Picobia meru, Klimovičová, Miroslava, Skoracki, Maciej & Hromada, Martin, 2016

Klimovičová, Miroslava, Skoracki, Maciej & Hromada, Martin, 2016, Two new species of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) associated with the Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons (Peters) (Passeriformes: Vangidae) in Kenya, Zootaxa 4137 (4), pp. 578-584 : 582-583

Picobia meru sp. nov.

( Figs. 2–4 )

Description. PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE (holotype and 3 paratypes). Total body length 1065 (1015). Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex rounded, without shoulders. Infracapitulum densely punctate. Peritremes Mshaped, each medial branch with 4 chambers, each lateral branch with 8–9 clearly visible chambers. Movable cheliceral digit with 3 blunt-ended processes on proximal end. Stylophore 215 (205) long, apunctate. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided into 2 narrow, well developed lateral shields, bearing bases of setae ve, si and se. Setae ve situated anterior to setae vi. Propodonotal setae vi, ve and si strongly beaded. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:si 1:1:1.1. Setae c1 and se situated at same transverse level. Setae d1 situated equidistant to setae d2 and e2. Pygidial shield well developed, deeply concave on anterior margin, apunctate. Setae f2 1.8 times longer than f1. Setae f1 1.7 times longer than h1. Setae h2 11.5 times longer than h1. Alveoles of setae 3a–3a not coalesced. Genital plate well developed, apunctate. Agenital setae ag1 situated slightly anterior to level of setae ag2. Length ratio of setae ag1:ag2:ag3 1.5:1:2.7. Pseudanal setae ps1 1.3 times longer than setae ps2. Genital setae hair-like, situated on genital lobes. Setae 3c 2.75 times longer than 3b. Coxal fields well developed, I punctate, II–IV apunctate. Legs. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws I–IV similar in shape and size. Setae tc”III–IV 1.6 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 250 (220–250), ve 250 (225–250), si 275 (255–260), se 285 (275–300), c1 (270– 295), c2 270 (240–275), d2 230 (195–200), d1 220 (200–225), e2 155 (120–130), f1 50 (45–70), f2 90 (80–90), h1 30 (20–30), h2 345 (350), ps1 20 (20–25), ps2 15 (15–20), g 30 (20–40), ag1 105 (90), ag2 70 (65–70), ag3 190 (140–170), l’RIII 40 (30–35), l”RIV 40 (25), tc'III– IV 45 (45–50), tc” III–IV 70 (65–70), 3b 40 (25–30), 3c 110 (80).

MALE. Unknown.

Type material. Female holotype (physogastric form) and 1 female paratype (physogastric form) from quill of body feather of Prionops scopifrons (Peters) ( Passeriformes : Vangidae ), KENYA: Arabuko Sokoke forest, alt. about 60 m. a.s.l., 13 April 1956, coll. unknown. Two female paratypes (physogastric form) from the same host species, KENYA: Ngaya forest ( Meru ), alt. about 1220 m.a.s.l., 3 August 1978, coll. Lorio.

Type material deposition. Female holotype and 1 female paratype are deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU-SYR.823), 1 female paratypes in the LMEE (Reg. No. LMEE /S/29) and 1 female paratype in the NMK (Reg. No. NMKorn.20MH).

Differential diagnosis. This new species is morphologically similar to Picobia currucae Skoracki and Magowski, 2001 , described from Sylvia curruca (Linnaeus) ( Passeriformes : Sylviidae ) from Poland ( Skoracki & Magowski 2001). In females of both species, the hypostomal apex is rounded; the peritremes is M-shaped; the propodonotal shield is divided longitudinally into two narrow lateral shields, bearing bases of setae ve, si and se; setae vi are situated slightly posterior to level of setae ve; setae d1 are situated equidistant to setae d2 and e2; alveoles of setae 3a–3a are not coalesced; setae g1 is situated on genital lobes and coxal fields I are punctate, II–IV apunctate. Females of both species are distinguished as follows: in P. m eru, the infracapitulum is densely punctate; each medial branch of the peritremes has four chambers, each lateral branch has 8–9 chambers; each movable cheliceral digit is with three blunt-ended processes on proximal end; setae c1 and se are situated at the same transverse level; the pygidial shield is apunctate; setae f1 are 1.7 times longer than h1; the genital plate is apunctate. In females of P. currucae , the infracapitulum is apunctate; each medial branch of the peritremes has 2–3 chambers, each lateral branch has 5–6 chambers; each movable cheliceral digit is edentate on proximal end; setae c1 are situated anterior to the level of setae se; the pygidial shield is punctate; setae h1 and f1 are subequal in the length; the genital plate is punctate.

Etymology. The specific epithet " meru " is adapted from the Meru people who inhabit the Meru region of Kenya; some of them not only accompanied and helped us during field research in Kenya, but became our close friends.

Figures

FIGURES 2 A – B. Picobia meru sp. nov., female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

FIGURES 3 A – E. Picobia meru sp. nov., female. A, hypostomal apex; B, posterior part of movable cheliceral digit; C, peritreme, D, solenidia of leg I; E, genito-anal region. Scale bars: A – D = 20 µm; E = 50 µm.

FIGURES 4 A – D. Picobia meru sp. nov., female. A, gnathosoma in ventral view; B, ornamentation of propodonotal setae ve and si; C, punctations of coxal field I; D, genito-anal region with setae g 1 situated on genital lobe. Abbreviations: hypostomal apex (h. a.), apodeme (ap), coxal field (c. f.), genital lobe (g. l.).