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Lepidocunaxoides bisetosus, a new species of Cunaxidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) from China

Chen, Jian-Xin ¹ ; Yao, Mao-Yuan ² ; Guo, Jian-Jun ³ ; Yi, Tian-Ci ⁴ and Jin, Dao-Chao ⁵

¹Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P. R. China, Guiyang 550025. P. R. China & College of Agriculture, Anshun University, Anshun, 561000, P. R. China.
²Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P. R. China, Guiyang 550025. P. R. China & College of Agriculture, Anshun University, Anshun, 561000, P. R. China.
³Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P. R. China, Guiyang 550025. P. R. China.
⁴Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P. R. China, Guiyang 550025. P. R. China.
⁵✉ Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Crop Pest in Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the P. R. China, Guiyang 550025. P. R. China.

2023 - Volume: 63 Issue: 1 pages: 231-240

https://doi.org/10.24349/7rzt-y74u
ZooBank LSID: A75B2B8F-338C-4993-A9F1-F4C3E5A5B2C7

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Original research

Keywords

mites Cunaxoidinae taxonomy key

Abstract

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Introduction

Kalúz & Ermilov (2019) erected the genus Lepidocunaxoides with the type species Lepidocunaxoides robustus Kalúz & Ermilov, 2019 based on females. Chen at el. (2020) described L. bomiensis based on both sexes from Tibet, China and revised the diagnosis of the genus with the male characteristics, and transferred Cunaxoides neopectinatus Shiba, 1978 to Lepidocunaxoides.

Until recently, the genus Lepidocunaxoides included three known species in the world (Kalúz & Ermilov 2019, Chen at el. 2020). In this work, we describe one species new to science of this genus, based on both sexes from China. In addition, a key to adult females of Lepidocunaxoides species of the world is presented.

Material and methods

Samples of moss on stone were collected on April 2019 from Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve, Xinyi City, Guangdong Province, China. Mites were isolated from the samples by using Berlese-Tullgren funnels for eight to twelve hours, preserved in 75% alcohol and then mounted in Hoyer's medium on slides (Walter & Krantz 2009). Line drawings were prepared with the aid of a drawing tube attached to a microscope Nikon Ni E and photographs were taken using a camera (Nikon DS-Ri 2) attached to the microscopy. All figures were edited with Adobe Photoshop CC 2019. Measurements given in micrometers (µm) were taken using the software Nikon NIS Elements AR 4.50 and provided for the holotype with the paratypes in parentheses. The dorsal and ventral setal notations follow Skvarla et al. (2014), and that of legs follows Den Heyer (1981).

Abbreviations: ag—aggenital seta, at—anterior trichobothria, asl—attenuate solenidion, bsl—blunt rod-like solenidion, dtsl—dorsoterminal solenidion, fam—famulus (=peg organ), hg—hypognathal seta, hgs—hysterogastral seta, lps—lateral proterosomal seta, mps—median proterosomal seta, mst—microseta, ps—pseudanal seta, pt—posterior trichobothria, sts—simple tactile seta, T—trichobothrium, tsl—terminal solenidion.

Results

Family Cunaxidae Thor, 1902

Subfamily Cunaxoidinae Den Heyer, 1978

Lepidocunaxoides Kalúz & Ermilov, 2019

Generic diagnosis: see Kalúz & Ermilov (2019) and Chen et al. (2020).

Type species: Lepidocunaxoides robustus Kalúz & Ermilov, 2019.

Lepidocunaxoides bisetosus Chen & Jin sp. nov.

ZOOBANK: 2BEF1E94-92A6-4996-AE7B-AA290315DE5B

(Figs 1–8)

Diagnosis

Palp tibiotarsus with two bifurcate setae near the base; ventral area between coxae I with reticulate pattern; anterior end of genital shields with a small rounded median platelet and bearing one seta or null in female but absent in male; genital shields with three paired platelets around in female but only one pair of platelets in male; male genu I–IV, tibia I and tarsi I–II each with one long bsl.

Description

Female

(n=9; Figs 1–4)

Idiosoma 381 (348–422) long, 288 (282–340) wide (Figs 1A–B, 2B, 2D).

Dorsum (Fig. 1A) — Propodosomal shield concave anteromedially, and at off the shield though very close to the edge of the concaves. Proterosomal and hysterosomal shields fused, forming a large dorsocentral shield, 327 (300–328) long, 270 (245–270) wide, covered by random punctation, bearing one pair of trichobothria (pt), two pairs of tactile setae (lps and mps), four pairs of simple setae (c1, c2, d1, e1); f1 situated on small platelets 12 (7–11) long, 8 (5–8) wide; area anterior to at with some papillae; lateral area outside dorsocentral shield with lengthwise striae. The lps longer than mps, c1, c2, d1, e1 and f1; pt subequal to at, and lps much closer to at than to pt. One pair of lyrifissures (im) situated on lateral soft integument anterior to f1. Setal lengths and distances: at 150 (147–156), pt 155 (146–158), lps 69 (67–71), mps 50 (44–51), c1~{ }~ 28 (26–28), c2 24 (24–24), d1 28 (24–28), e1 42 (40–43), f1 35 (31–35); at–at 37(35–37), pt–pt 155 (140–155), lps–lps 65 (54–65), mps–mps 120 (108–121), lps–mps 66 (66–70), at–lps 30 (26–31), pt–mps 18 (14–18), pt–lps 74 (74–78), at–mps 98 (98–100), at–pt 106 (105–106), c1–c1 66 (60–71), c2–c2 213 (198–214), d1–d1 82 (72–83), e1–e1 65 (59–63), f1–f1 65 (60–65), c1–c2 76 (72–77), c1–d1 69 (58–69), c2–d1 82 (73–85), d1–e1 82 (74–86), e1–f1 50 (48–66).

Venter (Figs 1B, 2B, 2D) — Area between coxae I with reticulate pattern (Figs 2, 3B), coxae I–II fused completely as a V-shaped single sternal plate carved with lines and random punctation; coxae III–IV fused and forming paired lateral ventral plates arranged. Areas anterior to coxae I, between coxae I and coxae II, between coxae III and coxae IV, and posterior to coxae IV with strong punctations; coxal plates III–IV with random punctation and a few of reticulate pattern. Posterior end of coxal plate IV extending and almost reached to g4 level. Setal formula of coxal plates I–IV: 3(1a–c)-3(2a–c)-3(3a–c)-2(4a–b) sts, length of setae: 1a 27 (23–27), 1b 27 (25–27), 1c 26 (23–27), 2a 27 (24–27), 2b 22 (22–26), 2c 26 (24–29), 3a 20 (20–24), 3b 24 (24–34), 3c 30 (30–37), 4a 14 (14–18), 4b 13 (13–19). Three pairs of hysterogastral setae (hgs1–hgs3) on coxal plates III–IV, lengths of hgs1–hgs3: 18 (18–22), 24 (20–24) and 18 (17–21), respectively. Ventral soft area with striation. Anterior end of genital shields with a small rounded median platelet, 20 (17–20) long, 17 (14–18) wide, bearing one seta 22 (19–21) in length (Fig. 1B) or absent (Fig. 2D). Genital shields large, 107 (102–107) long, 34 (33–35) wide, with reticulate pattern, longitudinal striation and random punctation, two pairs of visible genital papillae and four pairs of genital setae (g1–g4) in almost straight longitudinal row that 21 (20–25), 20 (20–21), 21 (18–21) and 16 (16–21) in length, respectively; one pair of aggenital setae (ag), 21 (18–23) long, almost at g2 level, and three pairs of small platelets (anterolateral, mediolateral and posterolateral) situated in soft area around genital shields. Anal region with one pair of lyrifissures (ih) and one pair of pseudanal setae (ps1) 16 (16–20) in length, and two pairs of platelets setae bearing h1 25 (21–25) and h2 23 (22–24), respectively.

Gnathosoma (Figs 2A, 2C, 3A–C) — Palp (Figs 2A, 2C, 3A). Three-segmented, 80 (74–92) long, all segments with sparse punctation. Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter none; femurogenu six simple setae, of which four dorsal, one ventral and one lateral; tibiotarsus with one spur-like ventral apophasis, two ventral proximal bifurcate setae (Figs 2A, 2C, 3A), one ventral and two dorsal simple setae; claw well-developed and simple. Chelicera (Fig. 3B). 121 (107–115) long, the first segment and second segment laterally with strong punctation; without cheliceral seta; chela developed. Subcapitulum (Fig. 3C). 124 (115–124) long, 100 (95–107) wide; the area between hg2 and hg3 with sparse punctation, and the base area with both sparse punctation and polygonal pattern. Adoral setae absent; four pairs of hypognathal setae (hg1–hg4), lengths of hg1–hg4: 25 (21–26), 34 (33–36), 32 (25–32) and 42 (39–45). Distances of hg setae: hg1–hg1 6 (6–10), hg2–hg2 18 (18–23), hg3–hg3 34 (34–43), hg4–hg4 65 (65–85), hg1–hg2 30 (30–36), hg2–hg3 45 (45–60), hg3–hg4 35 (33–48).

Legs (Figs 4A–D) — Lengths of legs I–IV: 252 (240–252), 235 (212–235), 240 (225–240) and 254 (240–260). Lengths of tarsi I–IV: 98 (86–98), 83 (76–83), 78 (66–78) and 80 (65–80). Seta T on tibia IV 112 (105–114) in length. Legs I–IV chaetotaxy: Coxae I–IV 3-3-3-2 sts; trochanters I–IV 1-1-2-1 sts; basifemora I–IV: 3-5-3-2 sts; telofemora I–IV 5-5-4-3 sts. Genu I 3 asl, \{1 asl, 1 mst\}, 4 sts; genu II 2 asl, 5 sts; genu III 1 asl, 5 sts; genu IV 2 asl, 5 sts. Tibia I 2 asl, 5 sts; tibia II 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibia III 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibia IV 1 smooth T, 4 sts. Tarsus I 4 asl, 1 fam, 1 dtsl, 2 tsl, 20 sts; tarsus II 1 bsl, 1 dtsl, 2 tsl, 20 sts; tarsus III 1 dtsl, 1 tsl, 16 sts; tarsus IV 1 dtsl, 16 sts.

Male

(n=1; Figs 5–8)

Idiosoma l250 long, 189 wide (Figs 5A–B, 6A–B).

Dorsum (Fig. 5A) — Resembling the female, dorsocentral shield 214 long, 173 wide; Setal lengths and distances: at 108, pt 113, lps 36, mps 48, c1~{ }~ 18, c2 19, d1 16, e1 34, f1 20; at–at 22, pt–pt 98, lps–lps 40, mps–mps 77, lps–mps 50, at–lps 24, pt–mps 11, pt–lps 52, at–mps 72, at–pt 78, c1–c1 55, c2–c2 138, d1–d1 45, e1–e1 26, f1–f1 22, c1–c2 42, c1–d1 42, c2–d1 52, d1–e1 53, e1–f1 25.

Venter (Figs 5B, 6A–B) — Resembling the female. Setal formula of coxal plates I–IV: 3(1a–c)-3(2a–c)-3(3a–c)-2(4a–b) sts, lengths of setae: 1a 19, 1b 23, 1c 15, 2a 18, 2b 16, 2c 22, 3a 15, 3b 20, 3c 25, 4a 11, 4b 10. Three pairs of hysterogastral setae (hgs1–hgs3) 13, 16 and 15 in length, respectively. Genital shields relatively small, 51 long, 14 wide; with four pairs of genital setae in almost straight longitudinal row; lengths of setae g1–g4: 11, 11, 9 and 8; aggenital setae (ag) 12 in length; anteriorly without small rounded median platelet and laterally only one pair of platelets around; pseudanal setae (ps1) 12 in length; h113 and h2 14, respectively.

Gnathosoma (Figs 7A–C) — Resembling the female. Palp (Fig. 7A) 48 long. Chelicera (Fig. 7B) 73 long. Subcapitulum (Fig. 7C) 81 long, 77 wide; the base area without polygonal pattern; lengths of hg1–hg4: 20, 28, 18 and 31. Distances of hg setae: hg1–hg1 6, hg2–hg2 13, hg3–hg3 28, hg4–hg4 55, hg1–hg2 23, hg2–hg3 43, hg3–hg4 31.

Legs (Figs 8A–D) — Resembling the female, lengths of leg I–IV: 188, 178, 181 and 198. Lengths of tarsi I–IV: 71, 63, 60 and 53. Seta T on tibia IV 82 in length. Legs I–IV chaetotaxy: Coxae I–IV 3-3-3-2 sts; trochanters I–IV 1-1-2-1 sts; basifemora I–IV: 3-5-3-2 sts; telofemora I–IV 5-5-4-3 sts. Genu I 2 asl, 1 long bsl, \{1 asl, 1 mst\}, 4 sts; genu II 1 asl, 1 long bsl, 5 sts; genu III 1 asl, 1 long bsl, 5 sts; genu IV 1 asl, 1 long bsl, 5 sts. Tibia I 1 asl, 1 long bsl, 5 sts; tibia II 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibia III 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibia IV 1 smooth T, 4 sts. Tarsus I 3 asl, 1 long bsl, 1 fam, 1 dtsl, 2 tsl, 20 sts; tarsus II 1 asl, 1 long bsl, 1 dtsl, 2 tsl, 20 sts; tarsus III 1 dtsl, 1 tsl, 16 sts; tarsus IV 1 dtsl, 15 sts.

Other developmental stages

Unknown.

Etymology

The new species name refers to palp tibiotarsus with two bifurcate setae near the base (bisetosus).

Remarks

The new species resembles L. bomiensis, but it differs from the latter by the following features: (1) palp tibiotarsus with two bifurcate setae near the base (vs. one in L. bomiensis); (2) venter area between coxae I with reticulate pattern (vs. no reticulation in L. bomiensis).

The new species is also close to L. robustus, however, it can be separated from the latter by the following features: (1) propodosomal shield concave anteromedially and at off the shield (vs. not concave and at on the shield in L. robustus); (2) palp claw unbranched and tibiotarsus with two bifurcate setae (vs. tricuspid and not bifurcate in L. robustus); (3) cheliceral seta and adoral setae absent (vs. present in L. robustus).

The new species is also similar to L. neopectinatus, however it can be distinguished from the latter by the following features: (1) telofemora I–IV 5-5-4-3 sts (vs. 4-4-4-4 sts in L. neopectinatus); (2) genu I 3 asl, \{1 asl, 1 mst\}, 4 sts; genu II 2 asl, 5 sts; genu IV 2 asl, 5 sts (vs. genu I 1 asl, 5 sts; genu II 1 asl, 5 sts; genu IV 1 asl, 5 sts in L. neopectinatus); (3) tarsus I 4 asl (vs. 3 asl in L. neopectinatus); (4) cheliceral seta absent (vs. present in L. neopectinatus).

Type series

Holotype, female, collected from Yunkaishan National Nature Reserve (22°16′5.42″N, 111°12′52.26″E, elevation 1350 m), Xinyi City, Guangdong Province, China, on 25 April, 2019, by Jian-Xin Chen, slide No., GD-CU-201804250101. Paratypes, eight females and one male the same data as the holotype, slide No.: GD-CU-201804250102–GD-CU-201804250110. All types are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, P. R. China (GUGC).

Key to the adults of genus Lepidocunaxoides of the world

Updated from Chen et al. (2020).

1. Palp tibiotarsal claw apically unbranched
...... 2

— Palp tibiotarsal claw tricuspid
...... L. robustus Kalúz & Ermilov, 2019

2. Genu I, II and IV with 4 asl, 2 asl and 2 asl, respectively; tarsus I with 4 asl; cheliceral seta absent
...... 3

— Genu I, II and IV with 1 asl, 1 asl and 1 asl, respectively; tarsus I with 3 asl; cheliceral seta present
...... L. neopectinatus (Shiba, 1978)

3. palp tibiotarsus with one bifurcate seta, venter area between coxae I without reticulate pattern
...... L. bomiensis Chen & Jin, 2020

— palp tibiotarsus with two bifurcate setae, venter area between coxae I with reticulate pattern
...... L. bisetosus Chen & Jin sp. nov.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31872275, 32160188, 31272357), Science and Technology Fundamental Resources Investigation Program of China (2022FY202100), Key Laboratory of Plants Protection Informatization for Featured and Efficient Agriculture in Central Guizhou Province (Qianjiaoji KY [2022 No. 052) and PhD Foundation of Anshun University (asxybsjj202211 and asxybsjj202212).

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References

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