Rafapicobia lepidocolaptesi, Skoracki, Maciej & Solarczyk, Piotr, 2012

Skoracki, Maciej & Solarczyk, Piotr, 2012, New picobiin mites (Acari: Syringophilidae: Picobiinae) associated with woodcreeper birds (Passeriformes: Dendrocolaptidae), Zootaxa 3406, pp. 59-66 : 62-65

Rafapicobia lepidocolaptesi sp. nov.

( Figs. 13–19 )

NON-PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE, holotype. Total body length 445 (405–425 in 3 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Each medial branch of peritremes with 4 chambers, each lateral branch short, with ill-defined chambers. Movable cheliceral digit edentate in posterior part. Stylophore 120 (120–130) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield entire, shirtlike, minutely punctate on whole surface, bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si, se and c1. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:2:2.7. Setae c1 and se situated at same transverse level. Pygidial shield well developed, surface minutely punctate. Setae f2 5.5–7 times longer than f1. Setae f1 1.7–2 times longer than h1. Setae h2 more than 30 times longer than h1. Two aggenital plates weakly sclerotized, bearing bases of setae ag 1 in posterior part or bases of these setae situated near these plates. Aggenital setae ag1 situated anterior to level of setae ag2. Setae ag1 and ag3 subequal in length, each more than 10 times longer than ag2. Two pairs of pseudanal setae and 1 pair of genital setae short and subequal in length. All coxal fields well sclerotized. Setae 3c 2.5 times longer than 3b. Setae vi, ve, si strongly beaded, c1, c2, se, d1, d2, and e2 lightly beaded. Legs. Most of dorsal and lateral setae of legs I–IV lightly beaded. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws III and IV subequal in size. Setae tc" of legs III–IV about 1.5–1.6 times longer than tc'III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 35 (25–25), ve 70 (55), si 95 (80–90), se (130–150), c1 (175–190), c2 (170–175), d1 135 (105–115), d2 185 (175–195), e2 150 (120–140), f1 7 (7–12), f2 70 (55–65), h1 7 (10), h2 360 (330), ps1, ps2 7 (7–10), g1 13 (10–15), ag1 135 (115), ag2 10 (10), ag3 125, tc'III– IV 35 (30), tc" III–IV 55 (55–65), 3b 35 (30), 4b 40 (35), 3c (75), 4c 85 (80), l'RIII 25 (25), l'RIV 20 (20).

PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Body bulb-shaped outline. Morphology of body and legs similar to non-physogastric form.

MALE. Total body length 310 in 1 paratype. Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex tapering. Each lateral branch with ill-defined chambers. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield entire, bearing all propodonotal setae except c2. All propodonotal setae lightly beaded. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:2.8:3.5. Setae c1 and se situated at same transverse level. Hysteronotal shield well sclerotized, entire, not fused to pygidial shield, bearing bases of setae d1 and e2. Setae d2 5.3 times longer than e2. Pygidial shield well developed. Setae h2 more than 10 times longer than f2. Two large aggenital plates situated close to one another, bases of setae ag1 situated on posterior margin of these shields. Legs. Most of dorsal and lateral setae of legs I–IV lightly beaded. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws III and IV subequal in size. Lengths of setae: vi 20, ve 55, si 70, se 100, c1 100, c2 105, d2 80, e2 15, f2 15, h2 170.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the generic name of the host— Lepidocolaptes .

Type material. Female holotype (non-physogastric form) and paratypes: 3 females (non-physogastric form), 2 females (physogastric form) and 1 male from Lepidocolaptes affinis (Lafresnaye) (Dendrocolaptidae) ; ECUA- DOR: Guale, coll. W. Schroeter. Host specimen deposited in the ZSM. Mites removed by M. Skoracki.

Type material deposited. All material is deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU–SYR.381), except 1 female paratype (non-physogastric form) in the ZSM (Reg. No. ZSM 20112015).

Additional material. From type host species: 3 females (non-physogastric form), 5 females (physogastric form), 1 male, 6 nymphs, 2 larvae; VENEZUELA: Cerro El Avila, 12 October 1913, coll. S.M. Klages. Host specimen deposited in the ZSM. Mites removed by M. Skoracki. All mite material is deposited in the AMU (Reg. No.

AMU–SYR.381B), except 1 female (physogastric form) in the ZISP (Reg. No. ZISP AVB 011–2908–014). From Lepidocolaptes souleyetii (Des Murs) (Dendrocolaptidae) ; 2 females (non-physogastric form), 8 females (physogastric form), 1 male, 3 nymphs, 3 larvae, 7 eggs; COLOMBIA: Bogota, no other data. Host specimen deposited in the ZSM. Mites removed by M. Skoracki. All mite material is deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU–SYR.382) except 1 female (physogastric form) in the ZSM (Reg. No. ZSM 20112017) and 1 female (physogastric form) in the ZISP ( ZISP AVB 011–2908–015).

Differential diagnosis. R. lepidocolaptesi is closely related to above described species by the presence of the entire propodonotal shield and the punctate pygidial shield in females, and by presence of the aggenital plate in males. These two species are distinguished by the following characters: in females of R. lepidocolaptesi , the hysteronotal shields are absent; the aggenital plates are present; the lengths of setae f1 and f2 are 7–12 and 55–70, respectively; the length ratio of setae vi and ve is 1:2; in males the aggenital plate is divided longitudinally. In females of R. dendrocolaptesi , two small hysteronotal shields are present around bases of setae d1; the aggenital plates are absent; the lengths of setae f1 and f2 are 20–25 and 100–135, respectively; the length ratio of setae vi and ve is 1:1.3–1.6; in males the aggenital plate is entire.

Figures

FIGURES 13, 14. Rafapicobia lepidocolaptesi sp. nov., female. 13, dorsal view; 14, ventral view.

FIGURES 15 – 19. Rafapicobia lepidocolaptesi sp. nov., female (15 – 17). 15, peritremes; 16, solenidions of leg I; 17, terminal opisthosoma in ventral view. Male (18, 19). 18, dorsal view; 19, opisthosoma in ventral view.