Morelacarus jorgei, Stekolnikov, Alexandr A. & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2015

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A. & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2015, A review of Chilean chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae), with the description of a new genus and ten new species, Zootaxa 3964 (1), pp. 1-43 : 32-34

Morelacarus jorgei sp. nov.

(Figs. 19, 20)

Diagnosis. SIF = 5B-B-3-2000.0000; fsp = 6.6.6; fCx = 2.1.1; fSt = 0.2; fPp = B/B/BBB; fSc: PL> AL> AM; Ip = 581–643; fD = 2H-[8-4]-6-8-8-4-2; DS = 42; VS = 23–29; NDV = 65–71. Standard measurements of type series given in Table 7 .

Description (larva). IDIOSOMA. Eyes 2 + 2, on ocular plate. One pair of humeral setae and 40 dorsal idiosomal setae covered with moderate barbs, arranged [8-4]-6-8-8-4-2; 2 sternal setae between leg coxae III; 23– 29 ventral setae; total number of idiosomal setae excluding coxal and sternal 65–71; stigmae present between gnathocoxa and leg coxae I; tracheae extend to posterior end of idiosoma.

GNATHOSOMA. Cheliceral blade with dorsal row of 5 teeth and 2 ventral teeth; gnathobase without puncta, bears 1 pair of branched setae; palps without puncta; galeala branched; palpal claw with 3 prongs; setae on palpal femur, genu, and tibia branched; palpal tarsus with 5 branched setae and basal tarsala.

SCUTUM. Nearly subpentagonal, with nasus, 2 puncta near posterior angles, rounded posterior margin, 2 AM, 2 AL, and 2 PL setae; AM base at level of ALs; SB slightly posterior or at level of PLs (P-PL—PSB = 0–4); PL> AL> AM; flagelliform sensilla with 8–10 branches in distal half.

LEGS. All 6-segmented, with 1 pair of claws and claw-like empodium. Onychotriches present (1 cilium on each claw). Leg I: coxa with 2 non-specialized branched setae (2B); trochanter 1B; femur 6B; genu 4B, 2 genualae, microgenuala; tibia 8B, 2 tibialae, microtibiala; tarsus 24B, tarsala 6 long, microtarsala near and slightly proximal to tarsala, pretarsala. Leg II: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; femur 5B; genu 4B, microgenuala; tibia 6B, 2 tibialae; tarsus 17B, tarsala thin, 16 long, with slightly inflated apex, microtarsala distal to tarsala, pretarsala. Leg III: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; femur 4B; genu 4B; tibia 6B; tarsus 15B.

Hosts. Liolaemus platei Werner and Liolaemus nigromaculatus (Wiegmann) .

Type material. Holotype larva ( ZIN collection No. 8451, T-Tr.-74) ex L. platei No. IV 136 (27), CHILE: Coquimbo Region, Limarí Province, Fray Jorge National Park, 16 March 2011, coll. D. González-Acuña; 4 paratypes larvae (Nos. 8450, 8454, 8459, 8463) with same data.

Additional material. Four specimens (Nos. 8446–8449) ex L. nigromaculatus No. III 307 (31), CHILE: Coquimbo Region, Limarí Province, Fray Jorge National Park, 10 December 2010, coll. D. González-Acuña.

Etymology. The species named after Fray Jorge, a priest of the Franciscan order who discovered in 1627 the forest place where today the Fray Jorge National Park is located.

Remarks. The new species differs from all other Morelacarus in the presence of 2 genualae I vs. 1 and absence of tibiala III.

Of the specimens included in the additional material, one is similar to the type series but has a larger scutum (AW 52 and PW 69), longer scutal setae (AM 32, AL 27, and PL 31), and fD = 2H-[8-6]-6-8-8-4-2; other 3 could not be measured.

FIGURE 19. Morelacarus jorgei sp. nov. A, scutum and eyes (holotype); B, dorsal idiosomal seta of 1st row (holotype); C, preanal ventral idiosomal seta (holotype); D, dorsal aspect of gnathosoma; E, ventral aspect of gnathosoma; F, tarsus, tibia, and genu of leg I; G, tarsus, tibia, and genu of leg II; H, tarsus, tibia, and genu of leg III. Scale bars: 50 Μm (A, F–H), 20 Μm (B–E).

Tables

TABLE 7. Standard measurements of Morelacarus jorgei sp. nov.

Variable	Holotype	Range	Mean	Sample size
AW	45	45–47	46	4
PW	57	57–63	60	4
SB	18	18–22	20	4
ASB	20	20–22	21	4
PSB	14	14–14	14	4
SD	34	34–36	35	4
P-PL	14	14–18	16	4
AP	17	15–19	17	4
AM	18	16–20	18	4
AL	20	20–24	22	4
PL	27	27–28	28	4
S	45	-	-	1
H	31	30–32	31	4
D min	19	18–19	19	4
D max	28	27–29	28	4
V min	18	17–18	18	4
V max pa	23 205	23–24 205–225	24 217	4 3
pm	178	176–193	185	4
pp	198	198–225	209	4
Ip	581	581–643	614	3
DS	42	42–42	42	4
VS	23	23–29	26	4
NDV	65	65–71	68	4
TaIIIL	54	54–56	56	4
TaIIIW	11	11–14	12	4