Harpypalpus sturnus, Klompen, Hans, 2014

Klompen, Hans, 2014, A review of the subfamily Harpypalpinae Fain, 1972 (Acariformes: Harpirhynchidae) — parasites of passerine birds, Zootaxa 3857 (4), pp. 451-477 : 463-464

Harpypalpus sturnus sp. nov.

( Figs. 8 , 9 C)

Description. FEMALE (holotype, Fig. 8 ). Gnathosoma destroyed. Palp 30 long and 20 wide. Lengths of palpalae: dF 22, dG 10, l”G 15. Idiosoma 140 long and 155 wide, its striated cuticle without microscales. Propodonotal shield about 105 long and 115 wide. Setae vi, ve, and se, distinctly serrate, si, d1, e1, and e2 smooth. Setae c2, f1, f2, h1, and h2 distinctly serrate. Setae h1 situated posterior to setal bases f2; setae h2 situated distinctly posterior to setal bases f1. Lengths of idiosomal setae: vi and ve about 20, si and d1 about 18, se and c2 about 30, e1 and e2 about 15, f1, f2, h1, and h 2 23–25. Setae 3a present. Setae dF I serrate, dTr III and dTr IV reaching respective tarsi, serrate; setae vF III and vF IV absent. All ventral setae of legs smooth.

MALE (12 paratypes, Fig. 9 C). Body 150–160 long and 135–140 wide. Gnathosoma 38–43 long. Palp femurgenu about 30 long. Lengths of palpalae: dF about 15, dG about 6, l”G about 10. Idiosoma about 110 long, its striated cuticle without microscales. Propodonotal shield 95–100 long and 100–105 wide. Setae vi situated posterior to ve, distance between levels of setal bases vi and ve 5–6. Distance vi–vi about 25, ve–ve about 35. Setae si, d1, and e2 microsetae, c2, h1, and h2 serrate, se and f1 smooth. Distance between levels of setal bases e1 and g 2 10–12, between levels of setal bases g1 and g2 2–4. Lengths of idiosomal setae: se about 10, c2 about 15, f1 about 8, h1 and h 2 10–12. Genital opening situated anterior to level of setal bases d1. Leg setation as in female.

Type material. Female holotype ( OSAL 0082907), 12 male paratypes ( OSAL 0082907–0082911, 0082913–0082919) from Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus ( Sturnidae ), THE NETHERLANDS: Gelderland, Nijmegen, 51.8333°N 5.8667°E (GEOnet), 27 November 1969, coll. F. S. Lukoschus.

Holotype deposition. OSAL.

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

Differential diagnosis. This species is close to H. spermestes (only females known). In females of both species, setae vF III and vF IV are absent, setae si and d1 are smooth, and setae 3a are present. These species differ from each other by the following features. In H. sturnus sp. nov., idiosomal setae vi, ve, and leg setae dTr I, d TrIII, dTr IV are distinctly serrate, setae vi and ve are about 20 long, si 18 long, e1 and e2 about 15 long, setal bases h1 are situated posterior to the level of setal bases f2. In H. spermestes , idiosomal setae vi, ve, and leg setae dTr I, dTr III, dTr IV are smooth, setae vi and ve are about 45 long, si 49 long, e1 and e2 about 33 long, setal bases h1 are situated slightly anterior to the level of setal bases f2.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Harpypalpus sturnus sp. nov., female. A—dorsal view; B—ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Idiosoma of males Harpypalpus spp. in dorsal view. A— Harpypalpus lonchura sp. nov.; B— Harpypalpus pyrrhula sp. nov.; C— Harpypalpus sturnus sp. nov.