Syringophiloidus microcerculus Sikora and Skoracki

Sikora, Bozena, Fajfer, Monika, Kavetska, Katarzyna & Skoracki, Maciej, 2012, Three new species of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitizing the wrens (Aves: Troglodytidae), Zootaxa 3167, pp. 57-65 : 58-60

Syringophiloidus microcerculus Sikora and Skoracki sp. nov.

( Figs 1–6 )

Description. FEMALE (holotype, 9 paratypes). Total body length 570 (560–655). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2–3 chambers, each lateral branch with 8–9 chambers with striae ornamentation. Stylophore 145 (145) long. Movable cheliceral digit 115 (115–120) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield weakly sclerotized, striae visible, apunctate. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:1:2–3. Propodonotal setae thin and with delicate ornamentation. Setae c1 slightly (1.2 times) longer than d2. Hysteronotal shield weakly sclerotized, not fused to pygidial shield. Pygidial shield reduced to small shield bearing bases of terminal setae (f1, f2, h1 and h2). Setae d2 1.1–1.2 times longer than e2. Setae f1 and h1 subequal in length. Genital plate absent. Both pairs of genital setae subequal in length. Length ratio of setae ag1: ag2: ag3 1:1:1.3. Setae ps1 and ps2 subequal in length. Coxal fields I–IV sparsely punctate. Setae 3c 2.3–2.7 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 7–8 tines. Setae tc”III–IV 1.6–1.7 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 15 (15), ve 15 (15), si 35 (35–70), se 200 (195–205), c1 (190–205), c2 180 (160–175), d1 (130–150), d2 170 (145), e2 140 (125– 140), f1 15 (15), f2 185 (200–220), h1 15 (15), h2 315 (270–305), ps1 15 (15), ps2 15 (15), g1 25 (20–25), g2 25 (20–25), ag1 125 (125–130), ag2 (120–140), ag3 165 (155–160), tc’III– IV 35 (35–40), tc” III–IV 55 (55–65), 3b (30–35), 3c (80), l’RIII 40 (40–50), l’RIV 40 (35–40).

MALE. Not found.

Type material. Female holotype and 15 female paratypes from Microcerculus marginatus (Sclater); BRASIL, Para, Peixe-Boi, 5 May 1910, coll. L. Müller. Mites removed by M. Skoracki.

Type deposition. All type material is deposited in the AMU (AMU–SYR.349), except 2 female paratypes in the ZISP ( ZISP AVB 011-2908-002) and 2 female paratypes in the ZSM ( ZSMA 20112001).

Etymology. The specific name microcerculus is taken from the generic name of the type host and is a noun in apposition.

Differential diagnosis. S. microcerculus sp. nov. is morphologically similar to S. sialius Skoracki, Flannery & Spicer, 2009 described ex Sialia mexicana Swainson ( Passeriformes : Turdidae ) from USA ( Skoracki et al. 2009). In females of both species each medial branch of the peritremes has 2–3 elongated chambers, setae si are distinctly longer than vi; setae vi and ve are subequal in the length; hysteronotal setae (d1, d2 and e2) are subequal in length; the propodonotal shield is punctate; aggenital setae ag1 and ag2 are subequal in length. This new species differs from S. sialius by the following characters: in females of S. microcerculus , the infracapitulum is apunctate; each medial branch of the peritremes has 8–9 chambers; length of the stylophore is 145; propodonotal setae vi, ve and si are with delicate ornamentation; length of setae si is variable but no longer than 65; the hysteronotal shield is weakly sclerotized and the cuticular striae are visible; the coxal fields are sparsely punctate. In females of the S. sialius , the infracapitulum is punctuate; each medial branch of the peritremes has 11–12 chambers; length of the stylophore is 165–170; propodonotal setae vi, ve and si are smooth; length of setae si is 145–180; the hysteronotal shield is well sclerotized and the cuticular striae are invisible; the coxal fields are densely punctate.

Figures

FIGURES 1 and 2. Syringophiloidus microcerculus sp. nov., female. 1, in dorsal view; 2, in ventral view.

FIGURES 3 – 6. Syringophiloidus microcerculus sp. nov., female. 3, peritremes; 4, propodonotal setae vi, ve and si; 5, solenidia of leg I; 6, fan-like seta p’ of leg III.