Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) pantinii Mašán, 2017, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Mašán, Peter
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Mesostigmata
Pachylaelapidae
Pachylaelaps
Pachylaelaps pantinii

description: Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) pantinii sp. nov.
(Figs 39 ¯48, 51, 52, 55)
Specimens examined. Holotype female: North Italy, Bergamo Province, Bergamasque Alps and Prealps, Zambla Alta Village, near to Zambla Pass, spruce forest (Picea abies) with admixed beech (Fagus sylvatica), needle litter and soil detritus, with decomposed wood substrate, altitude 1,170 m, 13 May 2015, coll. P. Mašán. Paratypes: 1 female and 2 males, with the same data as in holotype.
Diagnosis. In female, tubiform structures of sperm induction system relatively short and broad, well sclerotised except basal portions, with apices clearly separated and bases negligibly expanded (Figs 42, 51, 52).
Male spermatodactyl relatively wide, less than double the movable digit, khanjar-like, with smooth margins, slightly expanded proximal portion, slight distal constriction and wide hooked apex directed backward (Figs 46, 55). Palptibia with two divergent petal-like projections: antiaxial projection reduced in size, smaller than paraxial one, narrow proximally and regularly rounded distally; paraxial projection subtriangular, with tapered distal portion and obtuse apex (Figs 39, 47).
Description. FEMALE.
Dorsal idiosoma (Fig. 40). Dorsal shield 665–800 µm long and 380–465 µm wide, elongated and suboval (length/width 1.71–1.77), delicately and evenly reticulated on surface, and bearing 30 pairs of dorsal setae. Dorsal setae uniform, smooth and needle-shaped, mostly subequal in length, relatively shorter and mostly with tips not reaching beyond insertions of following setae; setae z1 shortest. For length and spacing of some selected dorsal shield setae see Table 1. Dorsolateral soft integument with seven pairs of marginal setae (r6, R1, R3‒R7).
Ventral idiosoma (Fig. 41). Sternal shield 245–253 µm long, slightly shorter than genitiventral shield (length of sternal shield/length of genitiventral shield 0.92–0.99). Genitiventral shield apparently as long as wide (length 246–284 µm, width 203–225 µm, length/width 1.2–1.28). Anal shield subtriangular, 107–123 µm long and 116– 155 µm wide (length/width 0.78–0.93); anus with three circum-anal setae situated close to posterior margin of shield. Peritremes normally developed, with anterior tips reaching dorsal surface between insertions of setae z1 and z2. Ventral shields with delicate reticulation on surface. Metapodal platelets minuscule, free on soft integument. Ventral soft integument with nine pairs of ventral setae (JV2–JV5, ZV1–ZV5). Ventral setae similar to those on dorsal idiosoma.
Sperm induction structures (Figs 42, 51, 52). Tubiform structures of sperm induction system relatively short and broad, cup-like, well sclerotised except basal portions, with apices clearly separated, and bases negligibly expanded and abutting to inner margin of coxae IV.
Gnathosomal structures (Figs 43, 44). Corniculi elongated and horn-like; laciniae densely pilose, as long as corniculi; deutosternum with six rows of denticles; subcapitular setae smooth and needle-shaped. Epistome with subtriangular and regularly narrowed base, narrow central neck and widened apical part densely crenulate anteriorly; basal part with denticulate lateral margins (Fig. 43). Fixed digit of chelicera with bifid terminal hook, one large distal tooth associated with pilus dentilis, and one additional distal denticle on lateral ridge; pilus dentilis well developed, slightly curved and directed backward; movable digit of chelicera unidentate, with simple hook and one distal tooth (Fig. 44).
Legs. Leg setation normal for genus (Mašán, 2007). Tarsus II with two spur-like distal setae, pl1 and pl2 (Fig. 45).
MALE. Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield 660‒710 µm long and 375‒425 µm wide, elongated and suboval (length/width 1.65‒1.76).
Ventral idiosoma. Sternal, genitiventral, peritrematal, metapodal and anal plates fused to form an entire holoventral shield bearing nine pairs of setae (st1‒st5, JV1‒JV3, ZV2), not including three circum-anal setae close to anus; shield with reticulate sculpture on surface. Dorsolateral and ventral soft integument with 13 pairs of setae (r6, R1, R3‒R7, JV4, JV5, Zv1, ZV3‒ZV5). Dorsal and ventral chaetotaxy and other characters as in female.
Gnathosomal structures (Figs 46, 39, 47, 55). Cheliceral spermatodactyl relatively shorter and wider, 100‒115 µm long, 1.65‒1.85 times as long as movable digit, khanjar-like, with smooth margins, slightly expanded proximal portion, slight distal constriction and wide hooked apex directed backward (Figs 46, 55). Palptibiae slightly thickened proximally, each bearing a pair of petal-like projections on proximal ventral surface, as in Figs 39 and 47; projections relatively large, with divergent adjacent margins: antiaxial projection reduced in sizes, smaller than that with paraxial position, narrow in basal part and regularly rounded distally; paraxial projection subtriangular, with widened base, tapered distal portion and obtuse apex. Palpfemur with small tubercle on anterolateral basal surface.
Species Morphological character
Tubes of sperm induction system (♀) Dorsal setae Palptibial projections (Ƌ) Spermatodactyl (Ƌ)
(♀, Ƌ)
length sclerotisation form J4/J5 inner outer relative length form
(SL/MDL)
abludens elongate entire tubiform, hooked I.4—2 smaller, tapered larger, rounded 3.2—3.6 expanded, flag-shaped Legs. Medial segments of legs II spurred on their distal ventral surface: femur with one robust spur, genu and tibia each with a peg-like spur, as in Fig. 48. Femoral spur broadened in basal part, produced into narrowly rounded apex, with two small tubercles on axillary side; axillar seta with markedly expanded base (Fig. 48). Terminal part of tarsus II with only one spur-like distal seta, pl1.
Etymology. The specific name honors Paolo Pantini, eminent arachnologist of the Natural History Museum in Bergamo (Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali "Enrico Caffi"), who has made many valuable contributions to the fauna of Italian spiders (Araneae).
Taxonomic notes. The new species may be distinguished from the other congeners by the differential characters introduced in the diagnosis (see above), Table 2, and the two identification keys provided below.
description: Published as part of Mašán, Peter, 2017, Four new species of the subgenus Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) from Italy, with a new identification key to the known species (Acari: Pachylaelapidae), pp. 95-117 in Zootaxa 4236 (1) on pages 107-112, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4236.1.5, http://zenodo.org/record/322026