Holoparasitus rondai, Ilinca Juvara-Bals, 2017

Ilinca Juvara-Bals, 2017, New and rare species of Holoparasitus Oudemans, 1936 (Acari, Gamasida, Parasitidae) from the Athias-Henriot Collection, Revue suisse de Zoologie 124 (2), pp. 225-239 : 228-230

Holoparasitus rondai sp. nov.

Fig. 2

Holotype: Male; Spain, Sierra de Ronda, Monte Arastepa, Prov. Andalusia, sifting of leaf litter and humus under bushes of Quercus ilex L. and Crategus sp., alt. 1100 m; 26.02.1951 (Sp. 34).

Paratypes: 10 males and 17 females, 1 DN; same data as for holotype.

Other material examined: 2 males, 3 females; same locality as types, sifting of turf soil, alt. 1400 m (Sp. 37).

Diagnosis: Male characterized by trispinate gnathotectum with a straight line between central prong and lateral spines and by tibia II with an ovoid and large apohysis. Female distinguished by epigynium with a subapical structure extending slightly beyond lateral margin of apex, its posterior side denticulate.

Etymology: The name is derived from the mountain Sierra de Ronda where the species was found.

Description of male: Length of idiosoma 624-650, width around 360. Cuticle well sclerotized, yellowbrown; length of some podonotal setae: j1 = 36, j2 = 48, s1 = 24, z2 = 36 others 25 to 30; opisthonotal setae from 14 to 16; length of peritrematal shield 210-228.

Ventral idiosoma: Sternogenital shield reticulated, without any pattern. Genital lamina with large triangular central process and rounded corners. Length of peritrematal shield = 210-228.

Gnathosoma: Gnathotectum trifid, with triangular, slender central prong and two little lateral spines ( Fig. 2D ). Hypognathal groove with 10 fine denticulated rows, hypostomatic setae simple, palpcoxal setae pilose, their length hyp.1 = 42, hyp.2 = 48, hyp.3 = 24, pc. = 48. Corniculi conical, with protuberance in proximal half ( Fig. 2E ). Palptrochanter with seta v1 barbed and v2 slightly pilose; between them a flat protuberance ( Fig. 2C ).

Chelicera ( Fig. 2A ): Fixed digit slender its apex slightly curved, two little teeth above and below pilus dentilis. Movable digit with two denticles and a tooth at end of spermatotrema. Medium-sized brush-like process on arthrodial membrane ( Fig. 2B ).

Legs: Armature of leg II as in Fig. 2F : truncated femoral apophysis and rounded axillary process both ending on same level. Trapezoidal apophysis located near distal genual margin. Oval tibial apophysis large. On coxa II a ridge of 9 denticles. Measurements: tarsus I = 175-182; tarsus IV = 184-192.

Description of female: Length of idiosoma 720-745. Podonotal setae simple, j1 = 48, others 24-42 long; opisthonotal setae short (18). Peritrematal shield 222- 240 long.

Ventral idiosoma: Presternal plate denticulate, narrowed medially. Sternal shield with one dotted stripe medially; gland pore gv1 located under st3, near posterior margin ( Fig. 2G ). Epigynium with pyramidal apex; subapical epigynial structure with lateral sides smooth and its center denticulated ( Fig. 2H ). Paragynial shield with ellipsoidal posterior protrusions, metagynial sclerite elongated ( Fig. 2I ). Endogynium cup-shaped, with two protrusions curved inwards; lateral walls of some specimens armed with 1 to 3 spines ( Fig. 2 J-K). Eight pairs of ventral setae, on opisthogaster, their length 42 to 60. Gland pore gv2 simple. Measurements: sternal shield: st1-st1’ = 54-57, st2-st2’ = 85-93, st3-st3’ = 110-120; length of sternal setae st1 = 54-60, st2 = 90-96, st3 = 110-120; h = 96-97. Epigynium: height = 144-146, basal width = 180-192, h/b = 0.75-0.83.

Gnathosoma: Gnathotectum trispinate, with central prong long ( Fig. 2L ). Hypognathal groove with 10 rows of fine denticles; hypostomatic setae simple (hyp.1, hyp.2 = 48, hyp.3 = 24), palpcoxal pilose (48-54). Corniculi conical. Palptrochanter with seta v1 barbed and seta v2 slightly pilose.

Legs: Coxa II with an anterolateral ridge of 9 denticles. Tarsus I = 180-197; tarsus IV = 204-209.

Remarks: The most easily recognized features, which distinguished the male of H. rondai sp. nov. from the other species of the mallorcae -group, are the big oval apophysis (78 long) on tibia II, the characteristics of the chelicera and those of the trochanter of the pedipalp.

The female is similar to the females of the mallorcae - group by having a cup-shaped endogynium with two protrusions on its posterior margin (sometimes with denticles on lateral walls) and a trispinate gnathotectum. This is particularly visible in H. mallorcae , H. vaucheri , H. ellipticus Juvara-Bals & Witalinski, 2000 and H. gibber .

The form of the endogynial protrusions (curved inwards) as well as characteristics of the epigynial apex make the female of H. rondai sp. nov. easily distinguishable.

Figures

Fig 2. Holoparasitus rondai sp. nov., male (A-F), female (G-L). (A) Chelicera, paraxial view. (B) Arthrodial membrane with brushlike process. (C) Palptrochanter. (D, L) Gnathotectum. (E) Corniculus. (F) Femur, genu tibia of leg II. (G) Presternal plate and sternal shield. (H) Epigynium. (I) Paragynium. (J-K) Endogynium.