Picobia passeri, Skoracki, Maciej & Sikora, Bozena, 2014

Skoracki, Maciej & Sikora, Bozena, 2014, Two new quill mite species of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata) parasitising the house sparrow Passer domesticus (L.) (Aves: Passeriformes), Zootaxa 3765 (2), pp. 194-200 : 195

Picobia passeri sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–3 )

Description. NON-PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE, holotype. Total body length, 670 (650–700 in 5 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex with pair of protuberances. Infracapitulum apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 4 chambers, each lateral branch with clearly visible 7 chambers. Movable cheliceral digit dentate in posterior part. Stylophore 185 (185–195) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided into 2 narrow shields bearing bases of setae ve, si and se. Setae vi situated distinctly posterior to level of setae ve. All propodonotal setae delicately knobbed. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1.1–1.3:1:1.6–1.9. Setae c1 located distinctly anterior to level of setae se. Setae d2 1.6–1.8 times longer than e2. Pygidial shield well sclerotized, not divided longitudinally, apunctate. Setae f2 1.3–1.5 times longer than f1. Setae h1 3.2–4.2 times longer than f1. Alveoli of setae 3a not coalesced. Genital plate well sclerotized, apunctate. Aggenital setae ag1 situated anterior to level of setae ag2, both pairs of setae located on genital plate. Length ratio of setae ag1: ag2: ag3 1.4–1.7:1:1.9–2.8. Setae ps1 and ps2 subequal in length. Setae g1 hair-like, situated on genital lobes, 2–3 times longer than pseudanal setae. Coxal fields I–IV well developed, I and II densely punctate, III and IV apunctate. Setae 3c 4 times longer than 3b. Legs. Most of dorsal setae of legs I and II delicately knobbed. Antaxial and paraxial members of claw pairs III and IV unequal in size and shape. Setae tc” of legs III and IV slightly (1.1–1.2 times) longer than tc”III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 160 (145–155), ve 120 (120–130), si 230 (200–230), c1 245 (250–270), c2 240 (240–245), se 245 (230–245), d1 (180– 190), d2 205 (190–205), e2 (115–120), f1 55 (55–75), f2 80 (80–95), h1 230 (205–230), h2 270 (260–275), ps1 25 (25), ps2 25 (20–25), g1 50 (50–75), ag1 75 (80–100), ag2 45 (45–70), ag3 125 (125–135), l’RIII and l’RIV 25 (25), tc’III–IV (55–65), tc”III–IV (70–75), 3b (25), 3c (100).

PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE. Body worm-shaped, 820–950 long (in 9 paratypes). Morphology of body and legs as in non-physogastric form.

MALE. Total body length 430–455 (in 4 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Hypostomal apex tapering. Each medial branch of peritremes with 3 chambers, each lateral branch with clearly visible 5–6 chambers. Stylophore 90–95 long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided longitudinally into 2 narrow lateral shields, apunctate, bearing bases of setae ve, si and se. Setae vi situated slightly posterior to level of setae ve. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:1:1.3–1.4. Setae c1 located slightly anterior to level of setae se. Hysteronotal shield apunctate, bearing bases of setae d1 and e2. Length ratio of setae d2: d1: e 2 7 –10:1.3–2.3:1. Pygidial shield well developed, apunctate. Setae h2 about 10 times longer than f2. Alveoli of setae 3a coalesced. Two aggenital plates bearing bases of setae ag 1 in posterior part. Setae ag1 about twice as long as ag2. Coxal fields I–II punctate, III and IV apunctate. Setae 3c 2–2.7 times longer than 3b. Legs. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III and IV subequal in length. Lengths of setae: vi 90 –95, ve 90–95, si 25, se 140, c1 135–145, c2 130, d 1 20–35, d2 105–120, e 2 10 –15, h2 150, f 2 10–15, ag1 40– 45, ag 2 15–20, l’RIII and l’RIV 15–20, 3b 15, 3c 30–40, tc’III–IV and tc” III–IV 45.

Type material. Female holotype (non-physogastric form) and paratypes: 5 females (non-physogastric form), 9 females (physogastric form) and 4 males, from Passer domesticus (Linnaeus) ( Passeriformes : Passeridae ); RUSSIA, Tula district, Suvorov, 28 May 2013, coll. V.V. Abramov.

Type material deposition. All type material is deposited in the ZISP (Reg. No. ZISP-AVB-011-2908-068), except 2 female (non-physogastric form), 2 female (physogastric form) and 2 male paratypes in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU-SYR.441)

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host, and is a noun in the genitive case.

Differential diagnosis. Picobia passeri sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to P. chloris Bochkov, Mironov and Kravtsova, 2000 described from Carduelis chloris (Linnaeus) ( Passeriformes : Fringillidae ) from Kirghizia ( Bochkov et al. 2000). In females of both species the hypostomal apex is ornamented by a pair of protuberances; the hysteronotal shield is absent; setae h1 are distinctly longer than f1; agenital setae ag1 are situated anterior to the level of setae ag2; the antaxial and paraxial members of the claws pairs III and IV are unequal in size and shape. This new species differs from P. chloris by the following features: in females of P. passeri , the pygidial shield is well developed; the genital lobes are present; setae ag1 are 1.4–1.7 times longer than ag2; the length of setae si is 200–230. In females of P. chloris , the pygidial shield and the genital lobes are absent; setae ag1 and ag2 are subequal in length; the length of setae si is 125.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Picobia passeri sp. nov., female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Picobia passeri sp. nov., female. A, hypostomal apex; B, peritreme; C, propodonotal seta ve; D, tarsus of leg III in ventral view; E, genito-anal region in ventral view; F, solenidia of leg I; G, movable cheliceral digit.

FIGURE 3. Picobia passeri sp. nov., male. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.