Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987

Mironov, Sergey V., Ehrnsberger, Rainer & Dabert, Jacek, 2017, Feather mites of the genera Dubininia and Cacatualges (Acari: Xolalgidae) associated with parrots (Aves: Psittaciformes) of the Old World, Zootaxa 4272 (4), pp. 451-490 : 459-461

Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987

( Figs. 4–6 )

Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud 1987: 204 , fig. 1–4; Halliday 1998: 29; Beck and Pantchev 2006: 203 –204; Mu et al. 2016: 31, fig. 8–10.

Material examined. 1 male and 2 females (UGA 12 253) from Melopsittacus undulatus (Shaw) (Psittaculidae) , USA, Georgia, Pet store, July 1894, coll. unknown.

Description. Male (1 specimen). Idiosoma, length × width, 335 × 225, length of hysterosoma 210. Prodorsal shield narrowly oval, with short posterolateral extensions bearing scapular setae se and si, with pair of median ridges, length along midline 75, greatest width at level of extensions 55 ( Fig. 4 A). Setae se separated by 42. Hysteronotal shield completely fused with humeral shields, anterior margin shaped as recurved bow, greatest length from anterior margin to level of setae h3 210, surface with a pair of longitudinally striated patches situated mesal to areas of humeral shields. Setae c2 situated on anterior margin of hysteronotal shield. Outer margins of opisthosoma slightly concave, width of opisthosoma at level of setae f2 100. Opisthosomal lobes long, slightly divergent; terminal cleft large, roughly triangular, with slightly concave lateral margins, interlobar septa extending beyond level of setae e2, length of cleft from anterior end to level of setae h3 57, length of cleft including septa 88. Interlobar membrane well-developed, incision in this membrane triangular, 32 long; terminal extensions of interlobar membrane poorly expressed, with posterior margins rounded, about 8 long; lateral membrane with smooth lateral margins. Setae d2 not extending to anterior end of terminal cleft, setae e2 extending beyond lobar apices. Setae h2, h3 and f2 situated on lobar apices, bases arranged in slightly oblique row, setae ps1 situated at level of setae f2. Setae f2 long filiform, extending beyond tips of tarsi IV. Setae ps2 situated on posterior margins of terminal extensions of interlobar membrane, 25–30 long. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 48, d2:e2 83, e2:h3 80, h2:h2 92, h3: h3 85, ps1:ps1 63, ps1:h3 6, h3:ps2 5.

Epimerites I fused as a Y, sternum about 1/3 of the total length of epimerites, area between anterior parts not sclerotized ( Fig. 4 B). Rudimentary sclerites of epimerites IIa present. Epimerites IIIa long, with wide sclerotized areas. Coxal fields IV closed. Genital apparatus enlarged posteriorly 16 × 12; paragenital apodemes absent; genital shield absent, g situated on soft tegument. Adanal shield entire, bow-shaped, bearing setae ps3, with tips not extending to level of adanal suckers. Adanal suckers circular, diameter 13. Setae 3a and 4b situated approximately at same transverse level. Setae 1a filiform, not extending to bases of setae 4b; setae 4b extending to base of genital apparatus; setae 3a extending to anterior end of terminal cleft. Distance between ventral setae: 4b:g 36, g:ps3 40, ps3:h3 100.

Tarsus I with ventral setae la, ra, and wa filiform, seta s slightly thickened basally ( Fig. 5 A). Genual solenidia: σ 1 I 85, σ III 38 long. Tarsus II with small semi-oval ventral extensions, seta s and wa thickened at base ( Fig. 5 B). Ambulacral disc I normally developed, circular, with long triangular central sclerite; disc II slightly smaller, central sclerite triangular; ambulacral discs III about 1.5 times shorter than disc I, disc IV strongly reduced. Legs III with tarsus and distal part of tibia extending beyond lobar apices. Tibia III with spine-like apical extension, 86 in length including extension, seta kT extending to midlevel of tarsus III ( Figs. 4 , 5 C). Tarsus III 76 long, with small spinelike apical process; setae w half as long as segment length; setae e, f situated approximately in the middle of segment, subequal in length. Tibia IV 49 long, with dorsal ridge; tarsus IV 27 long, with bidentate apical extension ( Fig. 5 D). Length of ambulacral discs: I— 14, II—12, III— 10, IV—5.

Female (range for 2 specimens). Idiosoma, length × width, 330-340 × 165-170, length of hysterosoma 210– 225. Prodorsal shield narrowly oval, strongly narrowed in anterior part, with posterolateral extensions bearing scapular setae se, si, with pair of median ridges, median area with larger dots than in lateral areas, length along midline 70–74, greatest width at level of extensions 45–48 ( Fig. 6 A). Scapular setae se separated by 41–45. Opisthosoma bluntly rounded. Hysteronotal shield absent. Distance between dorsal setae c2:d2 90–98, d2:e2 90– 96, e2:h 3 16–20, h2:h2 65–68, h3:h3 50–54. Setae c 2 10–15, d2 75–80, e2 32–35 long, all filiform.

Epimerites I fused into a V or Y with very short sternum, area between free parts of epimerites not sclerotized ( Fig. 6 B). Epigynum bow-shaped, 22–25 × 48–54, tips extending to level of genital papillae, setae 4b situated on epigynum far from its ends. Apodemes of oviporus short, extending slightly beyond level of trochanters III. Epimerites IIIa, IVa absent. Setae 1a filiform, not extending to epigynum. Setae 3a 32–35 long, 4a 65–70 long, 4b and g about 10 long. Setae g situated at level of setae 3a. Distance between ventral setae: 4b:3a 24–26, g:4a 60–65.

Legs I, II as in male. Genual solenidia: σ 1 I 25–28, σ III 5–7 long. Length of leg segments: tibia III 33 –35, tarsus III 48 –50, tibia IV 35 –40, tarsus IV 52 –54. Tarsi III, IV without ventral extensions ( Fig. 6 ). Setae sR III filiform, 25–30 long; setae kT III filiform, shorter than corresponding tibiae; solenidia φ III and φ IV 15–18 and 12 –15 long, respectively. Setae w III, w IV, and r IV thickened basally, with filiform apex; remaining setae of tarsi III, IV filiform. Ambulacral discs: I—10–12, II—9–10, III, IV—7–8 long. Ambulacral stalks of tarsi III and IV 2 –2.5 times longer than corresponding discs. Setae d of tarsi III, IV slightly longer than corresponding tarsi.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987, male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 5. Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987, details of male legs. A – D—tibiae and tarsi I – IV, respectively.

FIGURE 6. Dubininia melopsittaci Atyeo and Gaud, 1987, female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.