Trouessartia ruticilla Mironov and Chandler, 2020

Mironov, Sergey V. & Chandler, C. Ray, 2020, Feather mites of the genus Trouessartia (Acariformes: Trouessartiidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Georgia, USA, Zootaxa 4860 (1), pp. 1-54 : 36-40

Trouessartia ruticilla Mironov and Chandler , sp. n.

( Figs 23–25 )

Type material. Holotype male ( BMOC 20-0303-003), 10 male and 19 female paratypes from Setophaga ruticilla (Linnaeus, 1758) ( Passeriformes : Parulidae ) ( SVM 15-1012-6), USA, Georgia, Georgia Southern University Campus, 32°25’15”N, 81°47’22”W, 13 May 2015, coll. C. R. Chandler.

Depositories. Holotype, 5 male and 5 female paratypes— UMMZ, remaining paratypes—ZISP.

Description. MALE (holotype, ranges for 10 paratypes in parentheses) ( Figs. 23 , 25 A–D, G). Idiosoma, length × width, 430 (410–440) × 220 (205–220), length of hysterosoma 290 (275–295). Prodorsal shield: length along midline 130 (125–130), greatest width posterior to level of scapular setae 140 (135–145), anterior part at level of trochanters II not narrowed, anterolateral extensions angular, almost reaching bases of epimerites Ia, lateral margins not fused with scapular shields, posterior margin straight, surface without ornamentation. Internal scapular setae si spiculiform, 32 (22–32) long, separated by 53 (52–55); external scapular setae se separated by 97 (95–100). Setae c2 spiculiform, 47 (42–48) long, situated in anteromedian angle of humeral shields. Setae c3 narrowly lanceolate, with bluntly rounded tip, 25 (22–25) long. Hysteronotal shield completely separated into prohysteronotal and lobar parts, total length 280 (260–280). Prohysteronotal shield: length along midline 175 (170–185), width at anterior margin 145 (135–145), lateral margins at level of trochanters III with incision flanked by C-shaped sclerotized patch, DHA absent, surface without ornamentation. Dorsal setae d2, e2 present. Setae d1, f2 absent. Length of lobar shield excluding terminal lamellae 95 (90–95). Opisthosoma strongly attenuate posteriorly, opisthosomal lobes fused with each other along midline forming a heavily sclerotized median septum, only apical parts of lobes posterior to level of setae h2 separated by narrow terminal cleft with slightly concave lateral margins; length of cleft from anterior end to lobar apices 25 (22–25); length from anterior end to apices of terminal lamellae 52 (50–55), greatest width about 5. Terminal lamellae semi-ovate, with noticeably attenuate apices, with smooth margins, length from bases of setae h3 to lamellar apices 27 (25–30), greatest width 27 (25–27). Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 70 (65–70), d2:e2 97 (90–100), e2:h2 75 (72–78), h2:h3 253 (20–25), h2:h2 42 (37–45), h3:h3 32 (27–35), e1: e2 40 (37–43), ps1:h3 10 (7–10).

Epimerites I free. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa small, roughly circular. Genital apparatus: length excluding basal sclerite 53 (47–53), greatest width 25 (22–25), epiandrum roughly ovate, latigenital sclerites absent, distal ends of parameres without denticles, aedeagus shaped as thick conoid (fustum). Anterior and posterior genital papillae subequal in size, anterior papillae more distant from midline than posterior ones. Postgenital plaque small trapezoidal. Setae g long filiform, slightly thickened in basal part, bases of these setae separated, sclerotized areas around them weakly connected. Apophyses of adanal apodemes ridge-shaped with rounded tubercle at anterior end. Lateral margins of opisthosoma with barely distinct lateral membranes. Translobar apodeme present. Adanal shields represented by small triangular sclerites bearing setae ps3. Adanal suckers 13 (13–15) in diameter. Epimerites IIIa with anterior ends extending to level of setae 4b, inner margins without extensions. Epimerites IVa short and wide, with anterior ends not reaching levels of basal sclerite and setae g. Setae 4b situated anterior to level of setae 3a; setae g slightly posterior to level of setae 4a. Distance between ventral setae: 4b:3a 17 (10–17), 4b:g 82 (75–82), g: g 5 (5–6), g:ps3 55 (52–55), ps3: h3 92 (87–95).

Setae cG, mG of genua I, II filiform. Genual solenidia σ I and σ II situated approximately at midlength of corre- sponding genua ( Fig. 25A, B ). Trochanteral setae sR III narrowly lanceolate, with blunt apex, 17 (15–18) long. Legs IV with ambulacral disc extending to level of setae h3. Tarsus IV 35 (32–35) long; modified setae d barrel-shaped, with discoid cap, situated in distal one third of this segment; modified setae e button-like, without cap, situated apically ( Fig. 25C ). Length of solenidia: σ I 45 (42–45), σ II 10 (10–13), σ III 25 (25–28), φ IV 38 (35–38).

FEMALE (range for 10 paratypes) ( Figs. 24 , 25E, F ). Idiosoma, length × width, 495–525 × 210–225, length of hysterosoma 345–375. Prodorsal shield: shaped as in male, 130–140 long, 145–155 wide, surface with faint reticular ornamentation. Setae si thin spiculiform, 25–32 long, separated by 55–58; setae se separated by 100–105. Setae c2 spiculiform, 40–48 long, situated in anteromedial angle of humeral shields. Setae c3 narrowly lanceolate, with blunt apex, 20–23 long. Hysteronotal shield: length from anterior margin to bases of setae h3 315–335, width at anterior margin 140–150, lateral margins at level of trochanters III with incision flanked by C-shaped sclerotized patch, DHA absent, anterior half with numerous irregularly-shaped and ovate lacunae, area between levels of trochanters IV and setae h1 with small ovate lacunae. Dorsal setae d2, e2 present. Setae d1 absent. Setae h1 narrowly lanceolate, 24–30 long, situated anteromesal to bases of setae h2, 20–25 from corresponding lateral margins of hysteronotal shield, not extending to free margin of interlobar membrane. Width of opisthosoma at level of setae h2 90–105. Setae ps1 situated dorsally, equidistant from lateral margins of opisthosomal lobes. Supranal concavity open posteriorly into terminal cleft. Length of terminal cleft from supranal concavity to lobar apices 140–150, length from free margin of interlobar membrane to lobar apices 90–105, greatest width of cleft 40–45. Interlobar membrane occupying anterior 1/5th of terminal cleft. External copulatory tube straight finger-like with bluntly rounded apex, situated on free margin of interlobar membrane, 27–33 long; basal guides of copulatory tube weakly sclerotized, primary spermaduct guide in supranal concavity well developed. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 70–75, d2:e2 87–105, e2:h2 57–63, h2:h3 68–72, h2:h2 75–83, h3:h3 52–58, e1: e2 45–47, h1:h2 15–18, h1:h1 42–45, ps1:h3 17–18.

Epimerites I free. Epigynum 42–45 long, 90–94 wide. Inner margins of epimerites IIIa with denticle-like extension. Epimerites IVa short and wide. Anal opening with small adanal sclerites. Setae f2, ps2 present. Head of spermatheca with semi-ovate peak, primary spermaduct without enlargement, secondary spermaducts 25–30 long ( Fig. 25E ).

Legs I, II as in males ( Fig. 25A, B ). Trochanteral setae sR III narrowly lanceolate, with blunt apex, 17–18 long. Legs IV with ambulacral disc extending to midlength between setae h2 and h3. Length of solenidia: σ I 47–50, σ II 12–13, σ III 25–30.

Differential diagnosis. Within the capensis group, the new species, Trouessartia ruticilla sp. n., is most similar to T. mniotilta described above by the absence of setae d 1 in both sexes and in having long and relatively thin genital setae g in males and a finger-shaped external copulatory tube in females. Trouessartia ruticilla differs from the latter species by the following features: in both sexes, setae c3 have a bluntly rounded apex; in males, the inner margins of the terminal lamellae are slightly convex and almost touching; in females, the posterior part of the prodorsal shield with faint reticular ornamentation, the anterior part of the hysteronotal shield (anterior to the level of trochanters III) bears well outlined large lacunae of ovate and irregular form. In both sexes of T. mniotilta , setae c3 have a bidentate apex; in males, the inner margins of the terminal lamellae are parallel and clearly distant from each other; in females, the prodorsal shield lacks any ornamentation, and the large lacunae in the anterior part of the hysteronotal shield are poorly outlined in contrast to those in the area posterior to the level of trochanters III.

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the specific name of the type host and is a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 23. Trouessartia ruticilla sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 24. Trouessartia ruticilla sp. n., female.A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 25. Trouessartia ruticilla sp. n., details. A, B—genu, tibia and tarsus I, II of male, respectively, C—tibia and tarsus IV of male, D—setae si, c2, c3 and sRIII of male, E—spermatheca and spermaducts, F—opisthosoma of female, dorsal view, G—opisthosoma and genital apparatus of male, ventral view.