Picobia epthianura, Skoracki & Glowska & Sikora, 2008

Skoracki, Maciej, Glowska, Eliza & Sikora, Bozena, 2008, Four new species of the quill mite genus Picobia Heller, 1880 (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitizing birds in the Australian Region, Zootaxa 1961 (1), pp. 58-68 : 62-64

Picobia epthianura sp. nov.

( Figs 13–19 )

Description. FEMALE. ( Figs 13–19 ). Total body length 400 in holotype (415 in one paratype). Gnathosoma . Chelicerae edentate. Hypostomal apex tapering ( Fig. 15 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 4–5

chambers, each longitudinal branch with indistinct borders between chambers ( Fig. 18 ). Length of stylophore 100 (105). Idiosoma . Propodosomal shield divided into two lateral fragments bearing setae sci and sce and one punctated median fragment bearing setae vi, ve and d1. Borders between lateral and median fragments of propodosomal shield indistinct. Length ratio of setae ve:vi:sci 1:2.3:4. Bases of setae vi set posterior to level of setae ve. Setae vi, ve and sci slightly knobbed ( Fig. 16 ). Bases of setae d1 and sce situated at same transverse level. Hysterosomal shield absent. Pygidial shield well sclerotized and punctated. Length ratio of setae d4:l4 1:1.6. Bases of setae ic1 not fused. Paragenital setae pg1 set anterior to level of setae pg2. Setae pg1 and pg3 subequal in length and 1.7 times longer than pg2. One pair of anal setae present ( Fig. 19 ). Opisthosomal lobes not developed. Cuticular striations as in Figs 13 and 14 . Legs. Coxal fields I–IV well sclerotized and sparse punctated. Dorsal setae of legs I and II slightly knobbed. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV subequal in size ( Fig. 17 ). Tarsal setae tc” of legs III and IV 1.5 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 20 (20); ve (45); sci 90 (80); h 125 (115); sce 130 (125); l1 120 (135); l4 75 (70); d1 130 (165); d2 120; d4 45 (45); d5 25; pg1 100 (85); pg2 55 (65); pg3 100.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material. Female holotype and 1 female paratype (Syr. 214) from the Orange Chat Epthianura aurifrons Gould ( Passeriformes : Meliphagidae ), Australia, no other data. Host specimen is deposited at MNHW. Type series is deposited at AMU.

Etymology. The specific epithet epthianura derives from the generic name of the host and is a noun in apposition.

Differential diagnosis. Picobia epthianura sp. nov. is closely related to P. locustella Skoracki, Bochkov et Wauthy, 2004 described from Locustella naevia (Boddaert) ( Passeriformes : Sylviidae ) ( Skoracki et al. 2004). In females of both species, the propodosomal shield is divided into three fragments, the hypostomal apex is tapering, the bases of setae vi are set anterior to the level of setae ve bases and a single pair of anal setae is present. This new species differs from P. locustella by the following characters: in females of P. epthianura sp. nov., the bases of setae sce and d1 are situated at the same transverse level, and the length ratio of setae d4:l4 is 1:1.6. In females of P.locustella , the bases of setae sce set posterior to the level of setae d1 bases, and the length ratio of setae d4:l4 is 1:2.3.

Figures

FIGURES 13–19. Picobia epthianura sp. nov. (female). 13, dorsal view; 14, ventral view; 15, hypostomal apex; 16, seta ve; 17, tarsus III; 18, peritremes; 19, vulva. Scale lines 50 µm (Figs. 13 and 14), 20 µm (Figs. 15–19).