Amerodectes phrygilus, Mironov & González-Acuña, 2011

Mironov, Sergey & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2011, New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) from Chile and Cuba, Zootaxa 3057, pp. 1-48 : 6-9

Amerodectes phrygilus sp. n.

( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 A–F)

Type material. Male holotype ( ZISP 4578 ), 8 male and 10 female paratypes from the Patagonian Sierra-Finch 1. Humeral shields were missed in the original description of A. atyeoi ; actually they are present (B.M. OConnor, University of Michigan, USA, pers. comm.)

Phrygilus patagonicus Lowe (Emberizidae) , CHILE: Palena, Los Lagos, Huinay , 42°22ʹS 72°24ʹW, 4 December 2008, coll. D.A. González-Acuña.

Type depository. Holotype, 7 male and 9 female paratypes—ZISP, remaining paratypes—DGA.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 8 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 365 (355–370) × 148 (145– 160), length of hysterosoma 232 (225–235). Prodorsal shield: 113 (90–117) × 117 (113–125), lateral margins entire, antero-lateral extensions acute, posterior margin straight, most surface monotonously punctate, anterior part may bear few small lacunae; scapular setae se separated by 62 (60–70) ( Fig. 1 A). Setae ve present, rudimentary. Humeral shields absent. Setae cp and c2 situated on soft tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 20 (20–22) × 7 (7–8.5). Hysteronotal shield: length 240 (235–250), width in anterior part 110 (104–125), anterior margin straight, surface without pattern. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 7 (6–15). Opisthosomal lobes approximately as long as wide at base; posterior margin of lobes roughly rounded, with scarcely distinct extensions at bases of setae h2 and h3. Terminal cleft shaped as an inverted U with strongly divergent sides, 29 (28–32) in length. Supranal concavity present, semicircular. Setae f2 situated anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated slightly posterior to level of supranal concavity. Setae h3 whip-like, 68 (65–75) long, 1.5–2 times longer than distance between their bases; setae ps2 75 (70–78) long; setae ps1 minute, filiform, about 10 long, situated on margin of terminal cleft at level of setae h2. Distance between bases of dorsal setae: c2:d2 95 (90–100), d2:e2 80 (80–88), e2:h3 55 (50–55), d1:d2 45 (30–46), e1:e2 24 (20–24), h1:ps2 17 (13–17), ps1: h3 5 (5–6), h2:h2 60 (55–60), h3:h3 44 (40–45), ps2:ps2 68 (68–72).

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part tridentate posteriorly ( Fig. 1 B). Coxal fields I, II without extensive sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields I–III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized areas at bases of trochanters. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital arch of moderate size, with strongly divergent branches, 24 (22–26) × 44 (42–46); basal sclerite of genital apparatus with semicircular posterior margin; aedeagus sword-shaped, 100 (95–100) long, extending to midlevel of anal suckers; genital papillae not connected by bases. Genital and adanal shields absent. Anal suckers 11 (11–13) in diameter, corolla smooth. Opisthoventral shields wide, occupying distal half of lobes and lateral part of opisthosoma at level of anal field; inner margins of these shields at level of anal suckers straight. Setae ps3 situated on inner margin of opisthoventral shield at midlevel of anal suckers. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 7 (6–9), 3a:4a 38 (38–42), 4a:g 40 (37–40), g:ps3 55 (55–60), ps3:ps3 71 (68–72), ps3:h3 37 (33–38).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Figs. 3 A, B). Solenidion σ 1 of genu I 15 (12–15) long, situated at midlevel of segment; genual setae cG I, II and mG I, II filiform. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding setae f, seta d of tarsus III shorter than corresponding seta f ( Fig. 3 C). Tarsus IV 28 (24–28) long, without apical process; seta d situated in basal half of segment; solenidion φ of tibia IV extending to midlevel of ambulacral disc ( Fig. 3 D).

FEMALE (6 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 515–535 × 175–185, length of hysterosoma 380–390. Prodorsal shield: general form and surface as in male, 130–135 × 135–138, setae se separated by 75–78 ( Fig. 2 A). Setae ve present, rudimentary. Humeral shields rudimentary, represented by small sclerite with indented lateral margins, situated ventrally and touching bases of setae cp ( Fig. 2 B). Setae c2 on soft tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 20–22 × 8–9. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 10–15. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument, but remain connected ventro-laterally. Anterior hysteronotal shield almost rectangular, anterior margin straight, greatest length 285–295, width at anterior margin 130–140, whole surface monotonously punctuate, minute pit-like lacunae sometimes present in postero-lateral parts. Length of lobar region 102–105, greatest width 85–95. Terminal cleft as a very narrow U, parallel-sided, extending beyond level of setae h2, 70–77 long, width at midlevel 7–8. Surface of lobar shield punctate, supranal concavity present, ovate. Setae h1 near anterior margin of lobar shield; setae h1 and f 2 in trapezoid arrangement. Setae ps1 near inner margins of opisthosomal lobes. Setae h2 spindle-like, 45–49 × 8–9. Setae h3 20–25 long, about 1/6 of terminal appendages. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 120–128, d2:e2 122–128, e2:h2 95–108, h2:h3 48–51, d1:d2 48–65, e1:e2 30–35, h1:h2 40–42, h1:h1 35–37, h2:h2 72–75, h2:ps1 31–33.

Epimerites I fused into a Y with a very short sternum and with short lateral extensions. Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas ( Fig. 2 B). Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum without lateral extensions, greatest width 60–65; apodemes of oviporus fused with epimerites IIIa. Both pairs of pseudanal setae (ps) filiform, in trapezoid arrangement; setae ps3 at level of anterior half of anal opening; setae ps2 at level of posterior end of anal opening; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 47–50, ps3:ps3 20–22, ps2:ps3 26–28. Primary spermaduct enlarged and finely verrucate in most proximal part (20–25 long); secondary spermaducts almost twice as long as the enlarged area of primary spermaduct, finely verrucate basally ( Fig. 3 F).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of these legs without processes. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I 15–16 long, situated at midlevel of segment. Genual setae cG I, II and mG I, II filiform. Seta d of tarsus II subequal to corresponding seta f, setae d of tarsi III, IV shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with wide longitudinal dorsal crest ( Figs. 3 E), genu III with low longitudinal dorsal crest.

Differential diagnosis. Within the genus Amerodectes , the new species belong to the grouping of species having relatively long (whip-like) setae h 3 in males with lengths equal to or exceeding the distance between bases of scapular setae se. Among formerly described Amerodectes species with this feature, Amerodectes phrygilus sp. n. is most similar to A. molothrus Mironov, 2008 from Moolthrus bonariensis (Gmelin) ( Icteridae ) by the following characters: in males, the aedeagus extends to the anal suckers, the posterior end of fused epimerites I is tridentate; in females, the sternum formed by epimerites I has short lateral extensions. Amerodectes phrygilus differs from that species by the following features: in males, the humeral shields are absent, the inner margins of the opisthoventral shields are straight, setae d1 are approximately equidistant from the levels of setae c1 and d2; in females, the humeral shields are rudimentary and joined to bases of setae cp, setae ps2 are situated posterior to the anal opening, setae h1 are close to the anterior margin of lobar shield. In males of A. molothrus , the humeral shields are well developed dorsally, the inner margins of opisthoventral shields have an angle-like extension bearing setae ps3, setae d1 are much closer to the level of setae d2 than to that of c1; in females, the humeral shields are developed dorsally as in males but not joined to the bases of setae cp, setae ps2 are situated at the midlevel of anal opening, setae h1 are posterior to the level of supranal concavity.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Amerodectes phrygilus sp. n., male. A — dorsal view, B — ventral view. hn—hysteronotal shield, ov—opisthoventral shield, pr—prodorsal shield, sc—scapular shield, su—supranal concavity.

FIGURE 2. Amerodectes phrygilus sp. n., female. A — dorsal view, B — ventral view. ae—apodemes of oviporus, ah—anterior hysteronotal shield, co—copulatory opening, lb—lobar shield, pr—prodorsal shield, rh—rudimentary humeral shield, scscapular shield, su—supranal concavity, ta—terminal appendage, tl—translobar apodeme.

FIGURE 3. Amerodectes species, details. A – F — Amerodectes phrygilus sp. n., G – K — A. sicalis sp. n. A – D — legs I – IV of male, E — femur and genu IV of female, F — spermatheca and spermaducts, G, H — legs I, II of male, I — tibia and tarsus IV of male, J — femur and genu IV of female, K — spermatheca and spermaducts. co—copulatory opening, hs—head of spermatheca, pd—primary spermaduct, sd—secondary spermaduct.