Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917

Fajfer, Monika, 2020, A systematic revision of the scale mite genus Pterygosoma Peters, 1849 (Acariformes: Pterygosomatidae), Zootaxa 4805 (1), pp. 1-147 : 63-65

Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917 ( Figs 51 and 52 )

Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917: 137

Pterygosoma melanum Hirst, 1926: 196 , fig. 16; Lawrence 1936: 21, fig. 16

Pterygosoma melanum melanum Jack, 1962: 273 , figs 10–11

Type host: Agama atra (Sauria: Agamidae ). Type locality: South Africa (Deelfontein).

Redescription. FEMALE (based on neotype and 5 specimens from type host species, Agama atra ). Gnathosoma . Chelicerae 220–235 long; swollen cheliceral part 85–90 long, slender distal part 135–145 long. Fixed cheliceral digit with spinous process, 25–30 long. Setae dF and dG, 45–50 and 50–60 long, respectively (setae dF always 1.1–1.3 times longer than dG). Palpal tibia with short claw; palpal tarsi with 3 setae. Subcapitulum with smooth setae n, 25 long. Peritremes 105–125 long. Hypostome 215–220 long, with smooth slightly flattened apex. Idiosoma 700–825 long and 1050–1145 wide. Dorsum with 4 groups of setae: 60–80 pairs of serrate antero-lateral setae, 40–60 long; 4–5 pairs of paddle-shaped postero-lateral setae, about 75 long; 2 pairs of paddle-shaped dorsomedian setae: dm1 50–80 long and dm2 95–105 long and 16–20 pairs of paddle-shaped peripheral setae, 75–100 long. Eyes absent. Venter with filiform ventro-median setae vm1 and paddle-shaped setae vm2 and vm3. Genital slit situated dorsally. Genital series represented by 3 pairs of spine-like setae g1–g3; setae g1 most conspicuous, 30–35 long, setae g2 and g3 minute, about 5 long. Pseudanal series represented by 4 pairs of rounded setae, about 15 long. Legs chaetotaxy as in melanum group i. e. setae of trochanters I–IV (1–1–1–1), femora I–IV (3–1–1–1), genua I–IV (2–1–0–0), tibiae I–IV (5–3–3–3). Sometimes setae vGI absent. All setae on each podomere filiform, except for slightly serrate setae d’FI–IV. Setation of tarsi as in group B: tarsi: I 12 setae (ft, tc’, tc”, p’, p”, a’, a”, it’, it”, u’, u”, vs’) and solenidion ω1; II 8 setae (tc’, p’, p”, a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’) and ω1; III and IV with 8 setae each (tc’, p’, p”, a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’). Setae tc’ of legs II–IV, a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’ and vs” of legs I–IV slightly serrate.

MALE (based on description presented in Jack 1962b, amended). Gnathosoma as in female. Chelicerae about 95 long; slender cheliceral part about 55 long, swollen cheliceral part about 40 long. Idiosoma 235 long and 286 wide. Dorsum with about 20 pairs of short serrate setae, 20–25 long, situated antero-laterally; 7 pairs of apically expanded setae situated posteriorly, 50–60 long; 3 pairs of smooth dorso-median setae dm1–dm3: 35, 25 and 15 long, respecitively, and 7 pairs of paddle-shaped peripheral setae. Eyes present. Aedeagus about 115–140 long, directed forward; genito-anal opening with 2 pairs of filiform setae. Venter as in female. Legs I–IV as in female.

Type material (not examined). Holotype from Agama atra Daudin (Sauria: Agamidae ), SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Colony, Deelfontein.

Type material deposition. Unknown (it is not stated in the paper i.e. Hirst 1917, 1926).

Neotype (examined). One female from Agama atra Daudin , SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Colony, Deelfontein , 31 December 1920, coll. Logget.

Non-type material (examined). Three females from Agama atra Daudin , SOUTH AFRICA: Cape Colony, Deelfontein, 31 December 1920, coll. Logget; 1 female from same host, SOUTH AFRICA: Mpumalanga province, Klipfontein, 31 December 1926, coll. unknown; 1 female ( NHM no. 1966.2.22.726) from same host, locality unknown, coll. unknown (slide made by Mostafa) .

Hosts and distribution. This species was recorded from Agama atra from South Africa [Cape Colony, Deel- fontein; Mpumalanga province, Klipfontein; Gauteng Province, Pretoria and Rosslyn; Northern Cape Province, Kimberley, Victoria West, Hanover, Philipstown, Garies and Fourteen Streams; North West Province, Vryburg, Rustenburg and near Wolmaransstad; Eastern Cape Province, Cradock; Western Cape Province, Beaufort West, Hermanus, Vanrhynsdorp, St James, Table Mountain; Cape Peninsula, Cape Point and South West Africa], Lesotho [Maseru District, Maseru] ( Lawrence 1936) and Agama anchietae from SW Africa, Namibia [Lüderit II Karas Region, Lüderitz and Transvaal Province] ( Lawrence 1936, 1951; Jack 1962b).

Remarks. The redescription of P. melanus shows that 16–20 pairs of the peripheral setae are present vs. 18–22 pairs in the original description ( Hirst 1917) and 11–18 pairs according to Jack’s redescription ( Jack 1962b). Based on the close morphological similarity of specimen from type locality and type host to the original description of the species ( Hirst 1917), I designated a neotype and presented a redescription of the species above.

Figures

FIGURE 51. Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917, female. A, dorsal view; B, part of gnathosoma in dorsal view.

FIGURE 52. Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917, female. A, ventral view; B, tarsus II in ventro-later view.