Scutacarus insolitus Khaustov, 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Khaustov, Alexander A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Prostigmata
Scutacaridae
Scutacarus
Scutacarus insolitus

description: Scutacarus insolitus sp. nov.
(Figs. 5–8)
Description. FEMALE. Length of idiosoma 145 (135–150 in 2 paratypes), width 155 (145–155). Gnathosoma (Figs. 6 A, B): in general similar to that of S. moseri sp. nov. but setae chb absent. Idiosomal dorsum (Figs. 5 A, 6C). Prodorsum completely covered by tergite C, with 2 pairs of smooth needle-like setae v 2 and sc 2, 1 pair of seta-like trichobothria (Fig. 6 C), and 1 pair of oval stigmata associated with long tracheal trunks. Lateral propodosomal spine absent. All dorsal shields with numerous small dimples. Setae c 1 and c 2 distally thickened and strongly barbed; d slightly thickened, distinctly shorter than c 1 and c 2; setae f not thickened, long, blunt-ended and distinctly barbed; setae e and h 2 curved, sparsely barbed and pointed, setae h 1 very short, needle-like, with few minute barbs. Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H large and round. Tergites EF and H each with 1 pair of oval porous fields situated anteromedially to setae f and anteriorly to setae h 1. Lengths of dorsal setae: c 1 23 (23 – 24), c 2 19 (18 – 20), d 14 (12–14), e 24 (21–26), f 50 (50–52), h 1 8 (8–9), h 2 22 (18–22). Distances between setae: c 1– c 1 55 (55–59), d–d 75 (74–77), f–f 61 (61–65), h 1– h 1 21 (21–23). Idiosomal venter (Fig. 5 B). All ventral plates with numerous small dimples. Ap1 well-developed and joined with appr, ap2 u-shaped, joined with appr; apsej well-developed and joined with appr. Sta present. Apodemes 3 absent, ap4 short, joined with appo. Apodemes 5 absent. Setae 2 b short, slightly thickened, smooth, blunt-ended, setae 3 b smooth, setae 4 a smooth, with thickened base, situated distinctly anteriorly to 4 b, setae ps 3 short and smooth. Other ventral setae sparsely barbed. Bases of setae 3 a and 3 b situated very close to each other. Bases of setae of poststernal plate covered by short cuticular outgrowths. Ags bell-like, pgs large, triangular. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 17 (17–19), 1 b 12 (12–13), 2 a 13 (11–13), 2 b 6 (5–6), 3 a 20 (20– 24), 3 b 16 (16–17), 3 c 23 (22–23), 4 a 12 (11–12), 4 b 30 (25–30), 4 c 24 (22–24), ps 1 26 (24–26), ps 2 26 (24–26), ps 3 7 (5–7). Legs (Figs. 7, 8). Leg I (Fig. 7 A). Leg setation: Tr-1, Fe-1, Ge-4, TiTa-16(4). Tibiotarsus with large tarsal claw, tapering on its end. Seta k blunt-ended, smooth, eupathidion tc” situated on long pinnaculum; tc’ on short protuberance. Lengths of solenidia: ω 1 8 (8)> ω 2 4 (4–5) <φ 1 7 (6–7)> φ 2 4 (4); ω 2 and φ 2 baculiform, φ 1 clavate, ω 1 finger-shaped. Seta dFe slightly thickened and pointed. Setae l’ and v” of femur absent. Leg II (Fig. 7 B). Leg setation: Tr-1, Fe-1, Ge-3, Ti-4(1), Ta-6(1). Tarsus with large padded claws and well-developed flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 7 (7–8) finger-shaped, solenidion φ 4 (3–4) weakly clavate. Setae l’ and v” of femur absent. Seta pl” spine-like, smooth, u’ blunt-ended and barbed in distal half. Leg III (Fig. 8 A). Leg setation: Tr-1, Fe-1, Ge-2, Ti-4(1), Ta-6. Claws of same shape as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 4 (3–4) weakly clavate. Seta v’ of femur absent. Setae pl” spine-like, smooth, tc’ smooth, u’ blunt-ended and barbed in the distal half. Leg IV (Fig. 8 B). Leg setation: Tr-1, Fe-2, Ge-1, TiTa-5. Setae d of femur, d and tc’ of tibiotarsus blunt-ended. Tibiotarsus shorter than its width. Setae tc” and pv” absent. Trochanter ventrodistally with spine-like process.
MALE and LARVA unknown.
Type material. Female holotype (slide AK 240815 /1) and 2 female paratypes, RUSSIA, Tyumen Province, Tyumen District, vicinity of Tyumen, 57°09'50.4"N, 65°27'26.7"E, in nest of Lasius flavus, 24 August 2015, coll. A.A. Khaustov.
Type deposition. Holotype deposited in TUMZ; 2 paratypes in ZISP.
Etymology. The name of a new species derived from the Latin word insolitus meaning “ unusual ” and refers to the combination of remarkable character states of a new species.
Differential diagnosis. Female of this new species is most similar to S. gratus Karafiat, 1959 by the presence of thickened distally and strongly barbed setae c 1 and c 2, short setae h 1, the similar shape of setae e and h 2 and the presence of sta. It differs from S. gratus by a seta-like trichobothrium (vs. clavate in S. gratus), by absence of setae chb (vs. present), by presence of only five setae on tibiotarsus IV (vs. 6). It also differs by the absence of setae: l’ and v” of femora I and II, v’ of femur III and pv” of tibiotarsus IV (vs. present).
description: Published as part of Khaustov, Alexander A., 2015, Myrmecophilous pygmephoroid mites (Acari: Pygmephoroidea) associated with Lasius flavus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Russia, pp. 345-370 in Zootaxa 4044 (3) on pages 350-354, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4044.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/231968