Alloptes (Sternalloptes) hidasii Hernandes & Brito, 2022

Hernandes, Fabio Akashi & Brito, Guilherme R. R., 2022, Feather mites (Acariformes: Astigmata) of the brown noddy, Anous stolidus (L.) (Charadriiformes: Laridae), with description of two new species from Brazil, Acarologia 62 (2), pp. 317-331 : 319-324

Alloptes (Sternalloptes) hidasii Hernandes & Brito sp. nov.

Zoobank: 81105099-16FD-4955-808A-27B890012B87

( Figs. 1–4)

Type material — Holotype male, paratypes 2 females ex Anous stolidus stolidus (Linnaeus, 1758) ( Charadriiformes : Laridae ), CAUFSC 00389, Praia do Campeche, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil (lat -27.6893423, long -48.4811854), 27. Feb. 2021, R 3 Animal col.

Description — Male (Holotype) ( Figs. 1, 3A–D, I, 4A–C). Idiosoma size, length × width, 297 × 137. Prodorsal shield: posterior margin sinuous, surface without ornamentation, greatest length 58, width of posterior part 67, distance between setae se 71. Length of hysterosoma from sejugal furrow to bases of setae h2 215. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 18. Hysteronotal shield ( Fig. 1A): greatest length from anterior end to bases of setae h2 201, width at the very anterior margin 42, anterior margin concave, anterolateral corners blunt-angular, lateral margin with small incision at the level of trochanters III, setae d2 posterior to these incisions, surface without ornamentation. Subhumeral setae c3 thin spiculiform, 11

in length; seta cp 100 in length. Opisthosoma hourglass-shaped, with constriction at level of femoragenu IV, width at level of this constriction 22, greatest width of posterior end 42; length of interlobar septa 63. Terminal lamella with three pairs of smooth-edged festoons. Setae h2 whip-like without noticeable enlargement in basal half, greatest width 4. Setae h3 absent, setae ps2 greatly reduced. Distance between dorsal setae: c2: c2 103, c2: d2 44, d2: e2 110, h2: h2 21.

Epimerites I fused into a Y, sternum about half the total length of epimerites, with narrow sclerotized areas; epimerites II straight, coxal fields II roughly rectangular in shape, almost closed. Coxal fields III open, coxal fields IV closed. Length of genital apparatus 17, width 13. Pregenital sclerite Y-shaped, connecting inner ends of epimerites IIIa and apex of paragenital arch. Adanal shields split into pairs of anterior comma-shaped pieces and posterior longitudinal pieces. Coxal setae 4b and 3a roughly at the same transverse level, pseudanal setae ps3 and coxal setae 4a at the same level ( Fig. 1B). Setae 4a on the striated tegument, setae ps3 on small comma-shaped sclerites (anterior pieces of adanal shields). Posterior pieces of adanal shields flanking adanal suckers laterally. Adanal suckers 9 in diameter, distance between centers of discs 18. Distance between ventral setae: 4a–4a 27, 3a–g 23, g–ps3 30.

Seta mG of genu I spine-like, straight, with acute apex; seta mG of genu II stout, tooth-like with bluntly rounded apex ( Fig. 3B). Solenidion σ of genu III subequal in length to tibia III. Solenidion φ of tibia III subequal to corresponding tarsus and ambulacrum combined. Length of legs from anterior margin of trochanter to tip of ambulacrum: leg III 152, leg IV 196. Length of solenidia: σI 27, σII 8, σIII 29, φI 56, φII 73, φIII 43, φIV 60, ω1I 23, ω3I 37, ω1II 71.

Female (Range for 2 paratypes) ( Figs. 2, 3E–H, J, 4D–F). Idiosomal size, length × width, 389–393 × 114–117. Prodorsal shield as in the male, length 68–70, width of posterior part

59–63; distance between setae se:se 68–69. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin convex, surface without ornamentation, greatest length from anterior margin to level of setae h3 271–

287, width of anterior part 56–57 ( Fig. 2A, B). A pair of small lateral sclerites present at level of trochanters IV. Setae c3 thin spiculiform 10–11. Setae e1, f2, ps1, ps2, ps3 absent;

setae h1 and e2 approximately at the same transverse level. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 20–22. Opisthosomal lobes strongly elongated, with long and acute membranous extensions, sclerotized part of lobes about 3 times longer than wide at base. Terminal cleft a narrow U, length from tip of membranous apex to the anterior end roughly at the level of setae h2 96–101. Distance between dorsal setae: c2: d2 56–57, d2: e2 100–102, e2: h2 66–69, h2: h3 53–58, h2: h2 41–42, h3: h3 22–23. Supranal concavity circular, separated from terminal cleft. Coxal fields I, II as in the male. Epigynum bow-shaped, length × width, 15–17 × 40–44 ( Fig. 2B). Legs I, II as in the male. Length of solenidia: σI 30–36, σII 10–11, σIII 29–31, φI 50–50, φII 65–66, φIII 17–18, φIV 15–19, ω1I 16–17, ω3I 25–26, ω1II

35–37.

Differential diagnosis — The new species is most similar to Alloptes (Sternalloptes) leptolobus Gaud, 1976 described from Sternula albifrons (Pallas, 1764) (Laridae) in having the of male (I) and female (J).

opisthosomal lobes of females strongly elongated, 3 or more times longer than wide. Alloptes (St.) hidasii sp. n. can be distinguished in having the following features: in males, the adanal shields are split into two pieces, the pregenital sclerite is Y-shaped, and setae h2 are whip-like, without any enlargement; and in females, the anterior end of the terminal cleft slightly surpasses the level of the setae h2, setae h1 and e2 are arranged in a transverse row, and a pair of small lateral sclerites are present at the level of trochanters IV. In males of A. (St.) leptolobus , the adanal shields are entire, shaped as an inverted L, the pregenital sclerite is V-shaped, and setae h2 are enlarged and flattened at their midlength; in females, the terminal cleft barely reaches the level of setae h2, setae h1 are distinctly anterior to the level of setae e2, and lateral sclerites are absent.

Etymology — The species is named after the recently deceased naturalist José Hidasi (1929–2021). Ifjú Vitéz Hidasi József Péter was born in Hungary, arrived in Brazil soon after the WWII, and adopted a Brazilian name, seeking his dream to become a naturalist in the tropics. He started with a professional bond and friendship with Helmut Sick (1910–1991),

the German naturalist, and assisted him in the Central Brazil expeditions of Fundação Brasil Central. Hidasi never left the region, settling down in Goiânia (Goiás State) fulfilling his dream and becoming a very prolific and competent naturalist, gathering specimens for several institutions and collections, natural history exhibitions and assembling what would become the Ornithological Museum of Goiânia ( Perotti 2005 ; Dornas 2009).