Chelonuropoda peruesis, Kontschán & Friedrich, 2018

Kontschán, Jenő & Friedrich, Stefan, 2018, First record of Chelonuropoda in Peru, with the description of a new species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Oplitidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 16, pp. 124-129 : 125-127

Chelonuropoda peruesis sp. nov. ( Figs 1-16).

Material examined. Holotype. Female. Peru, Deptartamento de Huánuco, Rio Yuyapichis, ACP Panguana , 9°37’S, 74°56’W, 230-260m, 23.IV.-09.V.2016., leg. S. Friedrich, F. Wachtel & D. Hauth (deposited in MUSM) . Paratype. Three males and one female with same data as holotype , two males deposited in MUSM , one female and one male in ZSM .

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma 1190–1200, width 760–800 (n = 2). Shape oval, posterior margin rounded.

Dorsal side ( Fig. 1). Dorsal and marginal shields fused close to anterior margin. Anterior region of marginal shield wide, bearing short, smooth, needle-like setae (ca 30–38) on its surface and wide and phylliform setae (ca 32–43) on its margins ( Fig. 3). All dorsal setae smooth, needle-like and very long (ca 85–130), apically very narrow and often curved. They placed in small, rounded depressions usually in association with short and setae-like sensory organs. ( Fig 4). Two strongly sclerotized O-shaped rings present on posterolateral areas of dorsal shield and wide lateral incisions situated posterior to O-shaped rings at margin of dorsal shield.

Ventral side ( Fig. 2). Sternal and ventral shields without sculptural pattern, nine pairs of sternal setae smooth, needle-like. St1 and St2 short (ca 21–23), St3 longer (ca 40–45), other sternal setae very long (ca 75–90). St1 Situated close to anterior margin of sternal shield, St2 close to anterior margin of genital shield, St3 and St4 at level of anterior margin of coxae III, St5 at level of central area of coxae III, St6, St7 and St8 at level of anterior margin of coxae IV and St9 at level of posterior margin of coxae IV. One pair of lyriform poroids situated close to St6, St7 and St8. Ventral setae smooth, needle-like, very long (ca 90–115), apically very narrow and placed in small rounded depressions in association with short and setae-like sensory organs. Metapodal region each with deep transversal furrow bordered with two rows of phylliform setae (ca 80–95) posterior to coxae IV. One pair of short (ca 15–17) and needle-like adanal setae (ad) situated posterior to anal opening. Other adanal and postanal setae absent. One pair of lyriform poroids situated anterior to adanal setae ( Fig. 5). Stigmata situated between coxae II and III. Peritremes mushroom-shaped with an accessory loop, but level of intraspecific variability very high ( Figs 11–15). Genital shield wide (315–320 long and 230–240 wide), linguliform, with small, oval pits ordered in two groups on its surface and without anterior process. Tritosternum with wide, quadrangular basis; laciniae with three, marginally pilose branches, central one longer than other two ( Fig. 6).

Legs ( Figs 7–10). All segments with simple and smooth setae and a pair of claws at the tip of the ambulacral prolongation. Claws of leg I smaller than on others, flap-like prolongation visible on femora of leg I-IV. Length of legs (from the basis of coxae to the tip of tarsi): leg I 490–500, leg II 515–520, leg III 450–460, leg IV 490–500.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 6). Corniculi horn-like, laciniae with several smooth and long branches. Hypostomal setae h1 smooth (ca 42–44), h2 (ca 72–78) apically, h3 (ca 92–100) and h4 (ca 19–23 μm) marginally serrate. Palp trochanter with one short smooth seta and one long, marginally serrate seta. Epistome triangular and apically pilose, chelicerae with one tooth on movable digit and four teeth on the fixed digit, internal sclerotized node absent, one dorsal seta present.

Male. Length of idiosoma 1160–1230, width 780–800 (n = 3). Shape oval, posterior margin rounded.

Dorsal side. Ornamentation and chaetotaxy as in female.

Ventral side. Ornamentation and chaetotaxy of ventral shield as in female. Sternal shield without sculptural pattern, the positions of eight pairs of sternal setae as in Fig. 16. St1 shorter (ca 11–13) than other sternal setae (ca 60–65). Three pairs of sternal setae (St3, St4 and St5) situated only in small rounded depressions. Three pairs of lyriform poroids situated on sternal region. Genital shield rounded and placed between coxae III. Gnathosoma and other appendages same as in female.

Nymphs and larva are unknown.

Etymology. The name of the new species refers to the country where it was collected.

Notes. On the basis of the shape of peritremes (mushroom-shaped with and accessory loop), the new species is similar to the C. similibispirata from Bolivia, but the dorsal and ventral setae are not situated in small rounded depressions, contrary with the new one.