Nycteridocaulus ketourus Mironov, 2017

Mironov, Sergey V., Literak, Ivan, Sychra, Oldrich & Capek, Miroslav, 2017, Feather mites of the subfamily Proctophyllodinae (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Costa Rica, Zootaxa 4297 (1), pp. 1-105 : 57-61

Nycteridocaulus ketourus Mironov sp. n.

( Figs. 31–33 )

Type material. Male holotype ( ZISP 6259 ), 7 male and 6 female paratypes from Thryophilus rufalbus (Lafresnaye, 1845) (Troglodytidae) , COSTA RICA, Rincón de la Vieja National Park , Cordillera de Guanacaste Mts., 10°46'N, 85°18'W, 16 August 2009, collectors I. Literak, O. Sychra and M. Capek.

Depository. Holotype, 5 male and 4 female paratypes (ZISP 6260–6268)—ZISP; 1 male and 1 female paratype—UMMZ (BMOC-15-1028-012), 1 male and 1 female paratype—IMUCR.

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 7 paratypes in parentheses). Idiosoma, length × width, 335 (325– 345) × 150 (145–160), length of hysterosoma 230 (215–240). Prodorsal shield: anterolateral extensions acute, lateral margins entire, posterior margin slightly concave, with short median extension, 82 (80–85) in length and 105 (95–110) in width, surface with a few minute lacunae or without them ( Fig. 31 A). Setae ve rudimentary. Scapular setae se separated by 65 (60–70). Setae c2 and cp on humeral shields. Setae c3 lanceolate, 18 (17–19) × 5 (5–6). Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 30 (30–35). Hysteronotal shield: 225 (215–230) in length and 98 (95–100) in width; anterior margin concave, anterior half with minute circular lacunae. Opisthosoma shaped as fish-tail owing to abrupt expansion at level of setae h2 and opisthosomal lobes. Opisthosomal lobes short and wide, with posterior margin convex, with large semi-ovate lateral extensions bearing setae h2, and with small triangular extensions at bases of setae h3. Terminal lamellae short semi-rounded, with radial striation, 10 (10–13) in length and 32 (30–34) in width. Terminal cleft small semi-ovate, with anterior end almost extending to level of setae h2, 23 (22–25) in length from anterior end to level of lobar apices, 18 (16–18) in width at level of setae ps1. Supranal concavity narrowed posteriorly, opened into terminal cleft. Setae ps 1 in posteromedial margins of opisthosomal lobes, slightly anterior to level of setae h3; setae h1 situated at level of setae ps2. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 68 (62–70), d2:e2 75 (70–88), e2:h3 75 (72–82), h2:h2 90 (82–90), h3:h3 75 (70–75), ps2:ps2 68 (65–68), h1:h3 53 (47–55), d1:d2 13 (10–15), e1: e2 35 (30–35), ps1:h3 8 (7–10).

Epimerites I free, close to each other, posterior tips slightly divergent; epimerites I, II with narrow surface fields; epimerites IVa absent ( Fig. 31 B). Rudimentary sclerite rEpIIa absent. Trochanters III flanked by sclerotized band stretching from bases of epimerites IIIa. Epimerites IIIa with rounded sclerotized plates around their inner tips. Trochanters IV flanked by sclerotized bands stretching from bases of epimerites IV. Genital apparatus situated at level of trochanters IV. Genital arch shaped as recurved bow, 13 (13–14) in length and 42 (38–42) in width. Aedeagus stylet-like, 20 (20–22) in length, reaching level of setae g ( Fig. 33 A). Genital papillae of each side on small oval plates at level of genital arch apex. Distance from genital arch apex to bases of setae h3 125 (120–130). Pregenital apodemes connected by transverse branch forming single H-shaped sclerite. Setae 4a on pregenital apodemes, setae 4b on sclerotized areas of epimerites IIIa. Adanal suckers 15 (15–16) in diameter, corolla with 14– 15 denticles. Adanal shields represented by a pair of roughly L-shaped sclerites situated anterior to anal suckers. Setae ps3 situated on transverse branches of adanal shields. Opisthoventral shields narrow, without extension on inner margin, heavily sclerotized around bases of setae ps2 and f2. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4b 13 (13– 15), 4b:4a 23 (23–25), 4a:g 42 (40–45), g:g 18 (18–22), g:ps3 33 (30–35), ps3:ps3 18 (18–22), ps3:h3 78 (74–78).

Femora I, II with ventral crest. Solenidion σ 1 I slightly longer than genu I and situated at midlevel of this segment ( Fig. 33 B, C). Solenidion σ of genu III situated in distal half of this segment. Legs IV slightly thicker than legs III, IV with ambulacral discs extending to level of lobar apices. Tarsus IV 28 (25–30) in length, with apicoventral claw-like process bearing seta w; modified setae d and e button-like, seta d about noticeably larger in diameter than seta e and situated at midlevel of this segment ( Fig. 33 E). Seta d tarsus II longer than corresponding seta f, seta d of tarsus III shorter than corresponding seta f. Length of solenidia: σ 1 I 35 (28–35), σ III 20 (20–23), φ IV 33 (32–35).

FEMALE (range for 6 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 400–410 × 160–170, length of hysterosoma 280– 290. Prodorsal shield: shape and ornamentation as in male, 95–100 in length and 110–120 in width. Setae se separated by 70–78. Setae c2 and cp on humeral shields. Setae c3 lanceolate, 19–20 × 5–6 in width. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 35–40. Anterior hysteronotal shield: 200–210 in length and 105–110 in width, anterior margin concave, posterior margin with short and wide median extension, surface with minute circular lacunae ( Fig. 32 A). Lobar region: 80–90 in length and 100–105 in width, lateral margins with well developed extensions bearing setae h2; anterior margin of lobar shield with a pair of narrow triangular incisions and small semi-rounded extension between them. Terminal cleft U-shaped with slightly divergent branches, 57–62 in length and 18–20 in width anterior part. Supranal concavity absent. Setae h2 lanceolate in basal part and with long filiform apex, 90–100 in length, 7–8 in width; setae h3 58–60 in length, approximately half the length of terminal appendages. Setae h1 inserted on striated tegument between the anterior hysteronotal and lobar shields. Setae h1 and f 2 in trapezoidal arrangement. Setae ps1 on inner margins of opisthosomal lobes, close to level of setae h3. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 80–85, d2:e2 110–115, e2:h2 40–45, h2:h3 37–40, h1:h 2 30–32, d1:d 2 20–25, e1: e2 48–52, h1:h 1 28–30, h2:h2 80–85, h2:ps 1 25–30.

Epimerites I as in male; epimerites I, II with narrow surface sclerotized fields. Epimerites IVa large, roughly triangular, with long posterior extension ( Fig. 32 B). Epigynum semicircular, thick, with acute tips extending to level of genital papillae, 40–45 in length, 70–72 in width. Genital papillae of each side on small ovate sclerotized plate. Setae ps2 at midlevel of anal opening. Translobar apodemes not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Copulatory opening terminal, situated near to anterior end of terminal cleft. Head of spermatheca short; proximal part of primary spermaduct with ampuliform enlargement 25–30 long; secondary spermaducts 30–32 long ( Fig. 33 F). Distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 52–50, ps3:ps 3 20–22, ps2:ps 3 12–14.

Legs I, II as male. Solenidion σ of genu III in proximal part of this segment. Legs IV with distal margin of ambulacral disc extending to level of setae h2. Solenidion φ of tibia IV similar in length to corresponding tarsus. Seta d of tarsus II longer than corresponding seta f, setae d of tarsi III, IV slightly shorter than corresponding setae f. Length of solenidia: σ 1 I 33–35, σ III 22–25, φ III 47 –53, φ IV 35 –40.

Differential diagnosis. The new species, Nycteridocaulus ketourus sp. n., is similar to N. laticlunis Atyeo, 1966 in having, in males, strong lateral enlargements of the opisthosomal lobes bearing setae h2 and a claw-like apical process on tarsi IV. Males of N. ketourus differ from that species by the following features: the pregenital apodemes are present and fused into an H-shaped sclerite, the terminal cleft is small, U-shaped, and extends to the level of setae h2. In males of N. laticlunis , the pregenital apodemes are absent, and the terminal cleft has divergent lateral margins and extends to the level of setae h3. Females of N. laticlunis are unknown; among species where females are known, females of N. ketourus are most similar to those of N. guaratabuensis Hernandes, 2014 in having similar proportions of the terminal cleft and a pair of small triangular incisions on the anterior margin of the lobar shield. Females of N. ketourus differ from that species by the following features: the anterior hysteronotal shield bears only minute poorly distinct lacunae in its central part and the epigynum does not extend to the level of setae g. In females of N. guaratabuensis , the anterior hysteronotal shield bears two longitudinal rows of large lacunae in its posterior part, and the epigynum extends to the level of setae g.

Etymology. The specific epithet, combination of ketus (Gr., whale) and ourá (Gr., tail), refers to the shape of opisthosoma in males.

Remark. This is the only species of the genus known from oscine passerines of the family Troglodytidae .

Figures

FIGURE 31. Nycteridocaulus ketourus Mironov sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 32. Nycteridocaulus ketourus Mironov sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 33. Nycteridocaulus ketourus Mironov sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male, ventral view, B, C—legs I, II of male, dorsal view, D—tibia and tarsus IV of male, dorsal view, E—tibia and tarsus IV of male, ventral view, F—spermatheca and spermaducts.