Pterygosoma capensis Jack, 1962

Fajfer, Monika, 2020, A systematic revision of the scale mite genus Pterygosoma Peters, 1849 (Acariformes: Pterygosomatidae), Zootaxa 4805 (1), pp. 1-147 : 55-57

Pterygosoma capensis Jack, 1962 ( Fig. 44 ) new status

Pterygosoma melanum capensis Jack 1962: 274 , fig. 12

Type host: Agama atra (Sauria: Agamidae ). Type locality: South Africa (the Cape of Good Hope).

Redescription. FEMALE (based on holotype from Agama atra ). Gnathosoma . Chelicerae 220 long; swollen cheliceral part 85 long, slender distal part 135 long. Fixed cheliceral digit with spinous process, 10 long. Setae dF and dG 50 and 30 long, respectively. Palpal tibia with short claw; palpal tarsi with 3 setae. Subcapitular setae n absent. Peritremes about 150 long. Hypostome 185 long, with smooth rounded apex. Idiosoma 585 long and 1105 wide. Dorsum with 80 pairs of antero-lateral serrate setae, 30–55 long; 3–5 pairs of paddle-shaped postero-lateral setae, 90–120 long; 2 pairs of dorso-median setae: setae dm1 slightly serrate, 60 long, dm2 paddle-shaped, 50 long; 21 pairs of peripheral paddle-shaped setae, about 120 long. Eyes absent. Venter. Setae vm1 filiform, vm2 and vm3 with barely discernible serration. Genital slit situated dorsally. Genital series represented by 3 pairs of spine-like setae g1–g3. Setae g1 and g2 minute, about 10 long, setae g3 conspicuous, about 20 long.All pseudanal setae rounded, about 15 long. Legs chaetotaxy as in agamae group i.e. setae of trochanters I–IV (1–1–1–1), femora I–IV (3–1–1–1), genua I–IV (2–1–1–1), tibiae I–IV (5–3–3–3). All setae on each podomere filiform, except for slightly serrate setae d’FI–IV. Setation of tarsi I–IV as in group B: 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 and a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’, vs” of legs I–IV slightly serrate.

MALE (based on description presented in Jack 1962b, amended). Gnathosoma as in female. Chelicerae about 90 long; swollen cheliceral part and slender distal part subequal in length, about 45 long. Idiosoma 240–275 long and 455–510 wide. Dorsum with about 30 pairs of antero-lateral serrate setae, 15–30 long; 4 or 5 pairs of paddleshaped setae, 70–80 long; 2 pairs of smooth fine-pointed dorso-median setae dm1 and dm2, about 50 and 20 long, respectively, and 15–18 pairs of broad paddle-shaped peripheral setae, 70–95 long. Eyes absent. Aedeagus 110–140 long, directed forward; genito-anal opening with 2 pairs of filiform setae. Venter as in female. Legs I–IV as in female.

Type material (examined). Holotype ( NHM no. 1966.2.22.151) from Agama atra Daudin (Sauria: Agamidae ) ( NHM no. 1888.2.29.1), SOUTH AFRICA: the Cape of Good Hope, Knysna forest, 29 February 1888, coll. R. G. H. M. Fisk.

Type material deposition. All material deposited in the NHM .

Host and distribution. This species is known only from type host Agama atra from South Africa [the Cape of Good Hope, Knysna forest and Prince Albert ] ( Jack 1962b) .

Remarks. This species was described as a subspecies of Pterygosoma melanus Hirst, 1917 (= P. melanum Hirst, 1926 ) i.e. P. melanum capensis Jack, 1962 ( Jack 1962b) . However, the morphological differences between the specimens analyzed here allow the elevation of this subspecies to species level. In P. capensis setae dF are longer than dG (vs. setae dG longer than dF in P. melanum ), subcapitular setae n are absent (vs. setae n are present), setae dm1 are slightly serrate (vs. setae dm1 are paddle-shaped), 21 pairs of peripheral setae are present (vs. 16–20 pairs), setae vm2 and vm3 are paddle-shaped (vs. setae vm2 and vm3 are filiform with barely discernible serration) and setae vGIII–IV are present (vs. setae vGIII–IV are absent).

Figures

FIGURE 44. Pterygosoma capensis Jack, 1962, female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, genital area, enlarged.