Neotrombicula scrupulosa Kudryashova, 1993

Stekolnikov, Alexandr & Daniel, Milan, 2012, 3216, Zootaxa 3216, pp. 1-104 : 46-48

Neotrombicula scrupulosa Kudryashova, 1993

( Fig. 30)

Neotrombicula scrupulosa Kudryashova, 1993a: 21 , fig. 8; Stekolnikov 1995: 252, fig. 2; Stekolnikov & Klimov 2010: 67. Neotrombicula (Neotrombicula) scrupulosa, Kudryashova 1998: 197 , fig. 156; Kudryashova & Lushchekina 2011: 37, fig. 22.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-2111.1000; fPp = B/B/NNB; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fSc: PL> AL> AM; Ip = 753–948; fD = 2H-(6–11)-(6–9)-(6–8)-4-…, typical variant 2H-8-6-6-4-6-2; DS = 26–44; VS = 22–35; NDV = 53–74. Standard measurements of specimens from Turkey are given in Table 15.

Type material deposition. Holotype and paratypes are deposited in ZMMU.

Type material examined. Holotype (M-144-1) and 2 paratypes larvae ex Alticola argentatus (Severtzov) , MONGOLIA: Dundgovi Prov., 2 August 1976, coll. N. I. Kudryashova.

Material from Turkey examined. Seven larvae (ZISP) ex Apodemus mystacinus , Antalya Prov., Side , 20 October 1969 , coll. M. Daniel; 20 larvae (ZISP) ex Microtus majori and A. (Sylvaemus) sp., Artvin Prov., 2.8 km NE from Marsis Mt , 2400 m a.s.l., 24 June 1998, coll. AAS ; 4 larvae (ZISP) ex A. (Sylvaemus) sp., Artvin Prov., 5.7 km N from Marsis Mt , 1800 m a.s.l., 26 June 1998, coll. AAS ; 1 larva (ZISP) ex A. witherbyi , Antalya Prov., 2 km E from Avlan Lake , 1300 m a.s.l., 24 April 2009, coll. AAS ; 4 larvae (ZISP) ex Chionomys nivalis , Antalya Prov., 6 km SWW from Kizlarsivrisi Mt , 2135 m a.s.l., 26 April 2009, coll. AAS .

Hosts. 17 rodent and 1 lagomorph species ( Stekolnikov 1995) plus Apodemus mystacinus (Danford and Alston) and A. witherbyi Thomas.

Distribution. Russia (Krasnodarskiy Krai, Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Dagestan, Bashkortostan, Altaiskiy Krai, Altai Republic, and Tyva Republic), Armenia, Turkey, Kazakhstan (Aqmola Prov., Almaty and East Kazakhstan), Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia.

Remarks. Material from Artvin Prov. belongs to the Caucasian geographic form of N. scrupulosa ( Stekolnikov & Klimov 2010) , while collections from Antalya Prov. are of two very specific forms with the following characteristics. Specimens from Side ( Fig. 30 D, E) have unusually high number of dorsal idiosomal setae in 2 nd and 3 rd rows (7–8 and 7–12, respectively, vs. 6 and 6 in most part of N. scrupulosa ), and specimens collected near Kizlarsivrisi Mt ( Fig. 30 A–C) have an average fD = 2H-6-6-6-4-4(6). The first variant of dorsal idiosomal setae arrangement was previously observed by us only in N. scrupulosa from Tyva. The second one is rather rare individual variation (but holotype of N. scrupulosa has fD = 2H-6-6-6-4-4-2), and it was recorded as the modal variant in one locality only ( Armenia, Haghartsin). Both these forms, as compared with the sample from Artvin (as well as with other N. scrupulosa ), are characterized by lesser scutum (AW 59–70, PW 75–82, SD 45–50, and AP 22–24 vs. 67–76, 90–97, 53–59, and 25–31, respectively), shorter legs (Ip 658–761 vs. 781–847), and lesser index m-t (0.138 –0.203 vs. 0.184 –0.276).