Listropsoralges caenolestes, Grootaert, Patrick, 2013

Grootaert, Patrick, 2013, Revision of the family Listropsoralgidae Fain, 1965 (Acariformes: Sarcoptoidea) - skin parasites of marsupials and rodents 3611, Zootaxa 3611 (1), pp. 1-69 : 26-28

Listropsoralges caenolestes sp. n.

( Figs. 16–18 )

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Body 245 long (240–245 in 4 paratypes) and 145 wide (140–150). Gnathosoma . Ventral retrorse spurs of subcapitulum triangular. Dorsum. Dorsal shields without ornamentation. Propodonotal shield 70 long (70–75). Setae si 2.3 times shorter than se. Hysteronotal shield 85 long (85–90). Setal alveoli c1 present. Setae e1 represented by alveoli. Posterior margin of opisthosoma with short nipple-like median projection. Venter. Epigynum about 45 wide. Setae 1a and 3a filiform, not thickened. Setae 4b 3.3 times shorter than 4a. Opisthogastric shield about 75 long and 59 wide. Setae h3 slightly thickened. Setae ps1 and ps2 slightly (1.2 times) longer than h3. Legs. Genua I and II with small membranous ventro-antiaxial projection each. Setae d I slightly (1.1) longer than solenidion ω 3 I. Legs III about 65 long. Pretarsi III represented only by remnants of pretarsal stalk. Legs IV moderately developed, about 50 long. Pretarsi IV weakly developed with strongly reduced ambulacral disc. Setae e IV about 1.5 times shorter than f IV. Lengths of setae: si 29–30, se 73–76, c2, d2, e2, ps1, and f2 —all 20–25, cp 26–30, c3 14–17, h1 38–43, h2 110–125, h3 26–28, ps2 and ps3 32–35, 1a 25–26, 3a 30–32, g 50–53, 4b 14–15, 4a 5–6, w1 I and II 15–17, ω 3 I 19–21, φI 29–30, φII 33–35, φIII 22–23, φIV 9–11, σ 1 I 30–31, σII 14–15, and σIII 10–11.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material examined. Female holotype and 4 female paratypes ( UMMZ BMOC 81-0129 - 013 , # 1-5 ) from Caenolestes fuliginosus ( UMMZ 127157 ), ECUADOR: Napo Prov., 6.9 km West Papallacto , 24 June 1978, coll. R.S. Voss.

Type deposition. Holotype is deposited in UMMZ.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the generic name of the host and is a noun in apposition.

Differential diagnosis. This new species is close to Listropsoralges caluromys . In females of both species, the ambulacral disc on tarsi III are lost and only remnant of the ambulacral stalk is present, setae 1a and 3a are not thickened. Female of the new species differs from L. caluromys by the following characters. In L. caenolestes sp. n., the posterior margin of the opisthosoma is with a short nipple-like median projection, alveoli c1 are present, setae e1 are represented by the alveoli, setae se reach the level of seta d2 bases, setae h1 are 1.5 times longer than e2, coxal fields IV are devoid of membranes, setae h3 are slightly thickened and shorter than ps1 and ps2, Setae 4b 3.3 times shorter than 4a, the ventral retrorse spur of genua I and II is absent but a short membrane is present on its place. In L. caluromys , the posterior margin of the opisthosoma is devoid of any projections, alveoli c1 are absent, setae e1 are represented by the short setae, setae se are not reaching the level of seta d2 bases, setae h1 and e2 are subequal, coxal fields IV bear membranes, setae h3 are not thickened and slightly longer than ps1 and ps2, setae 4a and 4b are subequal, the ventral retrorse spur of genua I and II is present.

Host range and distribution. This species is only known from the type host Caenolestes fuliginosus from Ecuador .

Figures

FIGURE 16. Listropsoralges caenolestes sp. n., female in dorsal view.

FIGURE 17. Listropsoralges caluromys sp. n., female in ventral view.

FIGURE 18. Listropsoralges caenolestes sp. n., female legs in ventral view: A–D, I–IV, respectively.