Ixodes moralesi D. Apanaskevich & Bermudez 2022, n. sp.
Creators: name: Apanaskevich, Dmitry A.
name: Apanaskevich, Maria A.
name: Klimov, Pavel B.
name: Edgy, Brett M.
name: Bermúdez, Sergio E.
name: Labruna, Marcelo B.
name: Korzeev, Andrei I.
name: Barker, Stephen C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Ixodida
Ixodidae
Ixodes
Ixodes moralesi

description: Ixodes moralesi D. Apanaskevich & Bermúdez n. sp.
Type-host: Spotted wood-quail— Odontophorus guttatus (Gould) (Galliformes: Odontophoridae).
Other hosts: Horned guan— Oreophasis derbianus Gray (Galliformes: Cracidae), American mountain thrush— Turdus plebejus Cabanis (Passeriformes: Turdidae).
Type-locality: Panama: Chiriquí: Volcán Barú National Park, Respingo.
Other localities: Guatemala: San Marcos: Volcán Tajumulco.
Type-material: Holotype female, from O. guttatus, El Respingo Station (~ 8°50’N, 82°32’W), Volcán Barú National Park, Chiriquí, Panama, 2,500 m alt., 1.iv.2015, S. E. Bermúdez (SEB), Y. Aguirre (YA), S. S. Torres (SST) and J. A. Bernal (JAB); deposited in the USNTC (USNMENT 01481796). Paratypes: Guatemala: San Marcos: Volcán Tajumulco (~ 15°2’N, 91°54’W): 1 female, from O. derbianus, 23.ii.1934, E. R. Blake, FMNH 4462814. Panama: Chiriquí: Volcán Barú National Park, El Respingo Station, 2,500 m alt.: 1 female, from O. guttatus, 1.iv.2015, SEB, YA, SST and JAB, USNMENT 01481797; same locality and altitude: 1 female, from T. plebejus, 13.v.2015, SST, YA and SEB, CoZEM-ICGES. All paratypes with USNMENT numbers are deposited in the USNTC, that with FMNH number is in the FMNH, that with ICGES is in the CoZEM-ICGES.
ZooBank registration: The Life Science Identifier (LSID) for Ixodes moralesi n. sp. is urn:lsid:zoobank.org: act: 47D6EA8C-6843-4832-88BD-F474A1A4625A.
Etymology: The species is named after Miguel Morales (1932–2018), a Panamanian native of the Chiriquí Highlands, who was curator of the Zoological Collection of the Gorgas Institute for 61 years.
Description. Female [Based on 4 specimens; Figs. 26, 27.] Idiosoma (Fig. 26A, F) length from scapular apices to posterior body margin in slightly fed specimen 2.72 (n = 1), width in slightly fed specimen 1.75 (n = 1), ratio 1.55 (n = 1), broadly suboval, widest posterior to mid-length. Scutum (Fig. 26B, C) length 1.30–1.40 (1.36; n = 4), width 1.04–1.12 (1.08; n = 4), ratio 1.24–1.28 (1.25; n = 4); lateral margins diverging for approximately 1/2 of scutal length, then converging to broadly rounded posterior margin; lateral carinae absent; cervical grooves very shallow reaching posterior quarter of scutal length; relatively sparse very fine punctations evenly distributed throughout scutum; very slight rugosity may be discernible in central field of scutum; setae (Fig. 26B, C) relatively sparse, very short (c. 0.04 in anterolateral margin of scutum). Alloscutum (Fig. 26A) as illustrated; setae (Fig. 26A, D, E) numerous, evenly distributed, very short in center of alloscutum: c. 0.02 and long in area medial to marginal grooves: c.0.06–0.07 (avg. 0.07), setae in area medial to marginal grooves 3.20–4.00 (avg. 3.68) times longer than setae in center of alloscutum, ratio scutal length to length of setae in area medial to marginal grooves 19.35–23.13 (20.89; n = 4). Venter (Fig. 26F) as illustrated; genital aperture (Fig. 26F) medial to coxae III; genital groove (Fig. 26F) well developed; anal groove (Fig. 26F) oval with open posterior margin; ventral setae (Fig. 26F) numerous, length of preanal setae c. 0.06, evenly distributed. Spiracular plates (Fig. 27A) length 0.31–0.37 (0.34; n = 4), width 0.33–0.41 (0.38; n = 4), ratio 0.87–0.95 (0.90; n = 4); broadly suboval.
Gnathosoma (Fig. 27B–D) length from palpal apices to cornual apices dorsally 0.71–0.79 (0.75; n = 4), width of basis capituli dorsally 0.58–0.60 (0.59; n = 4), ratio 1.24–1.31 (1.28; n = 4). Dorsal basis capituli (Fig. 27B) length from medial insertion of palpal segment I to cornual apices 0.24–0.25 (0.24; n = 4), ratio width to length 2.35–2.53 (2.41; n = 4), subrectangular: lateral margins slightly convex, without lateral projections, posterior margin slightly convex; cornua moderately long, length 0.04–0.05 (0.04; n = 4), ratio total length of basis capituli, including cornua, to cornual length 4.75–6.67 (5.87; n = 4), triangular with narrowly rounded apex; transversally suboval porose areas large, width 0.18–0.20 (0.18; n = 4), ratio basis capituli width dorsally to porose area width 3.00–3.36 (3.19; n = 4), clearly distinct, slightly indented, separated by distance of 1/3–1/2 of their own width, openings discrete. Ventral basis capituli (Fig. 27C, D) pentagonal; auriculae long, length 0.06–0.07 (0.07; n = 4), ratio length of gnathosoma dorsally to length of auriculae 10.38–13.24 (11.33; n = 4), broad, nearly as long as wide, directed posteriorly, with broadly rounded apex. Lateral surface of basis capituli concave (Fig. 27C, D). Palpi (Fig. 27B, C, E) moderately long, length dorsally (segments II and III) 0.39–0.43 (0.41; n = 4), maximum width (in dorsolateral plane) 0.15–0.18 (0.17; n = 4), ratio 2.36–2.58 (2.46; n = 4), length of medial margin of palpal segment I ventrally 0.17–0.18 (0.18; n = 4); segment I with moderately long internal projection directed anteriorly and giving L-shape to segment I dorsally and ventrally; length of internal projection ventrally from base of palpal segment II to anterior apex 0.13–0.14 (0.13; n = 4), ratio combined length of palpal segments II and III to length of internal projection on palpal segment I ventrally 2.76–3.33 (3.08; n = 4); dorsally segment I with short mesodorsal spur and large, hooklike dorsoapical denticle; segments II and III fused with indistinct or barely discernible (mostly medially) suture between them, narrow proximally and gradually widening to broadly rounded apex. Hypostome (Fig. 27C) length 0.39–0.48 (0.44; n = 4), width 0.16–0.18 (0.17; n = 4), ratio 2.24–2.95 (2.62; n = 4); base of hypostome nearly at same level as base of palpal segments II, club-shaped, widest close to mid-length; dental formula (Panamanian specimens) mostly 5/5, proximal rows 2/2 and then 3/3, distal rows 6/6; denticles sharply pointed; proximal part of hypostome without denticles very short.
Legs moderately long, slender. Coxae (Fig. 27F): coxae I-III with internal and external spurs, coxa IV with external spur only; external spur on coxae I-IV moderately long, moderately broad, broadly rounded at apex, directed slightly posteromedially; external spur on coxa I slightly longer than those on other coxae; external spur on coxae II-IV subequal or spur on coxa IV slightly shorter; internal spur on coxae I-III short, subequal, narrow, spur on coxa I narrowly rounded at apex and directed posteromedially, spur on coxae II and III broadly rounded and directed posteriorly; external spur on coxa I at least twice as long as internal spur; no syncoxae. Distally trochanters I-IV (Fig. 27F) with moderate ventral spur with narrowly rounded apex. Tarsus I length 0.86–0.95 (0.91; n = 4); tarsus IV length 0.75–0.83 (0.80; n = 4).
Remarks. This species was described as I. auritulus in Bermúdez et al. (2018). Possible nymphs of this species are known (Bermúdez et al. 2018) but not yet described.
By having a distinct, anteriorly directed internal projection on palpal segment I, the female of I. moralesi n. sp. most closely resembles the following Ixodes (Multidentatus) spp.: I. auritulus, I. brevisetosus n. sp., I. contrarius n. sp., I. cornuae, I. guglielmonei n. sp., I. insulae n. sp., I. kerguelenensis, I. paranaensis, I. percavatus, I. rio n. sp., I. robbinsi n. sp., I. tinamou n. sp. and I. zealandicus.
The female of I. moralesi n. sp. can be distinguished from the female of I. cornuae by having short cornua (vs very long cornua in that species); from the female of I. kerguelenensis by having slightly convex posterior margin of basis capituli dorsally (vs sinuously concave margin in that species); from the female of I. paranaensis by having longer auriculae (vs very short auriculae in that species); and from the female of I. percavatus by having longer internal and external spurs on coxae I-IV (vs shorter spurs in that species) (see Arthur 1960; Roberts 1970; Wilson 1970; Barros-Battesti et al. 2003).
The female of I. moralesi n. sp. can be distinguished from females of other species described here by the moderate mesodorsal spur at base of palpal segment I dorsally (vs mesodorsal spur indistinct or weak in all other species) and large, hook-like dorsoapical spur on palpal segment I (vs moderate spur in I. auritulus, I. brevisetosus n. sp., I. insulae n. sp. and I. zealandicus; indistinct or short blunt spur in all other species). Additionally the female of I. moralesi n. sp. can be distinguished from females of other species by the broad scutum: mean ratio length to width 1.25 (vs narrower scutum: mean ratio 1.44 in I. brevisetosus n. sp., 1.45 in I. contrarius n. sp., 1.35 in I. insulae n. sp., 1.41 in I. rio n. sp. and 1.37 in I. zealandicus; broader scutum: mean ratio 1.11 in I. tinamou n. sp.); short setae in center of alloscutum and long setae in alloscutal area medial to marginal grooves: mean ratio length of setae in alloscutal area medial to marginal grooves to length of setae in center of alloscutum 3.68 (vs shorter setae in alloscutal area medial to marginal grooves: mean ratio 1.58 in I. brevisetosus n. sp., 2.65 in I. robbinsi n. sp. and 2.73 in I. tinamou n. sp.; longer setae in both center and area medial to marginal grooves of alloscutum: mean ratio 1.09 in I. guglielmonei n. sp., 2.00 in I. insulae n. sp. and 1.14 in I. zealandicus); moderately long setae of alloscutum medial to marginal grooves: mean ratio length of scutum to length of alloscutal setae medial to marginal grooves 20.89 (vs longer setae of alloscutum medial to marginal grooves: mean ratio 12.88 in I. auritulus, 15.03 in I. contrarius n. sp., 15.16 in I. guglielmonei n. sp., 17.20 in I. insulae n. sp., 15.18 in I. rio n. sp., 17.40 in I. tinamou n. sp., and 16.22 in I. zealandicus; shorter setae of alloscutum medial to marginal grooves: mean ratio 45.62 in I. brevisetosus n. sp.); basis capituli slightly convex dorsolaterally (vs basis capituli with angular dorsolateral projections in I. brevisetosus n. sp. and I. rio n. sp.); lateral surface of basis capituli concave (vs lateral surface flat in I. brevisetosus n. sp.); posterior margin of basis capituli slightly convex (vs sinuously concave in I. guglielmonei n. sp. and straight to very slightly concave in I. zealandicus); long cornua: mean ratio length of basis capituli to cornual length 5.87 (vs shorter cornua: mean ratio 14.00 in I. contrarius n. sp., 10.00 in I. rio n. sp. and 9.92 in I. tinamou n. sp.); broad porose areas: mean ratio width of basis capituli to width of porose area 3.19 (vs narrower porose areas: mean ratio 3.61 in I. brevisetosus n. sp.); auriculae moderately long: mean ratio length of gnathosoma dorsally to length of auriculae 11.33, broad, directed posteriorly, with broadly rounded apex (vs longer auriculae: mean ratio 8.97 in I. brevisetosus n. sp. and I. insulae n. sp.; shorter auriculae: mean ratio 28.15 in I. guglielmonei n. sp., 40.07 in I. tinamou n. sp. and 19.54 in I. zealandicus; auriculae distinctly narrower, with narrowly rounded apex in I. auritulus, I. brevisetosus n. sp., I. contrarius n. sp., I. insulae n. sp. and I. rio n. sp.; auriculae directed posterolaterally in I. guglielmonei n. sp., I. tinamou n. sp. and I. zealandicus); moderately long internal projection on palpal segment I: mean ratio length of palpal segments II and III to length of projection on palpal segment I 3.08 (vs longer projection: mean ratio 1.88 in I. contrarius n. sp.; shorter projection: mean ratio 4.94 in I. guglielmonei n. sp., 3.55 in I. insulae n. sp. and 4.50 in I. zealandicus); moderately broad palpal segments II and III: mean ratio length to width 2.46 (vs narrow segments: mean ratio 2.82 in I. brevisetosus n. sp., 2.64 in I. insulae n. sp. and 2.87 in I. rio n. sp.; broader segments: mean ratio 2.16 in I. guglielmonei n. sp.); external spur on coxae I-IV relatively long (vs shorter spur in I. tinamou n. sp. and I. zealandicus); generally larger species: see description for measurements (vs noticeably smaller species: I. auritulus, I. brevisetosus n. sp., I. contrarius n. sp., I. rio n. sp., I. tinamou n. sp. and I. zealandicus; noticeably larger species: I. guglielmonei n. sp. See descriptions for measurements).
Collection data for I. moralesi n. sp. are listed in the material above. Collections of this species were made in Guatemala (San Marcos Department) and Panama (Chiriquí Province) (Fig. 10C). In Panama, collections were made at elevations 2,500 meters above sea level. Females of this species were collected from birds: the spotted wood-quail, O. guttatus (Galliformes: Odontophoridae), the horned guan, O. derbianus (Galliformes: Cracidae) and the American mountain thrush, T. plebejus (Passeriformes: Turdidae) during February, April and May.
description: Published as part of Apanaskevich, Dmitry A., Apanaskevich, Maria A., Klimov, Pavel B., Edgy, Brett M., Bermúdez, Sergio E., Labruna, Marcelo B., Korzeev, Andrei I. & Barker, Stephen C., 2022, Description of eight new species of Ixodes Latreille, 1795 (Acari: Ixodidae) and redescription of I. auritulus Neumann, 1904, parasites of birds in the Australasian, Nearctic and Neotropical Regions, pp. 1-73 in Zootaxa 5173 (1) on pages 45-49, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5173.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6966076