Gerdalbertia elongata Khaustov, Hugo-Coetzee & Ermilov, 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Khaustov, Alexander A.
name: Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A.
name: Ermilov, Sergey G.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Isoptera
Termitidae
Gerdalbertia
Gerdalbertia elongata

description: Gerdalbertia elongata sp. nov.
(Figs. 1–11)
Description. FEMALE (Figs 1–3, 9 A–C, 10). Length of idiosoma 245 (230–250), width 130 (120–135).
Gnathosoma (Figs. 1 A, B, 10D). Length of gnathosoma 27 (26–28), width 24 (24–26). Dorsal median apodeme well developed. Cheliceral setae weakly barbed, pointed. Postpalpal setae very thin, setiform, situated anteriorly to setae cha. Setae chb 19 (16–20) longer than cha 12 (12–13). Setae dFe needle-like, slightly shorter than pointed dGe, both smooth. Subcapitular setae m 13 (10–13) smooth, pointed. Posterior part of subcapitulum with 1 pair of round pits.
Idiosomal dorsum (Figs 1 A, 9A, 10A). All dorsal shields with numerous small round dimples (Fig. 9 A). Setae v 2 and sc 2 smooth, blunt-ended. Trichobothria weakly barbed, basal part of spherical part with distinct longitudinal striae. All hysterosomal setae distinctly barbed. Setae d, f and h 1 blunt-ended, other dorsal setae pointed. Cupules ia on tergite D situated anterolaterally to bases of setae d; cupules ih on tergite H situated anterolaterally to bases of setae h 2. Posterior margin of tergite C concave. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 8 (7–9), sc 2 12 (12–14), c 1 52 (52–55), c 2 62 (59–63), d 41 (40–45), e 50 (50–56), f 63 (63–70), h 1 58 (57–64), h 2 84 (84–89). Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 46 (44–46), sc 2 –sc 2 41 (39–41), c 1– c 1 41 (36–41), c 1– c 2 38 (37–41), d–d 49 (47–50), e–f 17 (17–18), f–f 43 (41–43), h 1– h 1 21 (20–22), h 1– h 2 19 (18–20).
Idiosomal venter (Figs. 1 B, 9B, 10B). Ventral plates with numerous small dimples. All ventral setae pointed. Setae 4 a smooth, other ventral setae sparsely barbed. Lateral margin of posterior sternal plate near trochanter IV with distinct spine-like process. Anterior part of pgs weakly sclerotized (Fig. 9 B). Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 40 (40–43), 1 b 30 (30–32), 2 a 44 (42–45), 2 b 29 (29–34). 3 a 42 (41– 44), 3 b 55 (53–57), 3 c 36 (33–38), 4 a 29 (28–30), 4 b 51 (50–58), 4 c 53 (48–58), ps 1 45 (45–49), ps 3 33 (31–35).
Legs (Figs 2, 3). Leg I (Fig. 2 A). Lengths of solenidia ω 1 8 (7–8)> ω 2 4 (4–5) <φ 1 7 (7–8)> φ 2 6 (6–7); solenidion ω 1 finger-shaped, solenidia ω 2, φ 1 and φ 2 weakly clavate. Solenidion ω 2 situated between eupathidia tc’ and tc”. Setae l’ of femur smooth, blunt-ended; setae v’ of trochanter, d, s, l’ and k of tibiotarsus smooth and pointed; seta v’ of genu blunt-ended and barbed; other setae of leg I (except eupathidia) pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg II (Fig. 2 B). Solenidion ω 7 (7–8) finger-shaped, solenidion φ 4 (4–5) weakly clavate. Seta tc’ spiniform, in some specimens with slightly bifurcate tip. Other leg setae pointed; seta tc” smooth, other leg setae sparsely barbed. Leg III (Fig. 3 A). Solenidion φ 5 (4–5) weakly clavate. Seta tc’ spiniform. Other leg setae pointed; seta tc” smooth, other leg setae sparsely barbed. Leg IV (Figs. 3 B, 10C). Seta pl” very short, spine-like; seta u’ vestigial; other leg setae distinctly barbed. Seta v’ of trochanter blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Solenidion φ 6 (6–7) weakly clavate. Ventral margin of trochanter IV with weakly sclerotized flange.
MALE (Figs. 4–6, 9 D, 11A–C). Length of idiosoma 190–230, width 110–165.
Gnathosoma (Figs.4 A, B, 11B). Length of gnathosoma 12–14, width 6–8. Cheliceral setae smooth, needlelike. Setae chb 7–8 slightly longer than cha 4–6. Subcapitular setae m 9–10 smooth, pointed. Solenidion 7–8. Idiosomal dorsum (Figs. 4 A, 11A, C). All dorsal shields with numerous small round dimples. Prodorsal shield with distinct median apodeme. Prodorsal setae v 2 and sc 1 smooth, blunt-ended; sc 2 and c 2 sparsely barbed, pointed; setae d pointed, with few minute barbs or smooth; setae c 1 blunt-ended, barbed; setae e and f blunt-ended, smooth or with few weak barbs; seta h 1 smooth, weakly clavate; seta h 2 vestigial. Cupules ia on tergite CD situated anteromedially to bases of setae d. Tergite H with distinct hexagonal sculpture (Figs. 10 D, 11C). Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 7–10, sc 1 14–20, sc 2 55–76, c 1 21–28, c 2 66–91, d 46–64, e 15–18, f 19–24, h 1 7–9. Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 17–18, sc 1 –sc 1 16–19, sc 2 –sc 2 26–30, c 1– c 1 48–62, c 1– c 2 26–40, d–d 69–92, e–f 8–13, f–f 26–33, h 1– h 1 30–39, h 2– h 2 27–40.
Idiosomal venter (Fig. 4 B). Ventral plates with numerous small dimples. Setae 1 b, 2 b, 3 a blunt-ended and sparsely barbed. Setae 2 a pointed and weakly barbed, other ventral setae smooth and pointed. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 14–19, 1 b 14–20, 2 a 19–24, 2 b 11–14. 3 a 14–20, 3 b 13–19, 3 c 14–22, 4 a 12–16, 4 b 8–12, 4 c 12–18, ps 1 7–9, ps 2 12–15.
Legs (Figs. 5, 6, 11 A). Leg I (Figs. 5 A, 11A). Lengths of solenidia ω 1 12–13> ω 2 6–8 <φ 1 7–9 = φ 2 7–9; solenidion ω 1 finger-shaped, solenidia ω 2 and φ 2 baculiform, solenidion φ 1 weakly clavate. Setae k of tibia smooth, blunt-ended; setae v’ of trochanter, d, l’ of femur, v’, l” of genu blunt-ended and barbed; setae l’ of tibia, (pl), (u), s of tarsus smooth and pointed; other setae of leg I (except eupathidia) pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg II (Fig. 5 B). Solenidion ω 10–11 finger-shaped, solenidion φ 4–6 weakly clavate. Setae v’ of trochanter, l’ of femur, v’ of genu blunt-ended and barbed; setae v” of femur, l” of genu, tc”, u” of tarsus smooth and pointed. Other leg setae pointed and sparsely barbed. Leg III (Fig. 6 A). Solenidion φ 4–6 weakly clavate. Setae v’ of trochanter, d, v’ of femur, v’ of genu blunt-ended and barbed; setae tc” and u’ of tarsus smooth and pointed, other leg setae sparsely barbed and pointed. Leg IV (Fig. 6 B). Setae (tc) very long, smooth and pointed; setae v’ of trochanter, genu, tibia and pv’ of tarsus blunt-ended and barbed; setae d, v’ of femur, d, l’ of tibia, u’ of tarsus blunt-ended and smooth; setae v” of tibia and pv” of tarsus spiniform; seta pl” of tarsus smooth and pointed. Solenidion φ 12–17 baculiform.
LARVA. (Figs. 7, 8, 11 D). Length of idiosoma 215, width 100.
Gnathosoma. Length of gnathosoma 26, width 26. Setae cha 7 needle-like, smooth, chb 3. Palpal setae dFe and dGe needle-like. Subcapitular setae m 10 smooth, pointed.
Idiosomal dorsum (Fig. 7 A). All dorsal shields smooth. All dorsal setae barbed. Dorsal setae sc 2, c 2, h 1 and h 2 pointed; other dorsal setae blunt-ended. Cupules ia on tergite D situated anteromedially to bases of setae d; cupules ih on segment HPs situated just laterally to bases of setae h 1. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 9, sc 1 28, sc 2 64, c 1 23, c 2 62, d 27, e 24, f 37, h 1 79, h 2 51. Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 31, sc 1 –sc 1 29, sc 2 –sc 2 43, c 1– c 1 40, d–d 55, e–f 16, f– f 36, h 1– h 1 19, h 2– h 2 19.
Idiosomal venter (Fig. 7 B). Ventral plates smooth. Setae ps 1-3 smooth and pointed; other ventral setae weakly barbed and blunt-ended. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 9, 1 b 8, 2 a 13, 2 b 10. 3 a 13, 3 b 14, ps 1 15, ps 2 16, ps 3 15.
Legs (Fig. 8). Leg I (Fig. 8 A). Lengths of solenidia ω 1 5 <φ 1 6; solenidion ω 1 finger-shaped, solenidion φ 1 weakly clavate. Setae l’, v” of femur, (v) of genu, k of tibia smooth, blunt-ended; setae l’ of tibia, s, (ft), (u), (pv) of tarsus smooth and pointed; seta d of tibia pointed and barbed; other setae of leg I (except eupathidia) blunt-ended and barbed. Leg II (Fig. 8 B). Solenidion ω 5 finger-shaped, solenidion φ 3 weakly clavate. Setae v” and l’ of femur blunt-ended and smooth; setae (v) of tibia, (pv), tc” of tarsus barbed and pointed; setae pl”, tc’, (u) of tarsus smooth and pointed. Other leg setae blunt-ended and barbed. Leg III (Fig. 8 C). Solenidion φ 3 weakly clavate. Setae (v) of tibia and (tc) of tarsus pointed and barbed; setae pl”, (u), (pv) of tarsus smooth and pointed; other leg setae barbed and blunt-ended.
Type material. Female holotype, slide AK 081116, SOUTH AFRICA, Bloemfontein, Franklin Game Reserve on Naval Hill, 29°05’57,9”S, 026°14’03,2”E, 1404 m. a.s.l., in the nests of termites Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjostedt, 1911), 9 November 2016, collected by A.A. Khaustov, S.G. Ermilov, E.A. Hugo-Coetzee; paratypes: 28 females, 6 males, 3 larvae, same data as holotype; 2 females, same locality, but phoretic on workers and soldiers of termites.
Type deposition. The holotype and 19 female paratypes and all male and larvae paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia; two female paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute of RAS, St.- Petersburg, Russia; 8 female paratypes are deposited in the mite collection of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from the Latin word elongatus meaning ‘elongate’ and refers to the elongate body shape in the females, which is unusual for the family Scutacaridae.
description: Published as part of Khaustov, Alexander A., Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2017, A new genus of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with Trinervitermes trinervoides (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa, pp. 462-476 in Zootaxa 4258 (5) on pages 464-472, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4258.5.4, http://zenodo.org/record/570429