Dicrurobius cameroonensis Mironov et Wauthy, 2005

Mironov, Sergey V. & Wauthy, Georges, 2005, Two new species of the feather mite genus Dicrurobius Mironov, 2001 (Acari: Astigmata: Pteronyssidae) from drongos (Passeriformes: Dicruridae) in Africa, Zootaxa 1103 (1103), pp. 27-39 : 33-36

2. Dicrurobius cameroonensis Mironov et Wauthy sp. n. ( Figs. 4a, 5a, b, 6a)

Type material

Male holotype, 1 male and 2 female paratypes ( MRAC 180 180) ex Dicrurus adsimilis (Bechstein, 1794) , CAMEROON, Yaoundé, February 1956, coll. unknown; 6 male and 7 female paratypes ( MRAC 180 177 – 180 179), same data. Holotype and all paratypes – MRAC.

Description

Male (holotype). Idiosoma length from anterior margin to base of setae h2 430, width at level of humeral shields 270 (idiosomal size in 7 paratypes 410–420 x 245–265). Length of hysterosoma 258. Prodorsal shield: posterior angles almost rectangular, lateral margins without incision, posterior margin slightly concave, length along midline 152, width at posterior margin 170, setae se separated by 134 ( Fig. 4a). Setae c2 hair­like, short, situated on antero­median angle of humeral shield; setae c3 lanceolate, 30 x 6.5. Hysteronotal shield entire, anterior margin slightly concave, anterior angles blunt, length 260, greatest width at level of humeral shields 174. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline about 15. Opisthosomal lobes truncated; posterior margin of these lobes with narrow terminal membrane, which forms acute claw­shaped protrusion near outer angle of each lobe; median incision in terminal membrane poorly expressed, not extending to the level of setae ps1 ( Fig. 5a). Supranal concavity extending beyond the level of setae e2; distance from anterior end of the concavity to level of setae ps1 85. Setae f2 dorsal, anterior to base of setae ps2. Dorsal measurements: c2:d2 58, d2:e2 116, d2:gl 36, gl: e1 10–12, e2:h3 67, h2:h2 90, h3:h3 68. Setae ps1 about 62 long. Epimerites I fused as a Y, sternum about 1/3 of total length of epimerites. Transventral sclerite V­shaped, 18 along midline, 22 in width in narrowest part; tips of epiandrium extending beyond the base of genital apparatus; genital arch 25 x 15; aedeagus thin, directed anteriorly ( Fig. 5b). Adanal shield represented by unpaired sclerite at anterior end of anal slit and a pair of small lateral sclerites bearing setae ps3. Diameter of anal discs 23. Ventral measurements: ps2:ps2 128, ps3:ps3 48, ps3:h3 50. Ventral membrane of tarsus I as long as segment. Tarsus III 96 long, with acute apex, seta w setiform, about 65 long; setae s narrowly lanceolate, 25 long, setae r longer than segment. Tarsus IV subequal in length to tibia IV; modified seta d larger than modified seta e.

Female (paratype). Idiosoma length x width 540 x 265 (idiosomal size in all 9 paratypes 525–558 x 250–270). Length of hysterosoma 375. Prodorsal shield: posterior angles elongated, extending to bases of setae c2; lateral margins without incision; posterior

margin deeply concave; length of the shield along midline 157, greatest length 172, width of posterior part 190, setae se separated by 136. Setae c2 hair­like, short; setae c3 lanceolate, 36 x 8. Hysteronotal shield split into a large anterior part (main body of the shield) and pygidial sclerite by transverse obliquely striated band of soft tegument; anterior part of hysteronotal shield between levels of trochanters III and IV with pair of blunt­angular lateral extensions, posterior margin of anterior piece with narrow median incision about 65 long; surface of this sclerite monotonously punctured (in some paratypes cell­like pattern poorly distinct); total length of the hysteronotal shield from anterior margin to bases of setae h3 360, width at anterior margin 120, width at level of lateral extensions 190 ( Fig. 6a). Setae d2 mesal to lateral margins of hysteronotal shield. Setae ps1 anterior to level of setae h2. Dorsal measurements: c2:d2 108, d2:e2 162, d2:gl 70, gl: e1 18–22, e2:h3 100, h2:h2 97, h3:h3 78. Epimerites I fused as a Y, sternum short, less than ¼ of epimerite length. Epigynium with short lateral extensions and slightly divergent posterior ends, 48 x 92.

Diagnosis

Differs from other species by the following combination of features: in males, the prodorsal shield with slightly concave posterior margin ( Fig. 4a), the distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields is 10–15, and transventral sclerite slightly wider than long, and incision in terminal membrane is poorly expressed and not extends to the level of setae ps1; length of setae ps1 approximately equal to width of opisthosomal lobe ( Figs. 5a, b); in females, the hysteronotal shield is split into anterior piece (main body of the shield) and posterior piece (pygidial sclerite) by narrow transverse band of soft striated tegument, and main body of hysteronotal shield has blant­angular lateral extensions in anterior part ( Fig. 6a).

Etymology Specific epithet derives from the type locality.