Ochaechulla spinturniciformis, MašánK & HallidayK, 2024

MašánK, Peter & HallidayK, Bruce, 2024, Ochaechulla spinturniciformis, a new genus and species of mite in the family Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Slovakia, Acarologia 64 (3), pp. 697-710 : 698

Ochaechulla spinturniciformis sp. nov.

Diagnosis (Female)

Idiosoma obovate, all legs thick and short, shorter than dorsal shield. Dorsal shield obovate, not covering entire dorsal surface, with 36 pairs of setae, 21 pairs podonotal j (1–j6, z2–z6,

s1–s6, and r2, r3, r5, r6) and 15 pairs opisthonotal J (2–J5, Z1–Z5, S1–S5, and R1); setae z1,

r4 and J1 absent; posterior dorsomarginal setae (except R1) located on soft integument next to the lateral margins of the shield. Idiosomal setae smooth, mostly basally thickened, their tips extending beyond the bases of following setae; vertical setae j1 () thinnest and shortest; humeral setae (r3) similar in length to adjacent setae; Z5 elongate. Dorsal and ventral shields finely punctate on surface, without reticulation or specific ornamentation, except for a transverse row of denticles anterior to bases of setae Z5 and J5. Tritosternum small, with short base and thin and finely pilose laciniae. Separate presternal platelets absent. Sternal and epigynal shields large, together occupying more than 3/4 of the total length of the idiosoma. Sternal shield about as wide as long, subquadrate, without lateral corners between setae st2 and st3 ; separate endopodal platelets between coxae II–III absent. Metasternal setae st (4) and associated lyrifissures (iv3) absent. Epigynal shield anteriorly with well-developed and broadly convex hyaline part, reaching beyond posterior margin of sternal shield. Peritremes strongly reduced to a very short prestigmatic section. Peritrematal shields small, suboval, located dorsolaterally in shallow indentation of the dorsal shield between setae r3 and r5. Anal shield subcircular, with posteriormost part reaching dorsal surface; postanal seta pa () conspicuously long. Gnathosomal corniculi horn-like, well separated and sclerotized; ventral surface of hypostome with seven or eight transverse rows of denticles. Anterior margin of epistome convex and finely denticulate. Palp tarsus with two-tined claw. Cheliceral digits short, chelate-dentate, with straight or only weakly curved terminal hooks; movable digit with a strong submedial tooth. Many leg segments with reduced number of setae; trochanters I–IV with five setae each; femora I–IV with 12, 9, 6, 6 setae; genua I–IV with 12, 10, 8, 9 setae; tibiae I–IV with 10, 8, 7, 9 setae; and tarsi II–IV with 16, 16, 14 setae.