Achaemenothrombium cyrusi, Saboori & Wohltmann & Hakimitabar, 2010

Saboori, Alireza, Wohltmann, Andreas & Hakimitabar, Masoud, 2010, A new family of trombidioid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from Iran, Zootaxa 2611 (1), pp. 16-30 : 19-25

Achaemenothrombium cyrusi sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Diagnosis. Larva with the following features: Ge I with 4 normal setae, microseta on Ti I and Ge II with two tips, Ta I with 8 solenidia and 8 eupathidia, Ta II with 3 solenidia and Ti III with 9 normal setae.

Description. Larva. For morphometric data see Table 2. Habitus as in Figure 1 . Colour in life unknown. Specimens captured in the field parasitic on Catocala sp. ( Lepidoptera : Noctuidae ) by Masoud Hakimitabar.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 5). Cheliceral claw broken in both specimens. Hypostomal setae (cs) (31) smooth, oral setae (as) (7) spine-like. No supracoxal seta (elcp) visible. Pedipalp formula (ƒPρ): n-n-nnN 2 -nnNNNζω; with n = spines and N = unspecialized seta of normal length. Palp trochanter not detectable. Palp femur and genu each with one spine-like seta (4–5) dorsally. Palp tibia with two spines (3–4) dorsally near base of odontus plus one elongate, smooth seta (54) ventrally. Odontus with two tips, divided half length. On palp tarsus three distinctly prolonged, smooth setae (28, 45, 50) plus two spine-like, nude setae (3–4), one eupathidium (ζ) and one solenidion (ω) of about same length (6–8).

Idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Scutum pentagonal, oblong, rounded anteriorly, without lateral flaps, punctate, punctations more distinct medially between AL and PL bases. AL and PL setae with minute barbs; AM and sensilla smooth. Posterior to scutum an ovoid scutellum formed by fused c 1 plates, setae c 1 barbed, arising half length of the sclerite. Posterior to scutellum a second, smaller scutellum formed by fused d 1 plates, setae d 1 barbed, arising just anterior to half length of the sclerite. Two pairs of eyes at the level of posterior part of scutum, each pair situated on oval sclerite (34 × 57) and slightly protruding above idiosomal surface. Anterior lens (24) slightly larger in diameter than posterior lens (18). Rest of dorsum with smooth cuticle folded in lines. Dorsal setae barbed, situated on plates, arranged in rows C 1-3, D 1-3, E 1-3, F 1-3 and H 1-2 (including setae on anterior and posterior scutellum).

Ventral side of idiosoma with one pair of Claparéde's organs laterally between coxae I and II. Coxa I with setae 1a (55) and 1b (60) smooth, a smooth supracoxala (elc I) (8) located dorsolaterally on coxa I. Coxa II with setae 2a (65) and 2b (32) barbed. Coxa III with seta 3b (63) smooth. Setae 3a (58) located outside coxa III and form a pair of intercoxal setae. Posteriorly following 22 barbed setae around anal opening. Anal pore without sclerite, 48 long.

Legs ( Fig. 6 ). Segmentation formula: 6-6-6, for leg chaetotaxy see Table 1. The presence of two solenidia on Ti II and Ge II in one specimen is considered as intraspecific variability or abnormality. All normal setae on legs I– III setulose. Pretarsus of legs I– II with paired claws and claw-like empodium. Pretarsus of leg III with 1 claw plus empodium normal, the inner claw curved outside, shorter and slightly thicker .

Postlarval instars: unknown.

1 = palp tarsi poorly visible.

Type material. Holotype [ARS-20100224-1a] deposited at ‘Jalal Afshar Zoological Museum’, College of Agriculture , University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran, paratype [ARS-20100224-1b] deposited at ‘ Biozentrum Grindel und Zoologisches Museum’ (formerly Zoologisches Institut und Zoologisches Museum der Universitaet Hamburg, Germany).

Distribution. Iran, Tehran, Roodbar Ghasran village.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the name Achaemenes (7 th century BC, Persian king), traditional founder of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BC), also known as the Persian Empire which at the height of its power encompassed approximately eight million km 2. The species is named for Persian king, Cyrus the great (c. 600 BC or 576 BC – December 530 BC), also known as Cyrus II or Cyrus of Persia. Neutral in gender.

Remarks. Achaemenothrombium cyrusi gen. et sp. nov. differs from A. talebii in the number of normal setae on Ge I (4 vs. 3), number of normal setae on Ti I (10 vs. 9), Ti III (9 vs. 8), number of solenidia on Ti I (8 vs. 4), on Ta I (8–9 vs. 5), on Ta II (3 vs. 2), number of eupathidia on Ta I (8 vs. 6), microseta on Ti I and Ge II (with two tips vs. without two tips in A. talebii ), number of normal setae on Ta I (42–44 vs. 37), on Ta II (27 vs. 21), shorter AA (59–62 vs. 84), AW (111–114 vs. 141) and PW (93–99 vs. 119).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Achaemenothrombium cyrusi gen. et sp. nov. (larva). Legs I–III.

FIGURES 1–4. Achaemenothrombium cyrusi gen. et sp. nov. (larva). 1, idiosoma, dorsal view; 2, idiosoma, ventral view; 3, scutum; 4, scutellum I & II.