Anhemialges aegithalos, Chang & Wang & Liu, 2018

Chang, Hui-Qun, Wang, Zi-Ying & Liu, Huai, 2018, Four new feather mite species of the genus Anhemialges Gaud, 1958 (Astigmata: Analgidae) from China, Zootaxa 4531 (2), pp. 251-265 : 255-256

Anhemialges aegithalos sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 , 4 , 9E )

Type material. Holotype male [IOZ(E)225508], 3 male and 3 female paratypes ex Aegithalos fuliginosus ( Passeriformes : Aegithalidae ), CHINA: Sichuan, 31°6'24.21'' N, 103°33'24.58'' E, 9 May 2014, coll. H.– Y. Cao; 5 male and 5 female paratypes ex Aegithalos iouschistos ( Passeriformes : Aegithalidae ), CHINA: Sichuan, 30°20'10.95'' N, 103°25'8.78'' E, 30 July 2014, coll. H.– Y. Cao; 2 male and 2 female paratypes ex Aegithalos concinnus ( Passeriformes : Aegithalidae ), CHINA: Sichuan, 31°6'24.21'' N, 103°33'24.58'' E, 6 May 2014, coll. H.– Y. Cao.

Depositories. Holotype, and 1 female paratypes—IOZ, 10 male and 9 female paratypes—IESWU.

Description. MALE (Holotype, range of measurements for 10 paratypes in parentheses). Idiosoma 422 (410– 421) long and 202 (186–193) wide; length of hysterosoma 305 (293–300). Prodorsal shield: narrowly trapezoidal, 92 (83–90) long along the midline and 85 (80–83) wide; posterior margin slightly concave, with pair of acute suprategumental extensions about 9 (8–9) in length, setae se separated by 71 (71–72). Scapular shields with angular suprategumental extensions in postero–mesal angle ( Fig. 3A ). Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin concaved appreciably with acute anterior angles, length from anterior margin to level of lobar apices 282 (279– 283), width at anterior margin 130 (130–137); lateral margins slightly concave, surface finely punctate devoid of ornamentation. Posterior end of opisthosoma with medium sized opisthosomal lobes, length 34 (34–35), width at the level of setae f2 33 (30–31); terminal cleft ovate with distinct borders; interlobar membrane wide, forms short extensions on lobar apices by rounded ends ( Fig. 3A ); incision in interlobar membrane about midlength of terminal cleft, 21 (24–27) in length, 39 (32–41) in width. Supranal concavity ovate, poorly outlined. Setae h3 simple setiform without membranous enlargement in medial part ( Fig. 3A ). Setae d1, e1 shaped as microsetae, setae ps1 hair–like, longer than the distance between them a bit. Setae e1 and e2 almost at the same level. Distance between hysteronotal setae: c2:d2 84 (73–79), d2:e2 111 (103–111), e2:h2 88 (83–88), h2:h3 20 (19–22), ps1:h3 27 (27– 28), ps2:ps2 93 (87–93), h2:h2 76 (74–75), h3: h3 62 (51–61), d1:d2 25 (26–29), e1:e2 6 (6–8).

Sternum about 2/3 of total length of epimerites I, extending to the level of setae 1a. Coxal fields II and III with triangular sclerotized areas in lateral parts, extending beyond the level of coxal setae 1a and 4b respectively. Epimerites IVa triangular in shape with setae 4a on inner ends. Epiandrum absent. Genital arch height 17 (16–18), distance between tips 35 (34–38), aedeagus minute. A pair of longitudinal paragenital apodemes present, flanking genital area from anterior margin of genital arch to midlevel of trochanter III ( Fig. 3B ). Gastral shield split into two longitudinal parts, maxlength 106 (91–106), maxwidth 25 (24–26), posterior margin contacted to the adanal shield ( Fig. 3B ). Setae ps3 situated at the anterior margin of adanal shield, this shield strongly widened posteriorly, fishtail–shaped encompassing the anal suckers, covering anterior half of anal opening ( Fig. 3B ). Adanal membranes absent. Diameter of disciform adanal suckers about 17 (15–17), with cupules ih situated posterior to it, ih–ih 66 (58–65). Length of anal field from anterior margin of adanal shield to lobar apices 103 (103–105). Distance between ventral setae: 4b:4a 45 (41–43), 4b:g 47 (44–46), g:ps3 105 (100–106).

Legs: legs III hypertrophied; tarsus III 104 (102–107) long, setae w and s of tarsus III blade–like, 63 (67–71) and 29 (26–28) in length respectively, longer seta w extending to midlength of corresponding seta s ( Fig. 9E ). Legs IV reaching by ambulacral discs the level of lobar apices; tarsus IV conical, slightly curved, with bidentate apex, 37 (33–36) in length.

FEMALE (range of measurements for 10 paratypes). Idiosoma 386–453 in length and 182–210 in width; length of hysterosoma from anterior margin of humeral shields to posterior end of opisthosoma 264–325. Prodorsal shield shaped as in male, length 91–99, width 87–98, acute suprategumental extension 13–18 long, setae se separated by 78–85. Scapular shields shaped similarly to males ( Fig. 4A ). Setae e1 absent, setae d1 present as microsetae, setae c2 longer than d2, e2 extending beyond posterior margin of opisthosoma ( Fig. 4B ). Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 72–84, d2:e2 90–98, e2:h3 90–119, h2:h2 87–101, h3:h3 70–83. Epimerites I as in male. Epigynum arched, slightly thickened, 50–58 long, 22–24 wide. Setae 4b on tips of epigynum, setae 4a pretty long. Tarsus III 58 –62 long, tarsus IV 68 –77 long, legs IV do not extend by ambulacral discs to the level of the posterior end of opisthosoma ( Fig. 4B ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the generic name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is very close to A. bakeri Dabert et al., 2010 from Phylloscopus collybita ( Passeriformes : Phylloscopidae ) in having the following characters: in males, setae h3 are setiform, the gastral shields are long (more than 2 times longer than wide), the interlobar membrane slightly extends to the lobar apices and has rounded ends, and the length of the incision in this membrane is about half of the length of the terminal cleft, and setae ps1 are not longer than 1.5 times the distance between them.

The new species differs from A. bakeri by the following features: in males, the epiandrum is absent, the paragenital apodemes are present, the adanal shield is strongly widened and fishtail–shaped and encompasses the anal suckers, and the setae w and s on tarsi III are blade–like. In females, setae d2 extend beyond the level of the hysteronotal gland openings gl, and the setae e2 extend beyond the level of the posterior margin of the opisthosoma. In males of A. bakeri , the epiandrum is a shallow arch-shape, the paragenital apodemes are absent, the paired of adanal shields are small and irregular, and setae w and s on tarsi III are hair-like; in females, setae d2 and e2 are shorter, and do not reach the level of the hysteronotal gland openings gl and posterior margin of the opisthosoma, respectively.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Anhemialges aegithalos sp. nov., male: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Anhemialges aegithalos sp. nov., female: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Anhemialges lioparus sp. nov., male: A—leg I in dorsal view; B—leg II in dorsal view; C—leg III in dorsal view; D—leg IV in dorsal view; Anhemialges aegithalos sp. nov., male: E—leg III in dorsal view; Anhemialges seicercus sp. nov., male: F—leg III in dorsal view; Anhemialges zosterops sp. nov., male: G—leg III in dorsal view.