Kaliszewskia ochoai, Lofego, Antonio C., Demite, Peterson R. & Moraes, Gilberto J., 2015

Lofego, Antonio C., Demite, Peterson R. & Moraes, Gilberto J., 2015, A new genus and species of Tarsonemidae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, Zootaxa 3986 (5), pp. 561-568 : 563-567

Kaliszewskia ochoai sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–6 )

Diagnosis. Adult females of this species can be distinguished from those of other tarsonemid species by the combination of characters given in the diagnosis of the genus.

Female (three specimens measured). Gnathosoma: ( Fig. 1a and 2 ) sub-triangular, length 30 (29–31), maximum width 38 (36–40); dorsal apodeme indistinguishable. Setae dgs 11 (10–12) and vgs 9, smooth; seta pp absent or indistinguishable. Palpi short and robust, each with one subterminal seta and a small cone-shaped structure. Cheliceral stylets 10 (9–10). Pharynx fusiform 16 (15–18) long and 7 (6–7) wide at widest region, with discrete muscular layer and thinly sclerotized walls.

Idiosoma ( Figs. 1 and 2 ): Tergites and ventral plates punctated; length 208 (193–230), width at level of c1 133 (130–138); prodorsal shield covering gnathosoma entirely. Stigma on discrete marginal projection of prodorsal shield, laterad of base of tubercle (40 long) bearing v1. Seta sc2 inserted anterolaterad of sc1. Lengths of setae: v1 40 (39–42), sc1 17 (16–17), sc2 35 (33–36), c1 48 (46–50), c2 22 (19–24), d 36 (33–39), e 6 (5–6), f 21 (20–22), h 8 (7–8). Distances between dorsal setae: v1–v1 17 (16–18), sc2–sc2 62 (61–62), v1 –sc2 34 (33–35), c1–c1 81 (77– 83) c2–c2 115 (110–118), c1–c2 40 (38–41), d–d 45 (44–46), f–f 29 (27–30), e–f 5 (4–5), h–h 19 (18–19). Seta v1 stout and strongly serrate; seta sc1 knobbed and with tiny spines; setae sc2, c1, c2 and d stout but flexible (tip bent to different directions in mounted specimens), barbed and knobbed; setae e, f and h barbed and sharp-tipped.

Coxisternal seta 1a 7 (6–7), inserted near junction of apodeme 1 with prosternal apodeme; coxal pits 1b hardly distinguishable, located anterolaterad seta 1a; seta 2a 7 (6–7) inserted on distal end of apodeme 2; coxal pits 2b posterolaterad 2a; seta 3a 7 (7–8), inserted midway between sejugal apodeme and apodeme 3; seta 3b 5, inserted on distal end of apodeme IV. Prosternal apodeme fused with apodemes 1, but not with apodeme 2, conspicuous from apodeme 1 to level of posterior ends of apodemes 2, widening and fading posteriorly to reach sejugal apodeme, which is continuous, but faded medially. Apodeme 3 slightly arched, transverse, extending from anterior end of trochanter III to level posterolaterad insertion of 3a. Poststernal apodeme distinct, not bifurcate anteriorly, extending from level of apodeme 3 to level of posterior end of trochanter III. Tegula rounded, 11 (10–11) long and 12 (11–12) wide at base. Anterior edge of metapodosomal plate nearly straight. Posterolateral extensions of coxisternal plates IV approaching but not overlapping each other medially beneath tegula. Setae ps minute (2).

Legs ( Figs. 3–6 ): lengths (proximal end of trochanter to distal end of tarsus): leg I 52 (51–52), leg II 53 (52– 53), leg III 54 (51–57), leg IV 36 (36–37). Number of setae (solenidia in parentheses) on femur, genu, tibia and tarsus, respectively: leg I: 4–4–6+8(+1 ω), leg II: 3–3–4–5(+1 ω), leg III: 1+3–4–4. Tarsal solenidion ω of tibiotarsus I 7 (6–7), stout and slightly elongate. Sensory cluster of tibia I incomplete (φ 1 and φ2 missing); eupathidion k (5) proximal to d 34 (32–35), serrate. Solenidion ω of tarsus II proximal, 7, stout and slightly elongate; seta pl'' absent. Seta d of tibia II 38 (36–40), serrate. Femurogenu IV 25; tibiotarsus IV 15. Lengths of leg IV setae: v´F 7, v´G 8, v'Ti 16 (16–17) and tc'' 22 (21–23); setae v'G and v'F slender and smooth, v'Ti lanceolate and smooth; tc"Ta slender and serrate.

Larva and male: Unknown.

Type material. Holotype ♀ (specimen number 9515): Serra do Conduru, Uruçuca, Bahia State, Brazil, on Plinia sp. ( Myrtaceae ), 16 March 2013, deposited at Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista ( UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil. Paratypes: 2♀ (specimen numbers T-MZLQ 3013, T-MZLQ 3014): Ilha do Cardoso, Cananéia (25°04S; 47°55W), São Paulo State, Brazil, on Blepharocalix salicifolius (Kunt) O. Berg ( Myrtaceae ), 16 July 2012, deposited at Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”( ESALQ), Universidade de São Paulo ( USP), Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil. All specimens collected by P. R. Demite.

Etymology. This species is named after the eminent acarologist Ronald Ochoa, USDA, USA.

Remarks. Nothing is known about the feeding behavior of this species. Tarsonemini species are known as egg parasitoids, algivores, fungivores or phytophages ( Lindquist 1969, 1986; Lofego et al. 2005). The feeding habits of species of the genera morphologically most similar to Kaliszewskia are also inadequately known. Fungitarsonemus species have been speculated to feed on fungi, which could also be the case of the species here described, given that the habitats where the types were found are humid, allowing easy development of fungi on leaves. Species of Ceratotarsonemus , Daidalotarsonemus and Rynchotarsonemus are also thought to feed on algae, lichens or on plant leaves.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Kaliszewskia ochoai sp. nov. (female). Ventral surface.

FIGURES 1 a – b. Kaliszewskia ochoai sp. nov. (female). 1 a, gnathsosoma, dorsal view; 1 b, idiosoma, dorsal surface.

FIGURES 3 – 6. Kaliszewskia ochoai sp. nov. (female), 3, leg I; 4, leg II; 5, leg III; 6, leg IV.