Hispiniphis parva Moraza & Lindquist, 2015, new species
Creators: name: Moraza, María L.
name: Lindquist, Evert E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Mesostigmata
Ascidae
Hispiniphis
Hispiniphis parva

description: Hispiniphis parva new species
(Figures 41–87, 101–105)
Diagnosis. Adult female and male: Dorsal shield coarsely reticulated, subpentagonal in shape with rounded posterolateral corners; dorsal shield with setae j1 and z5 similar in length and slightly the shortest (excluding J5); marginal soft cuticle neotrichous with duplicated setae; femur II lacking seta ad -3. Adult female: Dorsal shield with 15 or 16 pairs of setae; ca. 35 mostly duplicated pairs of setae on soft marginal cuticle; epigynal shield scarcely widened at level of setae st5; fixed cheliceral digit with ca. eight teeth on masticatory surface. Adult male: Dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae, Z2 and sometimes j4 duplicate; ca. 40 pairs of setae on soft marginal cuticle; spermatodactyl slightly sinuous, ca. 1.5 as long as movable digit. Immature instars: Idiosoma discoidal, about as wide as long; dorsal shield of nymphs with setae mostly displaced marginally. Protonymph with accelerated presence of normally deutonymphal setae JV3, JV4 on opisthogaster and of seta ad -3 on genua I-II and pl -1 on femur and genu IV. Larva and protonymph with setae st3 on weakly formed platelets.
Description. Adult female. Idiosomatic dorsum. Idiosoma 288–532 long, 245–425 wide; dorsal shield 215–235 long, 159–177 at its greatest width at level of setae z6 (n = 9). Dorsal shield ornamented with reticula over nearly entire surface, but primarily transversally lineated on anterior region between j1 and j3; glandular poroids conspicuous (Fig. 102), two pairs on podonotal region, three pairs opisthonotal; shield with 15–16 pairs of setae, Z2 on or off shield; setae of similar lengths, very attenuated apically: j1 (20–23) and z5 (18–25) subequal, j3 (23–27), j4– j5 (24–34), j6, J1 (29–37), z4, z6, Z2, J3, J4, Z5 (26–34), clunal J5 (2–3) (Figs 41, 42). Lateral soft cuticle with ca. 37 pairs of setae, some duplicated, of similar length (25–35) (z2, s1, s2, r 2, r3, r5, S1–S5, R1–R6 and UR ’s). Peritrematal shields free from dorsal shield anteriorly.
Idiosomatic venter. Tritosternum with base slightly longer (11–14) than basal width (10), with laciniae fused for about 0.3–0.4 of total length (40–46 excluding base), their fused length with smooth base and lacineae finely pilose (Fig. 47). Presternal area and desclerotised medial region of sternal shield with weak granulation (Figs 45, 101). Lateral elements of sternal shield (lengths 45–60) with rounded tubercles at bases of sternal setae st1 and st2; narrowest width of one sternal element, and of entire sternal field, between legs II (13–22 and 60–85, respectively), sternal elements inconspicuously punctate over nearly entire surface, poorly lineate along lateral margins; shield element with anterior margin lobulate, and posterior margin irregularly convex posteror to iv2; shield element with elongated, narrow endopodal extension freely ending between coxae I–II, where bearing gvb, and with well developed endopodal extension between coxae II–III; setae st1 (18–22) slightly shorter than st2 (26–32). Setae st3 (28–32) and st4 (20–26) on soft cuticle. Endopodal strips well developed alongside coxae III and IV, their margins irregular, and free from sternal shield. Epigynal shield ornamented with fine puncta, 53–70 long, narrowest width 8–10, and 12–17 at widest level at setae st5 (Figs 45, 48); st5 slightly shorter than other sternal setae (12–22). Anal shield slightly lineated anterolaterally, with broadly rounded margin; shield’s greatest width (27–38) at level of gv3, slightly less than its mid-length (37–42, including cribrum); shield with gland pores gv3 at level of para-anal setae; postanal seta (17–23) about twice as long as para-anal setae (8–13); posterior shield margin with thick cribrum (ca. 25 wide, 10 long) (Figs 45, 49). Soft cuticle with six pairs of opisthogastric setae of similar length, JV1 (20–25), JV2–JV5, ZV2, (18–20); opisthogastric setae on soft striated opisthosomatic cuticle flanked by thickened pigmented cuticle (Figs 102, 103). Peritrematal shield reduced, with three long cells and gland pore gp1 at anterior extremity, consolidated with exopodal strip curving behind coxa IV, and bearing poroids ips–ip3 and gland pore gp3 behind stigma; peritreme wide, slightly sinuous, reaching anterior margin of coxa II (Figs 43, 45). Spermathecal apparatus with weakly discernible, curved sclerotised structure, ca. 20 length, greatest width ca. 5 at solenostome between coxae III and IV, tapering to a tube of ca. 1–2 diameter where becoming indiscernible (Fig. 55).
Gnathosoma. Gnathotectum (Fig. 52) with dorsal face convex, sparsely lineate, with prominent convex, dentate anterior margin. Cheliceral shaft, excluding basal section 67–72 long, with moderately small digits (Fig. 44). Fixed cheliceral digit with offset subapical tooth and alveolar remnant of pilus dentilis, masticatory surface with file of seven or eight small teeth plus a slightly more separated basal one; movable digit (23–27) tridentate. Corniculi moderately short (12–15), stout (width 7–8 where inserted), with basal acuminate paraxial process (6–8) (Figs 51, 53); corniculi inserted at level of insertions of setae hp1; internal malae with lateral apices (25–30) shorter than medial ones (32–33) (Fig. 53), extending slightly beyond tips of setae hp1; tips of salivary stylets short of reaching tips of corniculi (Fig. 50); labrum long (45–51), extending to anterior edge of palptibia. Subcapitulum with seven rows of deutosternal denticles somewhat variable but similar in width and number (6–10) and size of denticles, basal two rows sometimes slightly wider, more denticulate (up to 15–17). Subcapitulum with hp1 conspicuously thicker, longer (23–28) than other setae; hp2 (9–11) and pc (13–15) shorter than hp3 (15–18). Palpus length (78–84); palptrochanter with inner seta (11–13) longer than outer seta (6–8); form of palpfemoral seta al (8–10), palpgenual setae al -1 and al -2, and palptarsal apotele as described for genus-group description (Figs 54 a–c).
Legs. Legs I to IV (Figs 63–70) each longer than dorsal shield length, legs I slightly longer than legs II–IV; leg lengths, excluding pretarsi: I 258–275, II 237–252, III 230–245, IV 229–242. Leg I tarsus (75–80) about 1.8–2.0 longer than each of the similarly long femur (42–45), genu (37–40), and tibia (37–40). At level of genu and tibia, respectively, legs I and IV similarly as wide as legs II–III; widths of femur and tibia: leg I 48 –53, 39–45; leg II 49 –52, 38–40; leg III 46 –50, 38–40; leg IV 47 –51, 35–40. Tarsus I with well-developed, ventrodistal acuminate process (12–15) nearly as long as pretarsus (14–18 to base of claws) (Fig. 72 b); tarsus I without markedly elongated setae apically (Fig. 71). Legs II to IV with tarsus about 2.2–2.5 times as long as tibia. Tarsi II–IV with pair of apical setal processes ad -1, pd -1 (8–10) inconspicuous, shorter than length of pretarsus to base of claws (14–15); with ventroapical process stout (9–10), bluntly spade-shaped apically (as in Figs 73, 74); pretarsi with paradactyli inconspicuous, about as long as claws (10–11). Tarsi II–IV with setae md, al -2, av -1, pl -1, pl -2 slightly longer than other tarsal setae (as in Fig. 73); setae av -2, pv -2 similar in length and shape to pv -1 (Fig. 74). Coxae I–IV lineate on ventral surfaces; coxal setae simple, short (7–12) (Figs 67–70); coxae I with serrate anterior margin and a second parallel line of serrae below that (Fig. 67). Coxae II and III with serrate anterior margin (Figs 68, 69). Legs I to IV with chaetotactic formulae of segments as described for genus; femur II lacking seta ad -3. Leg segments with several setae on small tubercles, including several moderately thickened spine-like setae on femora I–IV (Figs 63–66); seta al slightly spinelike on trochanters II–IV; seta pv on trochanters II–IV and femora III (Figs 64–66) thin but not markedly elongated.
Adult male. Idiosomatic dorsum. Dorsal shield 213–227 long, 164–182 wide at level of setae z6 (n = 6); shield ornamentation and complement of pore-like structures similar to that of female, but form slightly more oval in shape. Dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae, including Z2 and an adjacent pair on lateral margins of shield (position “ Z 2x ”) and sometimes an unpaired seta on podonotal region lateral to j4 (position j 4x); form and lengths of setae as in female, including reduced size and form of J5 (2–3). Lateral soft cuticle with ca. 40 pairs of setae, some duplicated as in female (Fig. 56). Peritrematal shields anteriorly free (Figs 56, 60).
Idiosomatic venter. Tritosternum much as in female, with elongate base, and laciniae fused less than 50% of total length. Presternal ornamentation as in female. Sternitigenital shield with anterior margin bilobed on either side of genital opening (Fig. 60); shield length 103–120, width 70–82 at level of coxae II; posteromedial region of sternitigenital shield eroded anteriorly to ca. 60–65 from level of setae st5; shield ornamented with some arched lines between setae st3 and st4 and endopodal elements; setae st1–st3 on rounded tubercles as in female, st1 (18–21), st2–st3 (23–30), st4 (23–25), st5 (16–20). Anal shield length 38–48 (including cribrum), width 30–35 at level of gv3, ornamented as in female; soft opisthosomatic cuticle with usually four larval pairs of setae similar in length as in female, JV1, JV2, ZV2 (12–17) and JV5 (22); postanal seta (14–21) about twice as long as para-anal setae (9–10). Form of peritrematal and exopodal shields posteriorly as in female; peritremes (113 long) as in female, although exopodal strip II–IV larger than in the female (Fig. 60).
Gnathosoma. Gnathotectum similar in form to female (Fig. 57). Cheliceral shaft, excluding basal section, 68–75 long; fixed digit with offset subapical tooth followed by file of ca. six moderate-sized teeth, remnant pilus dentilis indiscernible; movable digit (21–26) with small subapical tooth; spermatodactyl digitiform, mildly sinuous, 34–42 long, 4–5 wide at base, extending anteriorly about 27–30 beyond apex of digit (Figs 58, 59). Corniculi (12–16) slightly curved apically and more widely spaced basally than in female (Fig. 61); internal malae as in female. Subcapitulum (Fig. 61) with rows of deutosternal denticles and form and relative lengths of setae much as in female, e.g. hp1 (22–24) prominent, hp2 (7–8) and pc (9–10) short. Palpi (length 67–75) similar in structure as in female.
Legs. Relative leg thicknesses and lengths similar to those of female; leg lengths, excluding pretarsi: I 239–262, II 220–237, III 193–240, IV 189–237. Legs with segment length ratios as in female. Tarsus I with welldeveloped (10–14), acuminate ventro-apical process as in female, extending beneath pretarsus (11–16 to base of claws). Tarsi II–IV with pair of apical setal processes ad -1, pd -1 (9–10), ventroapical process and pretarsal structures formed as in female, except ventroapical process slightly larger (10–14) and recurved. Scant male dimorphism discerned among leg setae.
Deutonymph. Idiosomatic dorsum. Idiosoma discoidal, 200–235 long, 190–193 wide (n=2), without lateral incisions and clearly delineated shielding (Fig. 75). Dorsal shielding longitudinally lineated marginally, and granulated in podonotal central region bearing setae of j -series. Most of dorsal posteromarginal setae short (3–7), some of them minute, J5 (2–3), J4 and R5 (3–4); j1, j3, z4, z6, s5, Z3 the longest (15–16); central setae j4, j5, j6, J1, J3, Z2, Z4 (8–11), other marginal setae of s -S and r -R series (12–13); clunals J5 barbed basally as in adult (Fig. 41).
Idiosomatic venter. Tritosternum similar in form and extent of laciniae fusion to that of adult female. Presternal area devoid of structure. Sternal region with three pairs of rounded platelets (18–22) bearing sternal setae st1-st3 and poroids iv1 and iv2 (Fig. 76); distance from first sternal platelet to minute, vestigial setae st5 (1) about 2.5–2.7 times that from st5 to posterior edge of idiosoma (opisthogastric region). Sternal setae st1 (11–12), st2-st3 (16–17), st4 shortest (6); endopodal sclerotisation undeveloped. Opisthogastric region from setae JV1 to posterior edge of idiosoma ca. 50. Anal shield poorly sclerotised, but with well developed cribrum as on adults; greatest width (32–35) of shield at level of postanal seta, midline length 30 (including cribrum); postanal seta (15) longer than para-anal setae (8–13). Opisthogastric soft cuticle with six pairs of setae (JV1–JV5, ZV2) flanked by few posteriormost pairs of marginal dorsal setae; JV1–JV3 longer, thinner than usually minute, spine-like setae JV4, JV5, ZV2. Peritreme short (24–28, including stigma), scarcely longer than in protonymph, reaching to mid-level of coxae III. Peritrematal shield poorly developed; other than ips, peritrematal pore-like structures on soft cuticle (Fig. 76).
Gnathosoma. Gnathotectum, chelicerae, ventral gnathosomatic structures and palpi as in adult female. Movable cheliceral digit (24) moderately hooked as in adult female; cheliceral shaft, excluding basal section, 65 long. Corniculi inserted at nearly same level as bases of setae hp1.
Legs. Relative leg lengths, excluding pretarsi, similar to those of female, except leg IV similar to that of protonymph (see Fig. 79) and directed posteriorly, with seta pl of femur, genu, tibia and basitarsus stout, blunt, with raised bases (27–29 long), and seta pv of tibia IV similar in shape but shorter (ca. 15). Leg lengths, excluding pretarsus: I 235–239, II 210–220, III 200–202, IV 195–210. Tarsus I with well-developed (10–12), acuminate ventro-apical process as in female, extending beneath pretarsus (8–9 to base of claws). Tarsi II–IV with pair of apical setal processes ad -1, pd -1 (8–9) longer than length of pretarsus to base of claws (ca. 7); with ventroapical process short (6–7), spade-shaped, not articulated. Leg I segment length ratios and legs I–III coxal structures and relative lengths and form of leg setae as in adult female.
Protonymph. Idiosomatic dorsum. Idiosoma discoidal, 198–242 long, 195–200 wide (n = 2), dorsum poorly sclerotised, without clearly delineated shields but with lateral reticulation; podonotal region sparsely punctate, rugose in central area bearing setae j1, j3, j4, j5, z5; opisthonotum smooth (Fig. 77). Idiosoma with dorsal setae similarly short yet dissimilar in lengths, j1, j3, z4, z6, s6, R1 (14–17), z2, z5, s1, s4, s5, s6, r2, r3, r5, Z2, Z3, S2, R1–R6 (10–12), j4, j5, j6, J1, Z4, Z5, S4, S5 (8–10), J3 and J4, (2–4), and clunals J5 minute, thorn-like (2).
Idiosomatic venter. Tritosternum similar in form to that in larva, deutonymph and adult female, with length of base (31–33) over two and a half as long as width (11–13), and laciniae free for about 70–75% of total length (36, excluding base). Presternal area devoid of structure. Sternal region with three pairs of faintly sclerotised, smooth, irregularly rounded platelets (ca. 15–18 x16 –20) bearing setae st1-st3 (13–19) and poroids iv1–iv2. Soft cuticle with setae st5 minute (2) between bases of legs IV (Fig. 78). Anal shield nearly smooth, slightly elongate in form as on deutonymph (length 35–40 including cribum, width 22–30); postanal seta (16–19) longer than para-anal setae (11–14). Opisthogastric setae on soft cuticle short, JV1–JV4 minute (2–3), JV5 and ZV2 slightly longer (4–5). Peritreme (16–17 including stigma) extending anteriorly to mid-level of coxae III; peritrematal plate not discernible, leaving peritrematal pore-like structures on soft cuticle (Fig. 78).
Gnathosoma. Gnathotectum similar in form to subsequent instars, but dorsal face unornamented. Cheliceral shaft, excluding basal section, 55–60 long; movable digit (17–20), with three or four teeth; fixed digit with offset subapical tooth and file of five or six teeth (Fig. 87). Other gnathosomatic structures, including apophysis at base of corniculus and multidenticulate rows of deutosternal groove, similar to those in subsequent instars. Corniculi inserted at nearly same level, slightly (3–4) behind bases of setae hp1 (Fig. 85). Palpi with normal protonymphal complement of setae.
Legs. Leg lengths, excluding pretarsi: I, longest, 214–230, II 202–210, III 192–205, IV, slightly shorter, 181–187, stouter and directed backwards. Leg setation with protonymphal complement of setae as given for genus, including accelerated presence of ad -3 on genua I and II, and of pl -1 on femur and genu IV. Tarsus I with welldeveloped (12), acuminate ventroapical process extending beneath pretarsus (9–10 to base of claws). Tarsi II–IV with apical setal processes ad -1, pd -1 (ca. 9–10) about as long as length of pretarsi (ca. 7–9) to base of claws; with ventroapical process under pretarsus as in deutonymph (7), bluntly triangular (Fig. 79). Pretarsi with paradactyli about as long as claws. Form of legs and their setae generally as in deutonymph, but with spinelike setae less developed. Leg IV (Fig. 79) directed posteriorly, with posterolateral seta on femur, genu, tibia and basitarsus elongated (25–31), stout, blunt, set on small tubercles, and seta pv on tibia similar in shape and shorter (22).
Larva. Idiosomatic dorsum. Idiosoma discoidal, 215–255 long, 192–225 wide at level of setae s4 (n = 3), dorsum with lightly sclerotised, faintly and incompletely delineated shielding (Fig. 80); longitudinal distance from alveoli of setae j1 to j5 1.2 to 1.4 that from j5 to j6. Dorsal body setae smooth, similarly short, yet dissimilar in length, with podonotal setae longer than opisthonotal setae; j1 (10–14), j3, z2, z4, s4 (19–20); s6, Z3, Z4 (6–9), J3, J4, Z5, S3, S4, S5 short (4–6), clunal setae J5 shortest (2–3).
Idiosomatic venter. Tritosternum with base longer (26–29) than wide (14); laciniae free for about three-fourths of total length (29–37, excluding base). Sternal region unsclerotised, with setae st1–st3 similar in length (10–12) (Fig. 81). Anal shield smooth, longer (48) than wide (25); gland pores gv3 on soft cuticle adjacent to shield; paraanal setae (30–36) longer than postanal seta (20–24). Three or four pairs of opisthogastric setae: JV1, JV5, ZV2 (2–3), JV2 the longest (5–6), JV5 and adjacent S5 present or absent.
Gnathosoma. Gnathotectum with anterior margin bluntly, unevenly triangular, poorly denticulate (Fig. 83). Cheliceral shaft, excluding basal section, 42 long; movable digit (16–17) bidentate; fixed digit of chelicera with offset subapical tooth and file of three or four teeth (Fig. 84). Hypostomatic setae hp1 (22–23) thick, 3 times longer than pc (5–6); corniculi (9–10) with short basal projection; salivary stylets as long as corniculi but not reaching their tips (Fig. 82). Corniculi inserted at same transverse level as bases of setae hp1 (Fig. 82). Palp length ca. 75.
Legs. Leg lengths, excluding pretarsi: I, longest, 225–227, II 189–197, III 184–190. Form of legs and their setae generally as in protonymph. Leg setation with larval complement of setae as given for genus. Tarsus I with well-developed, acuminate ventroapical process extending beneath pretarsus (8 to base of claws) (Fig. 86). Tarsi II and III with ventroapical process bluntly triangular under pretarsus as in protonymph, apical setal processes ad -1, pd -1 (9–10) about as long as length of pretarsi (ca. 8–9) to base of claws.
Type material. All material collected from one locality, with initials of collectors indicating Arthropods of La Selva parataxonomists (ALAS, see Acknowledgments), Derek M. Johnson (DMJ), Evert E. Lindquist (EEL). COSTA RICA. Heredia Province, La Selva Biological Station (10°26’1” N, 84°1’2” W, elevation 50–150 m). HOLOTYPE: adult female, with adult Cephaloleia vicina Baly on leaf of Heliconia pogognatha, February 1994, coll. EEL & ALAS; deposited in Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio) of Costa Rica, Santo Domingo de Heredia. PARATYPES: eight adult females, five adult males, one deutonymph, three larvae, with same data as holotype; two adult females, one adult male, one deutonymph, two protonymphs (one pharate deutonymph), ex under elytra of Cephaloleia vicina on Heliconia pogognatha, June 1997, coll. EEL; two adult females, ex Cephaloleia bella Baly on Heliconia pogognatha, 8 July 1997, coll. ALAS; one adult female, with Cephaloleia belti Baly and C. ornatrix Donckier on Heliconia pogognatha, 12 June 1997, coll. ALAS; two adult females, two adult males, ex leaves of Heliconia pogognatha, February 1994, coll. EEL; two adult females, one adult male, one deutonymph, ex Cephaloleia bella, June 1997, coll. DMJ; two adult females, one adult male, one larva, ex Cephaloleia belti, June 1997, coll. DMJ.
Host identifications. Some of the identities of the host beetles and background plant substrate given above are not in accord with current molecular studies, which indicate that there is a complex of multiple cryptic species of Cephaloleia with similar morphology in the La Selva area. The following comments are based on current and ongoing analyses (Carlos Garcia-Robledo, personal communications, June 2014):
1. Cephaloleia vicina does not occur at La Selva, and specimens identified as such from there are, in all cases checked by DNA barcodes, Cephaloleia bella.
2. Cephaloleia bella normally does not occur on Heliconia pogognatha; thousands of field diet records indicate it feeds only on Heliconia imbricata.
3. Cephalolleia belti is a broader-spectrum feeder, occuring on several species of Heliconia as well as on other, less related hosts (Marantaceae). The above records of Cephaloleia belti and C. ornatrix on Heliconia pogognatha are in accord with field diet records.
4. Cephaloleia belti sometimes coexists and may be confused with C. bella on H. imbricata.
Tentatively, subject to further studies, we conclude that, at La Selva, Hispiniphis parva is associated regularly with the host specialist C. bella and to some extent with the host generalist C. belti in H. imbricata, and also with C. belti in H. pogognatha.
Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin “parvus”, meaning “little”, and indicates the small size of this mite, whose adults are less than half the size (length) of those of the type-species of Makarovaia. Among material of other, as yet undescribed species of Hispiniphis at hand, females of this species are slightly the smallest (Fig. 88).
Remarks. No dimorphism was discerned in deutonymphal cheliceral digits, but the possibility of its presence could not be confirmed in absence of a deutonymph with a pharate adult male.
As noted above, all instars of Hispiniphis parva are clearly associated with Cephaloleia bella, a specialist feeder in Heliconia imbricata. However, its regular association with Cephaloleia belti is less certain. Records of the latter are few, based mainly on adult mites, which may run on and off these beetles, and C. belti is a broad spectrum feeder that may sometimes coexist with specialst feeders in the same unfurled leaves of the host plants. Further comments on host specificity are presented in the following discussion.
description: Published as part of Moraza, María L. & Lindquist, Evert E., 2015, Systematics and biology of mites associated with neotropical hispine beetles in unfurled leaves of Heliconia, with descriptions of two new genera of the family Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Gamasina: Ascoidea), pp. 301-351 in Zootaxa 3931 (3) on pages 330-345, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3931.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/244189