Armascirus ozarkensis Skvarla and Dowling

Skvarla, Michael J. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2012, Some new armascirine cunaxids (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from the Eastern United States, Zootaxa 3194, pp. 1-34 : 6-9

Armascirus ozarkensis Skvarla and Dowling sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–4 )

Diagnosis. Armascirus ozarkensis resembles A. gimpelli and A. cerris by having a small hysterosomal (median) shield that is not complemented with dorsal setae and has lateral platelets. It can be distinguished from A. gimpelli by the lateral platelets being as long as the median shield and from A. cerris by the 6 pairs of ventral setae after coxae II (not including coxal, genital and anal setae).

Female. Idiosoma 388–575 (471, n=6) long, 313–475 (371) wide.

Gnathasoma. Subcapitulum ( Fig. 2 a) longer than ½ the length of the idiosoma, 270–330 (307). Two pairs of adoral setae present. Four pairs of setae (hg1–4); hg1,2,3 longer than hg4 and increasing in size (27, 37, 75, 14). Palp ( Fig. 2 b) 380–473 (410). Chaetotaxy: trochanter, 0; basifemur- 1 sts; telofemur- 1 spls, 1 apophysis; genu- 1 sts, 3 spls, 1 apophysis adjoining genu and tibiotarsus; tibiotarsus- 1 spls, 1 dtsl, 3 sts. The tibiotarsus ends in a claw. Chelicera ( Fig. 2 c) 228-295 (267), elongate, base 4 times width of apex.

Dorsum ( Fig. 3 a). Proterosomal shield present, reticulate. Two setose trichobothria (ap and pt) present on shield; 358–478 (414) and 488–623 (554), respectively. Two setae (lps and mps) also present on shield; 11–15 (12) and 7–15 (11), respectively. Hysterosomal (median) shield present but small, lateral platelets present; all plates reticulate. Setae c1–h1, c2 on minute sclerotized plates barely larger than setal socket; 11, 14, 18, 33, 38, and 12 respectively. Cupule im present, laterad to e1. Integument striated.

Venter ( Fig. 3 b). Coxal plates I and II fused but retaining suture; coxal plates III and IV fused but retaining suture. Coxal plates reticulate. Coxae I–IV setal formula 3-2-3-3. Six pairs of dorsal setae after coxae II (not including coxal, genital and anal setae). Genital plates weakly sclerotized with four pairs of setae (g1–4) and 2 pairs of papillae. Three pairs of setae on or adjacent to anal plates: Two pseudanal setae (ps1–2) and h2. Cupule ih present laterad to ps2.

Legs ( Fig. 4 a–d). Legs I, III and IV longer than body, leg II shorter. Leg I 400–563 (494), leg II 373–525 (453), leg III 455–593 (453), leg IV 480–650 (567). Chaetotaxy: trochanters I-IV, 1-1-2-1; basifemora I-IV, 5-5-4-2; telofemora I-IV, 4-4-4-4; genua I with 1 mst, 4 asl, 4 sts; genua II with 2 asl, 5 sts; genua III with 1 bsl, 5 sts; genua IV with 2 asl, 5 sts; tibiae I with 1 mst, 2 asl, 4 sts; tibiae II with 1 asl, 5 sts; tibiae III with 1 asl, 5 sts; tibiae IV with 1 T, 4 sts; tarsi I with 4 asl, 2 tsl, 1 mst, 1 fam, 21 sts; tarsi II with 1 bsl, 1 tsl, 21 sts; tarsi III with 1 tsl, 21 sts; tarsi IV with 20 sts.

Male and developmental stages. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named after the Ozark Highlands, the area in which it was collected.

Material examined (6 individuals on slides). Female holotype ( APGD 10-0528-008), ex. wet cedar and oak litter in rock crevice, USA, Arkansas, Newton Co, Buffalo National River, Steel Creek (36° 01.924 N, 093° 20.040 W), 28 May 2010, coll. J. R. Fisher and M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 10-0528-007), same data ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 10-0730-005), ex. mixed cedar and deciduous litter, same locality, 30 July 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 09-0829-002), same locality, 29 August 2009, coll. J. R. Fisher ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 10-0730-006), ex. moist mixed deciduous litter drifted against slope in creek bottom, same locality (36° 02.016 N, 093° 20.137 W), 30 July 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 09-0830-006), ex mixed deciduous litter, USA, Arkansas, Washington Co, Devil’s Den State Park (35° 46.817 N, 094° 14.750 W), 30 August 2009, coll. J. R. Fisher.

Type deposition. Holotype and 3female paratypes — ACUA; 1 female paratype — USNM; 1 female paratype — OSAL.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Armascirus ozarkensis sp. nov. Gnathosoma. a — Subcapitulum. b — Chelicera, dorsal. c— Palp, dorsal. Polygonal sculpturing illustrated on basifemur present on all segments.

FIGURE 4. Armascirus ozarkensis sp. nov. Legs, dorsal. Polygonal sculpturing illustrated on leg I basifemur present on all segments of all legs. a— Leg I. b — Leg II. c — Leg III. d — Leg IV.