Armascirus pennsylvanicus Skvarla and Dowling

Skvarla, Michael J. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2012, Some new armascirine cunaxids (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from the Eastern United States, Zootaxa 3194, pp. 1-34 : 9-10

Armascirus pennsylvanicus Skvarla and Dowling sp. nov.

( Figs. 5–7 )

Diagnosis. Armascirus pennsylvanicus most closely resembles A. virginiensis as it lacks a hysterosomal (median) shield and the apical palp telofemoral apophysis does not reach the apical palp genual apophysis. It can be distinguished from A. virginiensis by the chaetotaxy of the palp tibiotarsi (1 spls + 4 sts instead of 1 spls + 3 sts.

Female. Idiosoma 500 (n=1) long, 375 wide.

Gnathasoma ( Fig. 5 ). Subcapitulum ( Fig. 5 a) nearly ½ the length of idiosoma, 265. Two pairs of adoral setae present. Four pairs of setae (hg1–4); hg1,2,4 subequal, hg3 longer by more than three times (20, 26, 73, 20). Palp ( Fig. 5 b) 238. Chaetotaxy: trochanter - 0; basifemur - 1 sts; telofemur - 2 spls, 1 apophysis; genu - 2 spls, 2 sts, 1 apophysis adjoining genu and tibiotarsus; tibiotarsus - 1 spls, 1 dtsl, 3 sts. Tibiotarsus ends in a claw. Chelicera ( Fig. 5 c) 238, elongate, base 4 times width of apex.

Dorsum ( Fig. 6 a). Proterosomal shield present and weakly reticulate. Two setose trichobothria (ap and pt) present on shield; 335 and 488, respectively. Two setae (lps and mps) also present on shield; 11 and 10, respectively. Hysterosomal (median) shield absent, lateral platelets present and reticulate. Setae c1–h1, c2 on minute sclerotized plates barely larger than the setal socket; 11, 10, 10, 15, 26 and 35, respectively. Cupule im present, laterad to e1. Integument striated.

Venter ( Fig. 6 b). Coxal plates I and II fused but retaining suture; coxal plates III and IV fused but retaining suture. Coxal plates weakly reticulate. Coxae I–IV setal formula 3-1-3-2. Genital plates weakly sclerotized with four pairs of setae (g1–g4); two pairs of papillae visible under genital plates. Three pairs of setae on or adjacent to anal plates: two pseudanal setae (ps1–2) and h2. Cupule ih present laterad to ps2.

Legs ( Fig. 7 a–d). Legs I and II shorter than body, 475 and 455; legs III and IV longer than body, 528 and 513. Chaetotaxy: trochanters I–IV, 1-1-2-1; basifemora I–IV, 5-5-4-2; telofemora I–IV, 4-4-4-4; genua I with 4 asl, 1 mst, 4 sts; genua II with 2 asl, 5 sts; genua III with 1 asl, 5 sts; genua IV with 2 asl, 5 sts; tibiae I with 1 asl, 1 mst, 4 sts; tibiae II with 1 asl, 5 sts; tibiae III with 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibiae IV with 1 T, 4 sts; tarsi I with 4 asl, 1 mst, 2 tsl, 1 fam, 19 sts; tarsi II with 1 bsl, 1 tsl, 19 sts; tarsi III with 1 tsl, 18 sts; tarsi IV- with 17 sts.

Male and developmental stages. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named after the state in which it was collected.

Material examined (1 individual on a slide). Female holotype ( APGD 10-0826-010), ex. maple and oak litter under mountain laurel along creek edge, USA, Pennsylvania, Somerset Co, Laurel Hill State Park, nr. Ebery Scout Reservation (40° 01.182 N, 079° 14.548 W). 26 August 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla.

Type deposition. Holotype—ACUA

Figures

FIGURE 5. Armascirus pennsylvanicus sp. nov. Gnathosoma. a — Subcapitulum. b — Chelicera, dorsal. c— Palp, dorsal. Polygonal sculpturing illustrated on basifemur present on all segments.

FIGURE 7. Armascirus pennsylvanicus sp. nov. Legs, dorsal. Polygonal sculpturing illustrated on leg I telofemur present on all segments of all legs. a— Leg I. b — Leg II. c — Leg III. d — Leg IV.