Sperchon (Hispidosperchon) heteropoda, Zhang, Xu & Jin, Dao-Chao, 2010

Zhang, Xu & Jin, Dao-Chao, 2010, Three new species and one new record of the subgenus Hispidosperchon Thor, 1901 within the genus Sperchon Kramer, 1877 from China (Acari: Sperchontidae), Zootaxa 2684, pp. 14-24 : 20-22

Sperchon (Hispidosperchon) heteropoda sp. nov.

Figure C (1–7)

Type series. Holotype: Male, China, Guizhou Province, Xishui City, Sanchahe village, unnamed stream (N28°44'56'', E106°40'52''), 2 Jun 2000, leg. Jian-Jun Guo. The holotype was dissected and slide-mounted.

Diagnosis. Chitinous plates and glandular plates on both dorsum and venter well developed; A1 short and plumose; P-II with a large conic projection; P-IV with two enlarged peg-like setae on the distal half of the venter; the ventral distal ends of second-fifth segments of leg I-IV extended as triangular projections; excretory pore surrounded by a well developed sclerotized ring.

Description. Male: Body oval in shape, 788 in length, 596 in width. Cuticle puce in colour, covered with very fine spinules arranged in hexagonal pattern. Chitinous plates and glandular plates on dorsum and venter well developed as illustrated in Fig. C-1 and Fig. C-2. A1 short and plumose, other dorsal setae thin and long. Coxae in four groups, ACG and PCG close to each other, but not fused. ACG 227 in length, apodeme indistinct. E2 on the lateral interval between ACG and PCG. PCG 271 in length, E4 near to corner of posterior-median margin of CxIII. Distance between anterior end of ACG and posterior end of PCG 475. Genital field between PCG. Genital valves not covering the genital acetabula; the first pair of genital acetabula more or less triangular, the second pair foursquare somewhat, the third pair oblong and larger than the anterior twos. V1 on relatively small sclerites and without accompanying glandularia. Excretory pore surrounded by a well developed sclerotized ring. Gnathosoma with short rostrum, length 246. Chelicera total length 276, basal segment length 198, claw length 78, ratio of basal segment/claw length 2.5. Dorsal lengths of the palpal segments: P-I, 31; P-II, 132; P-III, 109; P-IV, 148; P-V, 49. P-I short and without seta. P-II with a large conic ventral projection bearing two thick setae and ten lateral and dorsal setae. P-III shorter than P-II, without seta on the ventral side, but with seven setae on the lateral and the dorsal. P-IV much longer than P-III, slightly curved dorso-ventrally, and with two enlarged peg-like setae on the middle of distal half of the ventral. Dorsal lengths of leg I: I-L-1, 60; I-L-2, 84; I-L-3, 113; I-L-4, 189; I-L-5, 117; I-L-6, 167. Dorsal lengths of leg IV: IV-L-1, 124; IV-L-2, 136; IV-L-3, 155; IV-L-4, 270; IV-L-5, 294; IV-L-6, 228. Leg IV with short smooth setae. The ventral distal ends of second-fifth segments of leg I–IV extended as triangular projections. Ambulacrum with two claws. Each claw with claw blade well protruding, bearing a long dorsal and a shorter ventral clawlet.

Etymology. The species is named after the characteristic of the leg, “hetero-“ Latin word, means different.

FIGURE C (1–7). Sperchon (Hispidosperchon) heteropoda sp. nov., Male. 1. idiosoma, dorsal view; 2. idiosoma, ventral view; 3. capitulum; 4. chelicera; 5. palp; 6. IV-L-1-6; 7. claw.

Remarks. Due to the well developed chitinous plates and glandular plates on the body, E4 on the EpIII, and the shape of palp, the new species similar to Sperchon (Hispidosperchon) placoderma Lundblad, 1941 ( Lundblad 1967) . But difference is found in the P-II, in S. placoderma , conic projection of P-II bearing two thin setae, in the new species conic projection of P-II bearing two thick setae. Furthermore, the shape and number of chitinous plates on dorsum and venter are different (see details of S. placoderma in Lundblad 1967). Besides, triangular extensions from the ventral distal ends of second-fifth segments of leg I–IV is unique in the new species, by which it can be easily distinguished.