Afrolistrophorus saxatilomys, Bochkov, Andre V., Abramov, Alexei V. & Hugot, Jean-Pierre, 2011

Bochkov, Andre V., Abramov, Alexei V. & Hugot, Jean-Pierre, 2011, Five new species of fur mites (Acariformes: Sarcoptoidea) from small mammals in Laos, Zootaxa 2980, pp. 1-22 : 14-17

Afrolistrophorus saxatilomys sp. n.

( Figs. 8 , 9 )

MALE (holotype, Fig. 8 ). Body 475 long (460–485 in 10 paratypes), 135 wide (130–135). Prescapular shield 125 long (120–125). Anterior margin of prescapular shield with distinct median process. Postscapular shield 85 long (75–85), covered by 10–14 narrow interrupted transverse sclerotized bands. Hysteronotal shield 225 long (210– 235), almost completely covered by striation, from anterior margin until level of setae e1. Idiosomal surface between prescapular and hysteronotal shields striated with 5–7 lines. Supranal concavity rounded in outline and completely closed; about 10 long in diameter. Setae h2 260 long (235–275); membranous setae h3 about 35 wide, without ribs. Terminal cleft about 40 long. Cuticle between coxal fields II very finely striated. Coxal apodemes III fused to each other. Aedeagus about 25 long. Diameter of paranal suckers about 11. Legs III and IV 100–110 and 140–150 long, respectively. Setae d III and d IV subequal or slightly shorter than respective tarsi, excluding pretarsus. Tarsus III with ventral membrane and dorso-subapical spur bearing seta d. Solenidia ω 1 I, II about 11 long, ω 3 I 27 –28 long, φI, II about 70 long.

FEMALE (10 paratypes, Fig. 9 ). Body 485–525 long, 125–135 wide. Prescapular shield 110–125 long. Anterior margin of prescapular shield with distinct median process. Postscapular shield 85–100 long, covered by 12–15 narrow transverse sclerotized bands medially interrupted in posterior half and slightly expanded laterally. Surface between postscapular and hysteronotal shields striated with 3–5 lines. Hysteronotal shield 75–80 long, covered by 8–14 interrupted narrow transverse sclerotized bands. Hysteronotum posterior to hysteronotal shield with 29–33 transverse striae. Posterior end of opisthonotum without sclerotized patches. Cuticle between coxal fields II not striated. Hysterosoma ventro-laterally with few verrucae between levels of trochanters III and IV. Opisthogaster with few median scales. Not striated posterior end of opisthogaster with pair of sclerotized patches. Setae h2 short, 5–7 long, subequal in length to other opisthosomal setae. Setae ps1 absent, ps2 present. Legs III and IV subequal, 75–85 long. Setae d III and setae d IV distinctly shorter than respective tarsi, excluding pretarsus. Solenidia ω 1 I, II about 10 long, ω 3 I about 25 long, φI, II about 33 long.

Type material. Male holotype (T-L-ZISP AVB 09-2307-005), 20 male and 20 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-005, # 1-40) from Saxatilomys paulinae Musser et al. ( Rodentia : Muridae ), 9 November 2008, coll. A. Abramov, A. Tikhonov (field number #AA, AT 15); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-001, #1-20), same data (#AA, AT 18); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-002, #1-20), same locality, 10 November 2008 (#AA, AT 27); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-003, #1-20), same data (#AA, AT 31); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-1505-002), same data (#AA, AT 28), 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-004, #1-20), same locality, 11 November 2008 (#AA, AT 39); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-05, #1-20), same data (#AA, AT 40); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-006, #1-20), same data, (#AA, AT 42); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09-2307-007, #1-20), same data, (#AA, AT 44); 10 male and 10 female paratypes (ZISP-L AVB 09- 2307-008, #1-20), same data (#AA, AT 45). Numerous mite specimens from all these records are preserved in alcohol.

Type deposition. Holotype and most part of paratypes—ZISP, 3 male and 3 female paratypes—in UMMZ, 3 male and 3 female paratypes—MNHN, 3 male and 3 female paratypes—IRSNB.

Differential diagnosis. Like the previous species, this new species belongs to the apodemi species group. Among this group the closest species is Afrolistrophorus punctatus Fain and Lukoschus from Spalax leucodon Nordmann ( Rodentia : Spalacidae ) from Hungary ( Fain & Lukoschus 1983). A. punctatus is known only from the holotype female collected from a museum specimen; therefore, this host record could be accidental. In females of both species, setae ps1 are absent and setae ps2 present, setae d III and IV are much shorter than the respective tarsi, excluding pretarsus, and the opisthosoma has no ventral scales or only posses a few scales. In females of A. saxatilomys sp. n., the body is 485–525 long, the postscapular shield is without the median longitudinal band, the posterior end of the opisthonotum is without sclerotized patches, and a few verrucae are present ventrally between levels of trochanters III and IV. In the female of A. punctatus , the body is 425 long, the postscapular shield has the median longitudinal band, the posterior end of the opisthonotum bears a pair of the sclerotized patches, the hysterosomal venter is devoid of any verrucae or scales. In addition, the dorsal shields of A. punctatus have narrower and less numerous striations than in the new species. Males of A. saxatilomys sp. n. resemble males of Afrolistrophorus apodemi Fain known mainly from species of the genus Apodemus ( Rodentia : Muridae ) ( Fain 1981b; Dubinina 1998). In males of both species, the hysteronotal shield is completely striated and the supranal concavity is small and rounded in outline. Males of the new species differ from those of A. apodemi by having narrower transverse bands on the postscapular shield and the presence of the ventral membrane on tarsus III.

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

Figures

FIGURE 8. Afrolistrophorus saxatilomys sp. n., male holotype. A—Dorsal view; B—Ventral view; C—Tarsus III in ventral view. Scale bars: 100 μm = A, B; 25 μm = C.

FIGURE 9. Afrolistrophorus saxatilomys sp. n., female: A—Dorsal view; B—Ventral view.