Syringophiloidus pseudonigritae Glowska, Dragun-Damian & Dabert, 2012, sp. nov.

Syringophiloidus pseudonigritae sp. nov.

(Figs. 1–6)

Female (holotype and 2 paratypes). Total body length 720 (including gnathosoma). Gnathosoma. Infracapitulum densely punctate. Each medial and lateral branch of peritremes with 4 and 6–8 chambers, respectively (Fig. 4). Stylophore punctate, 170 (165) long. Movable cheliceral digit 140 (130) long. Idiosoma. Propodonotal shield densely punctate. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:si 1:1:5–6. Propodonotal setae delicately ornamented (Fig.5). Bases of setae c1 and se situated at the same transverse level. Setae d2 and e2 subequal in length. Hysteronotal shield bearing bases of setae d2 and d1, not fused to pygidial shield, both shields strongly sclerotized and densely punctate. Setae f1 and h1 subequal in length. Setae ps2 1.3 longer than ps1, genital g2 1.2 longer than g1. Genital plate weakly sclerotized. Length ratio of ag1:ag2:ag3 1.3–1.5:1:1.6. Coxal fields I–IV punctate. Setae 3c 2.2–2.3 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III–IV with 6–8 tines (Fig. 6). Length ratio of setae tc’: tc” III–IV 1:1.2. Lengths of setae: vi 20 (25–30), ve 20 (30), si 120 (120–130), c2 155 (170–215), se 180 (155), c1 180 (175), d2 175 (155), d1 165, e2 170 (160), f1 20, f2 more than 215, h1 20 (25), h2 320 (305), ag1 150 (120), ag2 105 (90), ag3 160 (145), g1 20 (20), g2 25 (25), ps1 10 (15), ps2 15 (20); tc’ 50 (45), tc” 60 (55), l’RIII 40 (30), l’RIV 30 (20), 3b 25 (30), 3c 55 (70).

MALE: Not found.

Type material. Female holotype and two female paratypes collected from the Grey-headed Social-Weaver Pseudonigrita arnaudi (Passeriformes, Ploceidae), coll. E. Glowska, November 2010. DNA barcode GenBank Accession no. JX266447, voucher no. EG543. Because there was no variation between three obtained sequences (one haplotype), only one sequence was published.

Remarks. All available morphological data are given (characters, setae lengths and ratio of all specimens). The reason of some metric features of paratypes are missing is that, after tissue digestion, the exoskeleton of these weakly sclerotized mites becomes very delicate and during preparation can be damaged in part (e.g. broken setae).

Type deposition. Type material is deposited in the AMU.

Etymology. The name pseudonigritae refers to the generic name of the host (noun, genus feminum, genetivus singularis).

Differential diagnosis. Syringophiloidus pseudonigritae sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to Syringophiloidus seiuri (Clark) described from the Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla (Linnaeus) (Passeriformes, Parulidae) in the USA (redescribed in Bochkov & Galloway 2001). Females of both species are characterized by having the similar number of chambers in the lateral branches of the peritremes, setae si about five times longer than vi, setae f1 and h1 subequal in length, the same ornamentation of dorsal setae, and fan like setae p’ and p” with a similar number of tines. The females of S. pseudonigritae are distinguishable from those of S. seiuri by the following features: medial peritreme branch with four chambers, length ratio of setae vi: ve is 1:1, and the lengths of setae d1 165, e2 160–170, h2 305–320, ag1 120–150, and ag2 145–160. Females of S. seiuri have the medial peritreme branch with six chambers, the length ratio of setae vi:ve is 1:1.5, and the lengths of setae d1 120–140, e2 120–130, h2 250–270, ag1 90–110 and ag2 125–135.