Hieracolichus falcon, Hernandes, 2020

Hernandes, Fabio A., 2020, A review of the feather mite family Gabuciniidae Gaud & Atyeo (Acariformes Astigmata: Pterolichoidea) of Brazil, with descriptions of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4747 (1), pp. 1-53 : 33-37

Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov.

( Figs. 22–24 )

Type material. Holotype male (#4915) , paratypes (#4916–4974) 16 males, 21 females and 11 nymphs ex Caracara plancus (Miller, 1777) ( Falconiformes : Falconidae ), specimen found dead on meadow, BRAZIL, São Paulo State, Rio Claro, 22°24ʹ S, 47°33ʹ W, 22 April 2014, F.A. Hernandes col. ; paratypes 1 male, 4 females and 8 nymphs, same host species, Campinas , 22°54ʹ S, 47°03ʹ W, 16 September 2010, D. V. Boas-Filho col. (#782) ; paratypes 4 males and 4 females, same host species, Campinas, Unicamp, 22°49ʹ S, 47°04ʹ W, S.M. Allegretti col. (#22).

Depositories: Holotype and paratypes at UFSC.

MALE ( Figs. 22 , 24 A–E). (Holotype, range for five paratypes in parentheses). Gnathosoma roughly square, length including palps 74 (67–74), greatest width at base 73 (69–79). Idiosoma length from anterior end to bases of setae h3 on lobar apices 385 (383–448), greatest width at level of humeral setae 239 (197–279); length of hysterosoma 292 (291–309). Prodorsal shield: antero-lateral extensions protruding to margins of propodosoma between trochanters I and II, not fused with epimerites Ia, antero-lateral margins heavily sclerotized, lateral margins with wide incisions partly encircling bases of setae se, posterior margin slightly sinuous, greatest length 95 (88–91), width at posterior margin 113 (109–119). Setae vi thin piliform, 47 (41–56) long, extending to basal half of palps. Setae si thick spiculiform, 41 (41–48) long. Distance between bases of scapular setae: se: se 74 (72–75), si: si 33 (29–34). Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate with apical filament, length × width 24 (19–24) × 4 (4–5). Hysteronotal shield: greatest length from anterior margins to bases of setae h3 262 (273–299), length along midline 185 (190– 206), width at anterior margin 178 (165–182), anterior margin almost straight with irregular lateral angles, anterior surface with reticulate ornamentation, central part with small circular lacunae. Lateral bands distinct. Lobar areas of hysteronotal shield not separated from main body of hysteronotal shield. Supranal concavity small, opened posteriorly, with irregular margin. Setae c2 thick spiculiform, 42 (43–47) long, situated slightly off the anterior angles of hysteronotal shield, cupules ia immediately postero-mesal to their bases. Setae e1 situated slightly posterior to level of hysteronotal gland openings gl. Terminal cleft with anterior part narrow, triangular in shape, and with posterior part nearly 3 times wider and with almost parallel opisthosomal lobes. Length of terminal cleft from anterior end to lobar apices (bases of setae h3) 65 (62–78), width at level of setae h1 103 (98–104). Inner margin of opisthosomal lobe with distinct blunt-angular ledge anterior to setae h1, anterior part of margin heavily sclerotized, posterior part membranous, tips with small semicircular membranous extensions. Setae e2 spiculiform 38 (41–46) long, with apices reaching level of setae h2; setae f2 spiculiform, 20 (20–28) long, situated at level of setae h2, setae h1 spiculiform, 27 (24–31) long, 3 (3–4) wide, situated posterior to level of setae h2. Distances between bases of dorsal setae and gland openings: c2: d2 89 (86–96), d2: e2 120 (128–140), e2: h3 57 (59–61), d2: gl 52 (49–55), h3: h3 131 (129–136), h2: h2 138 (136–146), d1: d2 27 (16–27), e1: e2 64 (69–78).

Epimerites I, II without inflated bases. Epimerites I with tips simple, not extending to bases of coxal setae 1a. Epimerites II almost straight. Genital apparatus immediately anterior to anal opening, genital arch 21 (19–24) × 20 (17–23), aedeagus not extending to its base. Bases of setae 4a separated, situated at midlevel of genital apparatus. Setae 4b at the same level of setae 3a. Setae g anterior to level of genital papillae. Distances between ventral setae: 4b: g 31 (30–40), g: 4a 87 (85–102), 4a: ps3 26 (31–33), ps3: ps3 121 (121–135), 4a: 4a 20 (20–24). Adanal suckers 20 (22–25) in diameter, corolla with 15–18 rounded denticles.

Femora I, II without ventral crest. Seta cG of genu I spiculiform, 28 (26–32) long, about as long as this segment. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I 23 (22–36) long, solenidion σ 2 absent. Solenidion σ of genu III situated in basal third of this segment. Solenidion φ of tibia IV shorter than corresponding tarsus. Tarsus IV with setae d and e minute spine-like. Legs IV with distal half of tarsus extending to level of lobar apices. Length of tarsi: I 47 (47–55), II 53 (53–65), III 57 (52–59), IV 65 (63–70). Ambulacral disc of tarsus I circular, subequal to those of tarsi II–IV. Length of solenidia: σ1 I 23 (22–36), σ II 9 (7–10), σ III 14 (19–26), ω1 I 14 (10–14), ω1 II 24 (21–25).

FEMALE ( Figs. 23 , 24F, G ) (range for five paratypes). Gnathosoma, length × width, 90–100 × 83–94. Idiosoma, length × width, 491–508 × 271–288, length of hysterosoma 349–377. Prodorsal shield shaped as in male, 107–117 × 115–139. Setae vi thin piliform, 56–66 long, reaching basal half of palps. Setae si thick spiculiform, 49–55 long. Distance between bases of scapular setae: se: se 70–82, si: si 23–34. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate with apical filament, length × width 17–28 × 4–5. Hysteronotal shield: entire, extending to posterior end of opisthosoma, anterior margin convex and irregularly indented, opisthosomal part with roughly trapezoidal incision (desclerotized area) having irregularly indented margins and bearing nearly square sclerite in its center, greatest length 340–369, width at anterior margin 203–217, surface with numerous small circular lacunae between levels of setae d1 and e1, and longitudinal sinuous striations posterior to setae e1. Postero-lateral margins of hysteronotal shield heavily sclerotized. Lateral bands well developed. Setae c2 thick spiculiform, 53–56 long, situated off hysteronotal shield; cupules ia postero-mesal to them and also off this shield. Setae d2 short piliform, 12–20 long. Setae e1 posterior to level of hysteronotal gland openings gl. Setae e2 lanceolate with apical filament, length × width 31–37 × 4–5, setae f2 thin piliform 23–27 long, setae h1 short piliform, 8–14 long, situated in anterior angles of unsclerotized area of hysteronotal shield. Distances between dorsal setae and gland openings: c2: d2 96–105, d2: e2 181–203, e2: h3 39–52, d2: gl 63–75, h1: h1 86–100, h2: h2 91–102, h3: h3 68–77.

Epimerites I, II without basal inflation. Epimerites I not extending to setae 1a. Epigynum horseshoe-shaped, 59–64 long, 56–68 wide. Setae 4b situated on epigynum, of approximately at midlength of its branches. Setae 4a situated slightly anterior to genital papillae. Copulatory opening terminal, situated on minute cone-like extension immediately posterior to anal opening. Two narrow ventral sclerites near posterolateral margins of opisthosoma, bearing setae ps1 at their postero-median tips. Distances between ventral setae: 4b: g 37–48, 4b: 3a 8–19, g: 4a 18–26, ps2: ps3 25–34, ps2: ps2 75–104.

Femora I, II without ventral crest. Setae cG of genu I long spiculiform, 38–42 long, about the same length as the segment. Legs IV with distal part of tarsus extending beyond posterior end of opisthosoma. Length of tarsi: I 58–62, II 66–69, III 65–69, IV 79–88. Length of solenidia: σ1 I 35–46, σ II 9–15, σ III 23–27, ω1 I 12–15, ω1 II 24–27.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is similar to H. ramosus ( Gaud & Mouchet, 1959) in having setae cG on genu I about the same length as this segment; in other species of the genus, this seta is at least 1.5× longer than the segment. Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from H. ramosus in having the following features: in both sexes, seta cG I is simple (not branched), and the hysteronotal shield bears numerous irregular lacunae; in males, the lobes are relatively short, with length equal to their width at the level of setae e2, setae h1 are similar in size to setae f2. In H. ramosus , setae cG I is bifurcate distally, and the hysteronotal shield has reticulate ornamentation; in males, the opisthosomal lobes are about 1.5 times longer than the width at the level of setae e2, setae h1 are about 1.3 times longer than setae f2.

Etymology. The specific epithet reflects that this is the first Hieracolichus species described from a falconiform host.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov., male: dorsal (A) and ventral (B) views.

FIGURE 23. Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov., female: dorsal (A) and ventral (B) views.

FIGURE 24. Hieracolichus falcon sp. nov.: legs I–IV of male (A–D), dorsal opisthosoma of male (E), distal part of tibia and tarsus IV (F) and spermatheca of female (G).