specimens examined was invaginated.

Legs. Ratio of legs I to idiosoma approximately 2.1; legs IV to idiosoma about 1.5. No obvious sexual dimorphism observed. Tarsus I each with distinct basitarsus, but lacking distinct acrotarsus. Broad sensillum with "crown-like" tip in main sensillar field. Pretarsi with well developed sessile claws; without setae. Tarsi II with a distinct dorsal bifurcate seta and two smooth sensilla, as in N. calakmulensis . Pretarsi II–IV each with two pairs of setae and a pair of claws. Sequence of appearance of the basitarsus on legs I, the acrotarsi on legs II–IV and the divided trochanter of legs III–IV as in N. calakmulensis .

Collection information. Multiple specimen numbers refer to multiple slides representing a single, dissected, individual. Holotype female (OSAL0007672), MEXICO: Jalisco, Chamela, Estacion de Biologia de Chamela (19°32'N, 105°85'W), valley #4, coll. Rodriguez, A. & Gomez, A., 24 Jul 2001, ex soil, coll. no. AL13303. Paratypes (all from Estacion de Biologia de Chamela). Same collection data as holotype, M (OSAL0007684–7685), M (OSAL0007686, 7687), M (OSAL0007688, 7689), M (OSAL0007693, 7695), M (OSAL0007696), TN (OSAL0007682); same locality and collectors, 16 Feb 1992, ex soil, AL013302: M/TN (OSAL0007700); 16 Feb 1992, ex litter, AL13304: F (OSAL0007683); 22 Sep 1991, ex litter, AL13301: M (OSAL0007701); 12 Jun 1992, ex soil, AL13389: TN (OSAL0007673), TN (OSAL0007674); 13 Dec 2001, ex litter, AL013388: F (OSAL0007671); 24 Aug 2002, ex soil, AL013314: M (OSAL0007690), M (OSAL0007694). Valley #1, deciduous tropical forest, coll. Rodriguez, A. & Gomez, A., 22 Sep 1991, ex soil, coll. code AL013307: M (OSAL0007691), M (OSAL0007699); same locality and collectors, 14 Mar 1992, ex soil, AL13306: M (OSAL0007692), M (OSAL0007702), TN (OSAL0007665), TN (OSAL0007666), TN (OSAL0007667), TN (OSAL0007668); 13 Jun 1992, sample 241, extracted without light, ex soil sample, AL13224: M (OSAL0007704–7705), TN (OSAL0007706), DN (OSAL0007664), DN (OSAL0007663), DN (OSAL0007658), DN (OSAL0007659), PN (OSAL0007662); 13 Feb 2001, ex litter, AL13387: TN (OSAL0007669, 7670). Valley 2, coll. Rodriguez, A. & Gomez, A., 20 May 2002, ex litter, AL013390: L (OSAL0007649); (PN) (OSAL0007652); same locality and collectors, 18 Aug 2002, ex litter, AL13391: L (OSAL0007648); PN (OSAL0007653). Medium high temperate forest, coll. Mateos, E., 28 Oct 1992, ex litter, AL013308: M (OSAL0007697, 7698), M (OSAL0007703), F (OSAL0007675), F (OSAL0007676), F (OSAL0007677), F (OSAL0007678), F (OSAL0007679–7681), DN (OSAL0007660), DN (OSAL0007661), (DN) (OSAL0007657), PN (OSAL0007654), PN (OSAL0007655), PN (OSAL0007656).

Deposition of types. Holotype female (slide OSAL0007672) and one paratype male (slides OSAL0007697–7698) at UNAM. Other paratypes at OSAL, UQROO.

Etymology. The subspecific name is derived from the primary collection locality, the Estacion de Biologia de Chamela.

Figures

FIGURES 19 – 20. Ovipositor. 19, Neocarus calakmulensis n. sp. (OSAL 0007618), inset detail gland-like structures; 20, N. bajacalifornicus chamelaensis n. subsp. (OSAL 0007672).

FIGURES 21 – 24. Neocarus bajacalifornicus chamelaensis n. subsp., male (OSAL 0007698). 21, Chelicera; 22, Subcapitulum; 23, Palp, dorsal (left) and ventral (right) view; 24, Palp tarsus, dorsal (top) and ventral (bottom) view.

FIGURES 25 – 26. Neocarus bajacalifornicus chamelaensis n. subsp., sternitogenital region. 25, Female (OSAL 0007672); 26, Male (OSAL 0007690).