Myrmozercon michaeli Joharchi

Joharchi, Omid & Moradi, Maryam, 2013, Review of the genus Myrmozercon Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae), with description of two new species from Iran, Zootaxa 3686 (2), pp. 244-254 : 248-250

Myrmozercon michaeli Joharchi sp. nov.

( Figures 14–24 )

Specimens examined. Holotype, female, Iran, Damavand Mountain, 35°52' N, 52°07' E, alt. 2422 m, 25 April 2011, M. Moradi coll., in nest of Messor sp. (in YIAU). Paratypes, seven females, same data as holotype; two females, Karaj city, 35°50' N, 50°53' E, alt. 1585 m, 18 April 2013, O. Joharchi coll., in nest of Messor sp.(six females in JAZM and YIAU, three females in ANIC).

Description. Female. Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 14 ). Length 560–580, width 372–446 (n = 8). Shield posteriorly truncate, not covering entire idiosoma, leaving a curved strip of unprotected skin posterior to setae Z5, shield surface unornamented medially, but with a few individual small, scale-shaped polygons laterally; with 39 pairs of long setae (j4, j5, z5 50–52, Z5 62–64, J5 40–42), 22 podonotal, 17 opisthonotal, including two pairs of Zx setae between J and Z setae, almost all setae distinctly serrate in apical third ( Fig. 15 ), two pairs of setae in soft skin posterior to shield, setae on shield uniform in length and thickness except j1, z1 minute. Opisthonotal region without unpaired supernumerary setae Jx. Setae in R series reduced. Pores and lyrifissures minute and obscure.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Tritosternum with columnar base 30–32 long and paired pilose laciniae 57–59 long ( Fig. 17 ). Pre-sternal area with some transverse lines, pre-sternal shields absent. Sternal shield length 124–134, narrowest between coxae II (109–111), widest between coxae II & III (178–183), with biconvex anterior margin; posterior margin concave; shield bearing three pairs of smooth pointed setae (st 1 40–47, st 2 45–47, st 3 45–47) and two pairs of lyrifissures, one pair of lyrifissures adjacent to setae st 1, another pair of larger lyrifissures between st 2 and st 3; surface with indistinct reticulate ornamentation and weak transverse lines near the antero-lateral margin, central area smooth. Metasternal platelets absent, metasternal setae st 4 (37–42) and metasternal pores located in soft skin; endopodal plates II/III fused to sternal shield, endopodal plates III/IV elongate, narrow, curved. Genital shield elongate, tapering and rounded posteriorly, 228–248 long, 128–142 maximum width. Surface with characteristic ornamentation including distinct Λ-shaped lines and polygonal cells, bearing the genital setae st 5, shield slightly expanded at posterior level of genital setae. Paragenital pores located on soft skin lateral to shield between seta st 5 and Jv1. Anal shield subtriangular, length 104–108, width 94–100, its anterior half with lineate ornamentation and a pair of lateral pores; bearing long thick post-anal seta 37–40 long, and a pair of para-anal setae 27–32. Opisthogastric skin with one pair of long narrow metapodal plates (length 70–74), and 16 pairs of distinctly serrate in apical third setae (Jv1, Jv2, Jv3 40–42, Zv1 42–45, Zv2 50–52, Zv5 62–67), and three pairs of pores near the metapodal plate. Peritreme extending from coxa IV to mid level of coxa II, peritrematal shield long and reach to mid level of coxa I, post-stigmatal section conspicuous, with a pair of pores, and one pair of large pores anterior to the stigmata.

Gnathosoma . Hypostomal groove with seven rows of denticles, 9 to 15 very fine denticles per row except fifth row with only five teeth ( Fig. 18 ). Hypostomal seta h 1 20–22, h 2 20–22, h 3 22–25, palp coxal seta 32–35, surface of hypostome ornamented with transverse and curved lines. Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 2, femur 5, genu 6, tibia 12; all palp setae pointed; palp tarsal claw two-tined ( Fig. 19 ), dorsodistal edge of palp femur with low swelling. Epistome triangular, smooth, with pointed apex ( Fig. 20 ). Chelicera hyaline, fixed digit of chelicera reduced and edentate, pilus dentilis absent, dorsal seta thick, prostrate ( Fig. 21 ); movable digit with one subterminal tooth and one stronger terminal tooth, arthrodial membrane with a rounded flap and a few short filaments ( Fig. 21 ). Corniculi short, broad, weakly sclerotised and hyaline. Internal malae separate, fine and pointed, essentially smooth although edges sometimes with some denticles. Lateral arms absent.

Legs: Legs II and III short (336–342, 346–356; from base of coxa to base of pretarsus), I and IV longer (480– 496, 406–416; from base of coxa to base of pretarsus). Chaetotaxy: Leg I: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 1/2 0/1 1 (pl thick), femur 2 3/1 2/3 2, genu 2 3/2 3/1 2, tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1 (ad 1 and pd 1 long and thick, Fig. 22 ), genu 2 3/1 2/1 2, tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2. Leg III: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1(al thick), femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 (ad 1 long and thick, Fig. 23 ), genu 2 2/1 2/1 2, tibia 2 1/1 2/1 1. Leg IV: coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/2 1 (al thick), femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 (ad 1 long and thick, Fig. 24 ), genu 2 2/1 3/0 2, tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2. Tarsi I–IV with 16 setae, pre-tarsi with membranous ambulacrum, claws very thin.

Insemination structures: Insemination ducts opening on posterior margin of coxa III; sacculus foemineus not visible, apparently unsclerotised.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Dr. A. D. Michael, who did important early work on Laelapidae from ants.

Notes. Myrmozercon michaeli differs from all other species in the genus by its long peritreme, almost all dorsal setae distinctly serrate in the apical third, and all anterior dorsal setae on femura II–IV thickened.

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 24. Myrmozercon michaeli Joharchi sp. nov., female. 14. Dorsal shield; 15. Dorsal seta enlarged (J 5) (not to scale); 16. Ventral idiosoma; 17. Tritosternum; 18. Hypostome; 19. Palp tarsal claw; 20. Epistome; 21. Chelicera; 22. femur II, dorsal aspect; 23. femur III, dorsal aspect; 24. femur IV, dorsal aspect.