Caribeacarus panamensis Vázquez & Klompen, 2009

Vázquez, Magdalena & Klompen, Hans, 2009, New species of New World Opilioacaridae (Acari: Parasitiformes) with the description of a new genus from the Caribbean region., Zootaxa 2061, pp. 23-44 : 41-43

Caribeacarus panamensis Vázquez & Klompen n. sp.

( Figs. 40 , 45 , 49 , 52 )

Diagnosis. Male with only 1 seta on cheliceral basis and 3 on fixed digit (more in C. armasi and C. vanderhammeni ). Palp in adults with 9 leaf-like setae (8 in C. panamensis , 10 (female) or 12 (male) in C. vanderhammeni ). Number of subcapitular setae in female less than in male (subequal in C. armasi ). Note: the importance of this character should be re-evaluated when more specimens become available. Pregenital and genital setae in the male pointed (pregenital blunt, genital pointed in C. vanderhammeni ; both pregenital and genital blunt in C. armasi ).

Description. Known for a single female and a single male. Immatures unknown.

Gnathosoma . Chelicera. Basal segment with 1, fixed digit with 3 setae. One seta on fixed digit lightly barbed. Dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissure well developed. Fixed digit with 1 tooth, movable digit with 1–2 teeth and a well developed terminal hook. Movable digit with at most 1 very small denticle on ventral surface.

Subcapitulum. All 4 pairs of paralabial setae present: pl1 small conical; With's organ (pl2) membranous, discoid with a weakly developed forked core; rutella (pl3) with 1 row of teeth, inserted dorso-laterally; pl4 small spine, inserted dorsal on subcapitulum. In addition, 4–5 circumbuccal (cb), and 9 (female) or 12–13 (male) median and subcapitular setae. Lateral lips with distinct canals.

Palp ( Figs. 40 , 45 ). Trochanter with 5–8 ribbed, tapering (r-type) setae; femur with 5 papilliform (p-type) and 13–23 r setae; genu with 2–3 p and 22–34 r setae (male generally with more setae than female). Tibia with approximately 17 smooth and 63 r setae. Palp tarsus with lyrifissures i π and i α; setation including 3 s, 9 d (leaf-like), 14 v, 15 ch, and 9 sm setae. Pretarsus in shape of well developed pair of sessile claws. Sexual differentiation not observed.

Idiosoma. Color a combination of blue and green. This assessment is based on specimens stored in alcohol, and colors might be distorted.

Dorsum. Anterior dorsal shield with two pairs of eyes and 91–102 stout, ribbed setae; lyrifissures absent. Dorsal idiosoma between anterior shield and preanal segment without setae, but with numerous lyrifissures arranged in transverse rows. Preanal segment with 1 dorsal and 2 ventral setae. Anal plates with 7–9 stout ribbed setae.

Sternitogenital region ( Fig. 49 ). Sternal verrucae with 3 long, barbed, tapering setae. Remaining sternal area with 3 or 4 pairs of stout ribbed, and 2 pairs of long tapering setae, and 2 pair of large and 1 pair of small lyrifissures; all different in shape and size from "standard" opisthosomal lyrifissures. Pregenital capsules each with 1 long tapering and 3 stout ribbed setae. Pregenital and genital areas in male with, respectively, 5 barbed and pointed, and 9 small, smooth setae. Pregenital area in female without setae, genital areas with 5 smooth setae. Ovipositor in only available female retracted; without long terminal setae; with 2 pairs of very small structures (setae or gland ducts?) inserted median on ovipositor (structure unclear, not short seta-like structures as in C. armasi ) ( Fig. 52 , arrow). Male with 1–2 pairs of large "glands".

Legs. Only one leg II and one leg III could be studied. All other legs absent or damaged in both specimens. Legs II with dorsal bifurcate seta and two smooth sensilla resembling solenidia. Pretarsi with two pairs of setae and a pair of claws. In the absence of legs I, the condition of the "crown-like" sensillum on tarsus I (terminal or in the main sensillar field) could not be assessed.

Collection information. Multiple specimen numbers refer to multiple slides representing a single, dissected, individual. Holotype female (OSAL0007883), PANAMA: Panama, Pueblo Nuevo Cave, 9°3'60"N 78°45'0"W, coll. Reeves, W.K., 16 Jun 1999, ex cave, coll. no. AL0 0 5839. Paratype male (OSAL0007884–7885), same collection data as holotype.

Deposition of types. Holotype female (OSAL0007883) and paratype male (OSAL0007884–7885) deposited at OSAL.

Etymology. The species is names after the country in which the specimens were collected.

Figures

FIGURES 38 – 41. Palp morphology. 38, Caribeacarus armasi n. sp., male (OSAL 0008105); 39, C. armasi, male (OSAL 0007922); 40, C. panamensis n. sp., male (OSAL 0007885); 41, Neocarus siankaanensis Vázquez & Klompen, female (OSAL 0000565).

FIGURES 42 – 45. Palp tarsus. 42 – 44, Caribeacarus armasi n. sp.; 45, C. panamensis n. sp. 42, Protonymph (OSAL 8084); 43, Tritonymph (OSAL 0008093); 44, Male (OSAL 0007932); 45, Male (OSAL 0007885)

FIGURES 46 – 49. Sternitogenital region. 46 – 48, Caribeacarus armasi n. sp.; 49, C. panamensis n. sp. 46, Protonymph (OSAL 0008084); 47, Tritonymph (OSAL 0008092); 48, Male (OSAL 0007931); 49, Male (OSAL 0007884).

FIGURES 50 – 53. Genital structures. 50 – 52, Ovipositor. 50. Caribeacarus armasi n. sp., lateral view, evaginated (OSAL 0008098); 51, C. armasi, frontal view, invaginated (OSAL 0008104); 52, C. panamensis, invaginated (OSAL 0007883). 53. Internal gland structure male Caribeacarus armas i (OSAL 0008111). Arrows in 50 – 52: seta-like or unknown structures.