Spatulaphorus incisus 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 incisus

description: Spatulaphorus incisus sp. nov.
(Figs 17–20)
Description. FEMALE. Body well sclerotized. Length of idiosoma 180 (180–205), width 105 (105–125).
Gnathosoma. Gnathosomal capsule, excluding palps, subrectangular, length 17 (17–20), width 18 (18–20). Dorsum with one pair of needle-like cheliceral setae (cha) 3 (3–4). Dorsal median apodeme present, poorly developed. Postpalpal setae (pp) 2 (2) spiniform, situated laterad setae cha. Ventral gnathosoma with one pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m 7 (6–7) and round pits n situated posteriad m. Palps with smooth and weakly blunt-tipped setae dFe 3 (3) and pointed dGe 8 (8–9) 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 17A, 20A). All dorsal shields with big puncta. 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. All dorsal idiosomal setae blunt-tipped; setae v2 smooth, other dorsal setae barbed. Alveoli of setae e and f almost contiguous. Cupules ia on tergite D, im on tergite EF and ih on tergite H large, round, subequal. Lengths of dorsal setae: v1 15 (15–20), v2 9 (9–10), sc2 28 (26–32), c1 23 (23–26), c2 28 (26–30), d 29 (28–32), e 19 (19–24), f 33 (31–39), h1 37 (37–43), h2 18 (18–24). Distances between setae: v1–v1 18 (18–20), v2–v2 33 (33–39), sc2–sc2 38 (38–45), c1–c1 31 (31–37), c1–c2 22 (22–25), d–d 51 (51–62), e–f 5 (5–6), f–f 43 (43–57), h1–h1 30 (30–41), h1–h2 8 (8–11).
Idiosomal venter (Figs 17B, 20B). Coxisternal fields I-II laterally with sparsely distributed big puncta. Setae 1b, 2c, and 4b pointed; other ventral setae blunt-tipped; setae 1b, 2c, and 4b with few weak barbs; setae ps1-3 distinctly barbed, other ventral setae smooth. Bases of setae ps3 situated distinctly anteriad bases of setae ps1-2. Ap1 and ap2 well-developed and joined with thick appr; apsej developed only laterally; ap3 weak, not reaching appo; ap4 well developed, exceeding beyond bases of setae 3b. Ap5 very short and thin. Ags small, cup-like; pgs small, oval. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate deeply incised in middle part. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Lengths of ventral setae: 1a 8 (8–11), 1b 17 (17–19), 1с 10 (10–12), 2a 11 (11–13), 2с 12 (12–17), 3a 13 (13–15), 3b 10 (10–14), 3c 12 (12–14), 4a 12 (12–14), 4b 21 (21–29), 4c 13 (13–15), ps1 18 (18–20), ps2 18 (18–20), ps3 19 (19–22).
Legs (Figs 18, 19). Setation of legs as in S. brevisetosus. Leg I (Fig. 18A). Tibiotarsus slightly enlarged, with large and long claw; tibiotarsus internally with oval strongly sclerotized structure near solenidion φ2. Setae (u) consolidated into a bifid horn-like structure opposing claw. Tarsal claw weakly blunt-tipped. Seta d of femur spatulate, with short subterminal projection. Setae (l) of genu and v” of tibiotarsus weakly barbed, other leg setae (except eupathidia p’, p”, tc’, tc”, ft’, ft”) smooth. Setae l’ of femur, (l) of genu and k of tibiotarsus weakly blunt-tipped; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Lengths of solenidia ω1 6 (6–7), ω2 4 (4), φ1 6 (6–7), φ2 4 (4); solenidion ω1 digitiform; solenidion φ1 thick, clavate; other solenidia weakly clavate. Leg II (Fig. 18B). Tarsus with thickened basally claws and pad-like empodium. Solenidion ω 5 (5–6) weakly clavate, solenidion φ absent. Setae l’ of femur, u’, and tc” of tarsus smooth, other setae barbed; setae d and l’ of femur weakly blunt-tipped; other leg setae pointed. Leg III (Fig. 19A). Femur divided into basi- and telofemur. Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Setae v’ of trochanter and u’ of tarsus smooth, other setae barbed; setae v’ of trochanter, d, v’ of femur, and l’ of genu blunt-tipped, other leg setae pointed; solenidion φ absent. Leg IV (Fig 19B). Femur divided into basiand telofemur. Claws simple, empodium as on tarsi II and III. Setae v’ of trochanter and pl” of tarsus smooth; other setae barbed; setae v’ of trochanter, d, v’ of femur, l’, v” of tibia and pl” of tarsus blunt-tipped; tips of setae u’, tc” and pv” slightly thickened and flattened; other leg setae pointed; solenidion φ absent.
MALE unknown.
Type material. Female holotype, slide ZISP T-Pygm-014, Brazil, Mato Grosso, ESEC Rio Ronuro, 26.II.2017 (CEMT), on Sulcophanaeus faunus (MacLeay); paratypes: 42 females, same data.
Type deposition. The holotype and four 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 very similar to S. brasiliensis Khaustov and Frolov, 2017, described from Brazil (Khaustov & Frolov 2017), in having unmodified setae on tarsi II and III, presence of big puncta on the dorsal idiosomal sclerites, and basally thickened claws on tarsi II and III. The new species differs from S. brasiliensis in having setae ps1-2 barbed and weakly blunt-tipped (vs. setae ps1-2 smooth and pointed in S. brasiliensis) and in having an unusually deeply incised posterior margin of the posterior sternal plate (vs. posterior margin of posterior sternal plate slightly concave in S. brasiliensis).
Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from Latin incisus meaning incised, and refers to the unusual deep incision in the posterior margin of the posterior sternal plate.
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 353-357, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5497.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/13618611