Spatulaphorus madagascariensis Khaustov, Frolov & Akhmetova, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Khaustov, Alexander A.
name: Frolov, Andrey V.
name: Akhmetova, Lilia A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Trombidiformes
Pygmephoridae
Spatulaphorus
Spatulaphorus madagascariensis

description: Spatulaphorus madagascariensis sp. nov.
(Figs 25–28)
Description. FEMALE. Body weakly sclerotized. Length of idiosoma 185 (170–190), width 110 (105–115).
Gnathosoma. Gnathosomal capsule, excluding palps, subrectangular, length 21 (20–21), width 21 (20–21). Dorsum with one pair of needle-like cheliceral setae (cha) 6 (6). Dorsal median apodeme absent. Postpalpal setae (pp) 2 (2) spiniform, situated laterad setae cha. Ventral gnathosoma with one pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m 8 (8–9) and round pits n situated posteriad m. Palps with smooth and pointed setae dFe 6 (6–7) and dGe 12 (11–13) dorsolaterally. Palps ventrally each with mushroom-like accessory setigenous structure (ass) and tiny solenidion ω. Palps terminated with small blunt-tipped tibial claw and tiny eupathid-like seta. Pharyngeal pumps poorly visible.
Idiosomal dorsum (Figs 25A, 28A). All dorsal shields with large puncta as illustrated in Fig. 25A. Prodorsal shield with three pairs of setae (v1, v2, sc2), one pair of weakly barbed capitate trichobothria (sc1) and one pair of round stigmata. Stigmata associated with well-developed tracheal trunks. Setae v1, v2, sc2 and c2 pointed; other dorsal setae blunt-tipped; setae e and h2 smooth; other dorsal setae barbed. Alveoli of setae e and f distinctly separated. Cupules ia on tergite D, im on tergite EF and ih on tergite H large, round, subequal. Lengths of dorsal setae: v1 29 (26–29), v2 21 (18–22), sc2 43 (43–57), c1 30 (27–34), c2 43 (40–49), d 32 (32–40), e 16 (15–16), f 36 (34–44), h1 43 (39–44), h2 12 (12–14). Distances between setae: v1–v1 20 (20–21), v2–v2 33 (33–36), sc2–sc2 38 (37–38), c1–c1 31 (31–37), c1–c2 24 (22–24), d–d 56 (53–57), e–f 5 (5–6), f–f 51 (47–52), h1–h1 41 (37–42), h1–h2 6 (6–8).
Idiosomal venter (Figs 25B, 28B). Anterior and posterior sternal plates with very small, hardly discernible puncta; aggenital and pseudanal plates with slightly larger puncta. Setae 1b, 2c, 4b, and ps1-2 pointed; other setae weakly blunt-tipped; setae 1b weakly barbed, other ventral setae smooth. Bases of setae ps3 situated slightly anteriad bases of setae ps1-2; setae ps1 usually shorter than ps2; setae ps1-2 subequal in some specimens. Ap1 and ap2 well-developed and joined with thick appr; apsej absent; ap3 very thin, hardly discernible; ap4 well developed, exceeding beyond bases of setae 3b; ap5 well developed and exceeding bases of trochanter IV. Ags small, cup-like; pgs small, oval. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate weakly concave in middle part. Posterior margin of aggenital plate with short tongue-like elongation. Lengths of ventral setae: 1a 10 (9–11), 1b 19 (17–19), 1с 12 (9–12), 2a 11 (11), 2с 13 (13–15), 3a 13 (12–13), 3b 11 (10–11), 3c 12 (12–13), 4a 10 (10–11), 4b 16 (15–20), 4c 14 (12–15), ps1 12 (11–12), ps2 15 (13–15), ps3 16 (16–17).
Legs (Figs 26, 27). Setation of legs as in S. brevisetosus except presence of solenidion φ on tibia II. Leg I (Fig. 26A). Tibiotarsus enlarged, with large, thick and strongly curved claw; tibiotarsus internally without oval strongly sclerotized structure. Setae (u) consolidated into a bifid horn-like structure opposing claw. Tarsal claw blunt-tipped. Seta d of femur spatulate, with short subterminal projection. Setae l’ of femur and k of tibiotarsus smooth, other leg setae (except eupathidia p’, p”, tc’, tc”, ft’, ft”) barbed. Setae l’ of femur and k of tibiotarsus weakly blunt-tipped; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Lengths of solenidia ω1 8 (8), ω2 5 (5), φ1 8 (8), φ2 6 (5–6); solenidia ω1 and φ1 thick, clavate; other solenidia weakly clavate. Leg II (Fig. 26B). Tarsus with simple claws and pad-like empodium. Solenidion ω 7 (7) weakly clavate, solenidion φ 2 (2) very short. Seta u’ of tarsus smooth; other setae leg setae barbed; seta d of femur blunt-tipped; tips of setae (pv) of tarsus slightly foliate; other leg setae pointed. Leg III (Fig. 27A). Femur divided into basi- and telofemur. Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Seta u’ of tarsus smooth; other leg setae barbed; setae d of femur and l’ of genu blunt-tipped; tips of setae (pv) of tarsus slightly flattened; other leg setae pointed; external part of solenidion φ absent, but subcuticular very small cup-shaped structure situated at typical insertion point of solenidion. Leg IV (Fig 27B). Femur divided into basiand telofemur. Claws and empodium as on tarsi II and III. Seta pl” of tarsus smooth; other leg setae barbed; setae d of femur, v” of tibia, pl” and tc” of tarsus blunt-tipped; setae (pv) of tarsus slightly foliate distally; other leg setae pointed; external part of solenidion φ absent, but subcuticular very small cup-shaped structure situated at typical insertion point of solenidion.
MALE unknown.
Type material. Female holotype, slide ZISP T-Pygm-016, Madagascar, Adringitra Range, Andohariana, 9- XI/ 10-XII.1979 (ZIN), on Helictopleurus corruscus Orbigny; paratypes: 75 females, same data.
Type deposition. The holotype and nine paratypes are deposited in the collection of Zoological Institute of RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russia; other paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia.
Differential diagnosis. The new species is most similar to S. incisus sp, nov. in having an enlarged tibiotarsus I, simple claws on tarsi II and III and presence of solenidion φ on tibia II. The new species differs from S. incisus in having well developed ap5 exceeding trochanters IV (vs. ap5 very short and thin in S. incisus); posterior margin of posterior sternal plate almost straight medially (vs. posterior margin of posterior sternal plate deeply incised in S. incisus); and setae ps1-3 smooth (vs. setae ps1-3 barbed in S. incisus).
Etymology. The name of the new species refers to geographical distribution in Madagascar.
description: Published as part of Khaustov, Alexander A., Frolov, Andrey V. & Akhmetova, Lilia A., 2024, Seven new species of Spatulaphorus Rack (Acari: Pygmephoridae) phoretic on scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), pp. 337-368 in Zootaxa 5497 (3) on pages 361-365, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5497.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13618611