Protogamasellus caleraensis, Rueda-Ramírez, Diana, Varela, Amanda & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016

Rueda-Ramírez, Diana, Varela, Amanda & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016, Soil mites of the families Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from mountainous areas of Colombia, Zootaxa 4127 (3), pp. 493-514 : 500-503

Protogamasellus caleraensis sp. nov.

( Figs 13–15 )

Specimens examined. Holotype female and a paratype female from soil of a grassland ( pH 5.2–5.4; organic matter 29–39%; humidity 73%; soil temperature 16°C); collected by D. Rueda-Ramirez in April, 2010. Holotype deposited at ESALQ-USP; paratype deposited at MJHN, PUJ.

Diagnosis. Anterior region of epistome with three subtriangular projections, median smooth and laterals with external margins serrate and slightly longer than median projection; podonotal shield with a transverse line at level of z 6, and with 17 pairs of setae (s 2 on unsclerotised cuticle); opithonotal shield with a transverse line at level of J 1 and with 15 pairs of setae; two pairs of metapodal plates; ventrianal shield with four pairs of setae in addition to circumanal setae (Jv 1 and Zv 1 on unsclerotised cuticle); peritreme short extending anteriorly to region between posterior margin and median level of coxa II (slightly behind level of r 3); peritrematic plate indistinct, except for anterior end (subtriangular auxiliary anterolateral plate) and posterior end (slender and distally acuminating structure behind stigma).

Description (Female, two specimens measured).

Gnathosoma. Fixed cheliceral digit 23–25 long, with eight teeth and setiform pilus dentilis (two teeth externally to alignment of remaining teeth); movable digit 23–25 long, with two teeth; dorsal lyrifissure and dorsal cheliceral seta distinct; antiaxial lyrifissure indistinct ( Fig. 13 ). Numbers of setae on palp trochanter–tarsus: 2, 5, 6, 14, 15; palp tarsal apotele bifurcate. Anterior region of epistome with three projections; median smooth, laterals with external margin serrate and slightly longer than median projection ( Fig. 14 ). Deutosternal groove ( Fig. 15 ) delimited by subparallel lines, with seven transverse lines, of which the most distal smooth and others with 6–8 denticles each. Internal malae distinctly separated from each other, lateral margins fimbriate. Corniculi hornshaped, about twice as long as basal width. Seta h 3 about in longitudinal line with h 1 and mesad of and in transverse line with h 2. Setal measurements: h 1 12, h 2 9, h 3 12, pc 12, palp trochanter av 14–15, palp trochanter pv 9–10; setae aciculate and smooth.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Idiosoma 250–259 long and 126–130 wide at widest level. Podonotal shield smooth, except for a transverse line at level of z 6, delimiting a posterior more lightly sclerotised band; 124–127 long and 97–99 wide at widest level; with 17 pairs of setae, six pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures and two pairs of pores; seta j 2 inserted almost in transverse line with insertions of j 1 and z 1. Unsclerotised cuticle laterad of podonotal shield with five pairs of setae (s 2, r 2 – 5). Opisthonotal shield smooth, except for a transverse line at level of J 1, a diagonal wavy line between J 4 and Z 2, a pair of short transverse lines behind Z 1, and an arched wavy and broken line anteriad of J 5 and Z 5; 126–127 long and 85–91 wide; with a series of eight punctiform depressions in an arched line between J 4 and Z 4; with 15 pairs of setae, eight pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures and two pairs of pores; pore between Z 3 and Z 4 distinctly large. Unsclerotised cuticle laterad of opisthonotal shield with six pairs of setae (R 1 –R 6) and a pair of lyrifissures ( Rp). Setal measurements: j 1 20–22, j 2 11–12, j 3 13–14, j 4 14–15, j 5 13, j 6 11, J 1 12, J 2 13, J 3 19–22, J 4 24, J 5 15–16, z 1 10–11, z 2 12–14, z 3 15, z 4 15, z 5 16, z 6 10, Z 1 14–15, Z 2 15–16, Z 3 16, Z 4 16–18, Z 5 24–25, s 1 10 –11, s 2 11 –12, s 3 15 –16, s 4 13 –15, s 5 16 –17, s 6 16 –17, S 1 13 –14, S 2 14 –15, S 3 14 – 16, S 4 18 –19, S 5 19 –23, r 2 12–13, r 3 17–18, r 4 10, r5 9, R 1 8–9, R 2 9–10, R 3 9–10, R 4 9–10, R 5 9–10, R 6 11; setae aciculate and smooth.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Base of tritosternum 16–17 long and 9–10 wide proximally; laciniae 38–40, separated for about 80% of their total length, pilose. Pre-sternal area weakly sclerotised and weakly punctate. Sternal shield mostly smooth, with scant faint striae along lateral margins; anteromedian region more lightly sclerotised than remaining of the shield; posterior margin slightly concave; approximately 67–69 long and 39–40 wide at widest level; with three pairs of setae and three pairs of lyrifissures; distances st 1– st 3 54–55, st 2– st 2 33–34. Metasternal plates indistinguishable; however, fourth pair of sternal setae (st 4) on unstriate, lightly sclerotised region. genital shield narrow, finely punctate, with posterior margin convex, bearing st5; extending slightly behind coxa IV, wider at base of anterior flap (23–24); 60–63 long; distance st 5– st 5 21–22; lyrifissure iv 5 on unsclerotised cuticle, posterolaterad of st 5. Two pairs of metapodal plates, the anterior ovoid and the posterior elongate. Ventrianal shield oval, reticulate; 68–70 long and 87–98 wide at widest level; with four pairs of setae (Jv 2– Jv 5) in addition to circumanal setae; para-anal setae inserted at level of the anterior margin of anal opening; the latter small, about 1/5 of shield length, 13 long. Unsclerotised cuticle around ventrianal shield with two pairs of setae (Jv 1 and Zv 1), a pair of platelets and four pairs of lyrifissures. Anterior section of endopodal plate fused with sternal shield; section behind sternal shield indistinct. Exopodal shield reduced to triangular platelets between coxae II–III and III–IV. Peritreme short extending anteriorly to region between posterior margin and median level of coxa II (slightly behind level of r 3). Peritrematic plate indistinct, except for anterior end (subtriangular auxiliary anterolateral plate) and posterior end (slender structure behind stigma). Setal measurements: st 1 13, st 2 13–14, st 3 13–14, st 4 11, st 5 10–12, Jv 1 10–11, Jv 2 12–14, Jv 3 14–16, Jv 4 13–15, Jv 5 23–24, Zv 1 10–10, para-anal 15–16, post-anal 25; setae aciculate and smooth.

Spermathecal apparatus. Induction pore apparently between coxae III and IV; infundibulum ovoid (6 long and 3 wide); tubulus string-like; distinct section about 30 long ( Fig. 18 ).

Legs. Lengths: I: 200–209; II: 143–145; III: 120–121; IV: 150–165. Setation (legs I–IV): coxae: 2, 2, 2, 1; trochanters: 6, 5, 5, 5; femora: 12, 11, 6, 6; genua: 13, 11, 8, 8; tibiae: 13, 10, 8, 9; tarsi: I not counted, 18, 18, 18. All legs with pretarsi containing a pair of strongly sclerotised claws ( Fig. 19 ); median section of pulvilli of legs I– IV rounded.

Adult male. Not found.

Etymology. The specific name “ caleraensis ” refers to “La Calera”, the type locality of this new species, and " ensis " denoting origin.

Remarks. This new species is most similar to Protogamasellus brevicornis Shcherbak, 1976 , described from South Africa; both with a large, rounded pore between Z 3 and Z 4; and setae j 1, Z 5 and r 3 distinctly longer than the other dorsal setae. However, in P. brevicornis Jv 4 is inserted on unsclerotised cuticle; insertions of Jv 2 (mentioned as Jv 3) and Jv 3 (mentioned as Zv 3) in transverse line; and anterior margin of ventrianal shield straight.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 19. Protogamasellus caleraensis sp. nov. Female. 13. Chelicera; 14. Epistome; 15. Hypostome and proximal palp segments; 16. Dorsal view; 17. Ventral view; 18. Spermathecal apparatus; 19. Tarsus III.