Podocinum pacificum Berlese

Santos, Jandir C., Martins, João P. I., Britto, Erika P. J. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2017, A new species of Podocinum (Acari: Podocinidae) from Brazil, and supplementary descriptions of three species of this genus, Zootaxa 4290 (3), pp. 444-458 : 448-450

Podocinum pacificum Berlese

Podocinum pacificum Berlese, 1895: 319 .

Podocinum pacificum .— Berlese, 1913b: 85; Evans & Hyatt, 1957: 923; Athias-Henriot, 1959: 28; De Leon, 1964: 43; Ishikawa, 1970: 113; Yan et al., 2012: 43 .

Specimens examined. One female collected by J.L.C. Mineiro on April 5, 1999 at Piracicaba, São Paulo State; three females collected by A.R. Oliveira on February 7, 2000 at Piracicaba, São Paulo State; one female collected by A.R. Oliveira on February 6, 2000 at São Pedro, São Paulo State. All specimens collected from litter.

Adult female: (five specimens measured)

Gnathosoma. Chelicera with antiaxial and dorsal lyrifissures as well as dorsal seta distinct ( Fig. 13 ); fixed digit 50 (49–52) long, with five teeth in addition to apical tooth and a minute setiform pilus dentilis; movable digit 51 (50–53) long, with two teeth in addition to apical tooth. Palp setae (trochanter to tibia): 2-5-6-13; all setae aciculate and smooth; apotele 3-tined ( Fig. 14 ). Anterior region of epistome with three distally divided extensions; lateral extensions with outer margin denticulate ( Fig. 15 ). Deutosternum with anteriormost transverse line smooth followed by six transverse lines of denticles about parallel to each other, each with 22–29 denticles; corniculus horn-shaped, about 26 (25–26) long and 13 (12–13) wide basally; seta h 2 slightly posteriad of h 3 ( Fig. 16 ). Measurements of setae: h 1 24 (23–25), h 2 5 (4–5), h 3 34 (34–35), pc 24 (23–25).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Dorsal shield covered by small protuberances aligned to constitute a poligonal network ( Figs 17, 18 ), 436 (415–475) long and 323 (310–330) wide at widest level. Dorsal shield without lateral incisions. Podonotal region with 10 pairs of setae (j 1 –j 3, j 5, j 6, z 5, s 2 –s 5), one pair of distinguishable lyrifissures and four pairs of distinguishable pores. Opisthonotal region with six pairs of setae (J 3 –J5, Z 1, Z 3, Z 4), and two pairs of distinguishable pores. Setal lengths: j 1 12 (12–13), j 2 106 (105–108), j 3 20 (18–21), j 5 20 (18–21), j 6 26 (24–28), z 5 20 (18–21), s 2 19 (18–20), s 3 18 (18–19), s 4 18 (18–19), s 5 32 (30–34), J 3 72 (70–75), J 4 85 (80–90), J 5 102 (97–103), Z 1 42 (40–46), Z 3 150 (149–150), Z 4 165 (160–165). Setae (j 2, j 6, J 1, J 3, J 5, z 6, Z 1, Z 3, Z 4) strongly serrated, most podonotal setae aciculate, except j2 and (j 1, j 3, j 5, j 6, z 5, s 2, s 3, s 4) slightly serrated, j 6 and s 5, stout; opisthonotal seta stout ( Figs 17–19 ).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 20 ). Base of tritosternum indistinguishable; laciniae 45 (45–46) long, separated for about 95% of their total length ( Fig. 21 ). Sternal shield 78 (75–80) long at mid-line and 112 (110–116) wide between setae st 1 and st 2, reticulate; posterior margin slightly concave; with three pairs of setae (st 1– st 3); seta st 4 inserted on metasternal plate; lyrifissures (iv 1– iv 5) absent. Genital shield smooth centraly and with scant lateral lines, posterior margin slightly convex, widened posteriorly; distance st 5- st 5 70 (69–70). Pore gv 2 on unsclerotised cuticle. Ventrianal shield subtriangular 133 (129–140) long at mid-line and 255 (249–260) wide at widest level; with four pairs of setae (Jv 1, Jv 3, Jv 4 and Zv 2) in addition to circumanal setae; para-anal and post-anal setae similar in length, the former inserted slightly anteriad of level of posterior margin of anal opening. With a pair of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle flanking ventrianal shield (Jv 5). Exopodal plate fused with peritrematic plate next to coxa IV, entire, extending forward up to coxa II. Measurements of setae: st 1 24 (23–25), st 2 25 (24–25), st 3 24 (23–25), st 4 24 (22–25), st 5 25 (24–25); Jv 1 31 (30–32), Jv 3 31 (30–32), Jv 4 39 (35–41), Jv 5 26 (25–27), Zv 2 25 (25–26); para-anal 21 (20–21), post-anal 22 (20–23). All setae aciculate and smooth.

Peritreme and peritrematic plate ( Figs 17, 20 ). Peritreme extending forward beyond level of j 1, fused with peritreme of opposite side. Peritrematic plate fused with dorsal shield anteriad of s 2, extending posteriorly behind coxa IV; with a distinguishable pore next to coxa II; section posteriad of stigma with a pore and no distinct lyrifissures.

Spermathecal apparatus. Most similar to phytoseiid type; calyx and vesicle apparently constituting an elongate sac; major and minor duct distinct ( Fig. 22 ).

Legs. Median section of pulvilli of legs II–IV rounded; paradactyli of these legs elongate and acuminate ( Fig. 23 ). Lengths: I: 1227 (1200–1270); II: 658 (655–660); III: 597 (575–600); IV: 735 (725–750). Chaetotaxy/setation – coxae: I: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; II: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; III: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; IV: 0, 0/1, 0/0, 0; trochanters: I: 1, 0/1, 1/2, 1; II: 1, 0/1, 0/2, 1; III: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; IV: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; femora: I: 2, 1/1, 3/2, 2; II: 2, 2/2, 2/1, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 1/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/1, 1/ 0, 1; genua: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 2; II: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/0, 2/1, 0; tibiae: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 1; II: 1, 1/1, 2/ 1, 1; III: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 1; IV: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 0; tarsi: I: not counted, II: 18 setae, III: 18, IV: 17. No leg macrosetae.

Adult male. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 23. Podocinum pacificum Berlese. Female. 13. Antiaxial view of chelicera; 14. Apotele; 15. Epistome; 16. Hypostome; 17. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 18. Ornamentation of dorsal shield; 19. Seta J 3; 20. Ventral view of idiosoma; 21. Tritosternum; 22. Spermathecal apparatus; 23. Pretarsus of leg II. Lyrifissures and pores enlarged for improved visibility.