Gamasellodes andhraensis, Bhattacharyya, Asit K., 2003

Bhattacharyya, Asit K., 2003, Two new species of Ascidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata) from India, Zootaxa 189, pp. 1-10 : 6-8

Gamasellodes andhraensis sp. nov. ( Figs. 9­15 )

Diagnosis: Anterior and posterior dorsal shield with 16 and 15 pairs of setae respectively; 6 pairs of setae on lateral membrane; setae z1 ans j1 subequal; setae st1­st3 subequal; tectum trispinate; five rows of deutosternal denticles.

Female: Anterior dorsal shield (136 m long, 108 m wide) with a few lateral reticulation and sixteen (j1­6, z1­6, s3­6) pairs of short, smooth setae; posterior dorsal shield (131 m long, 115 m wide) reticulated and with fifteen (J1­5, Z1­5, S1­5) pairs of smooth setae ( Fig. 9 ); lateral membrane with six pairs of setae, four pairs on anterior region, remaining two pairs on posterior region; setae z1 and j1 subequal in length (14 m), but longer than setae J5 (8 m); setae S5, Z4 and Z5 19 m, 23 m and 37 m long respectively; among lateral setae, r3 longest (14 m), others almost subequal (8­10 m) in length; peritreme visible dorsally, reaching slightly beyond setae z1.

Tritosternum with wide base and paired lacinae. Sternal shield (77 m long along midline, 53 m wide between coxae II and III) with three pairs of setae and three pairs of pores ( Fig. 10 ); st1­st3 subequal (10 m) in length; metasternal setae placed on ventral membrane; epigynial shield (47 m long, 31 m wide) truncate posteriorly, with paired setae; ventral membrane with three pairs of setae (Zv1­Zv3). Ventri­anal shield (79 m long along midline, 98 m wide at widest point) partially granulated, almost rounded anteriorly, with four pairs of ventral setae, excluding a pair of para­ and a post­anal setae; small metapodal plates placed on ventral membrane; peritreme narrow, short, extending upto anterior level of coxae II, stigma at level of anterior half of coxae IV.

Tectum trispinate, three spines are of equal length ( Fig. 11 ). Corniculi well spaced, parallel; internal malae with smooth lateral margin. Deutosternal groove of subcapitulum with five moderately broad rows of denticles, each row with two to five denticles, third row widest. Fixed digit of chelicera with four small teeth, movable chela bidentate ( Fig. 12 ).

Legs I­IV with ambulacra and claws; excluding ambulacra, length of leg I 240 m, leg II 170 m, leg III 125 m and leg IV 170 m; setation of genua: 13­11­8­9 and that of tibiae: 13­10­8­10; none of the leg setae elongated or enlarged as macrosetae.

Male: Anterior dorsal shield 101 m long, 84 m wide, with fifteen pairs of smooth setae; posterior dorsal shield 86 m long, 77 m wide, with fifteen pairs of setae; setae S5, Z4 and Z5 17 m, 22 m and 37 m long respectively; lateral membrane with eight pairs of lateral setae ( Fig. 13 ).

Tritosternum and pre­sternal area same as in adult female. Sterniti­genital shield (100 m long along midline, 52 m wide between two anterolateral corners) weakly sclerotized, narrowing posteriorly, setae st1­st5 subequal (5 m), shorter than that of female. Peritrematal structures abbreviated as in adult female. Ventri­anal shield (63 m long along midline, 70 m wide at widest point) lightly reticulated with seventeen simple setae ( Fig. 14 ).

Tectum and subcapitulum same as in female. Fixed cheliceral digit tridentate, movable cheliceral digit with two small teeth ( Fig. 15 ).

Excluding ambulacra, length of leg I 180 m, leg II 130 m, leg III 100 m and leg IV 162 m; setae and other structure of legs same as in adult female; leg chaetotaxy conforms exactly with that of the female.

Types: Holotype female, Vanasthalipuram, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; ex. soil; 12 June 2000; R. Chatterjee coll. Paratypes, seven females and one male, data same as for holotype.

Distribution: INDIA: Andhra Pradesh.

Differential diagnosis: The new species Gamasellodes andhraensis sp. nov. resembles another Indian species G. sternalis sp. nov. Bhattacharyya and Sanyal, 2002b in the number and nature of dorsal setae, almost similar nature and shape of sternal shield. However, the new species greatly differs from sternalis in the following aspects: setal disposition of j 2 in female, longer peritreme, base of tritosternum wide, structure of epigynial shield and tectum, number of setae on ventral membrane and the relative length of setae on ventrianal shield.

Etymology: The species name andhraensis refers to the name of the type­locality.

Figures

FIGURES 9 ­ 12. Gamasellodes andhraensis sp. nov., female. 9. Dorsal view, 10. Ventral view, 11. Tectum, 12. Chelicera.

FIGURES 13 ­ 15. Gamasellodes andhraensis sp. nov., male. 13. Dorsal view, 14. Ventral view, 15. Chelicera.