Ultratenuipalpus dicranopteris He, Jin, Ochoa & Yi, 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: He, Hu-Die
name: Jin, Dao-Chao
name: Ochoa, Ronald
name: Yi, Tian-Ci
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Trombidiformes
Tenuipalpidae
Ultratenuipalpus
Ultratenuipalpus dicranopteris

description: Ultratenuipalpus dicranopteris sp. nov. He, Jin & Yi
(Figs 1–15)
Diagnosis. Propodosomal setae v 2, sc 1 simple, sc 2 long broadly lanceolate; setae sc 2 associated with large tubercle; posterior margin evenly rounded; dorsocentral setae (c 1, d 1, e 1) and d 3 tiny simple, smooth and subequal; seta d 3 lacking tubercle; adult with seven pairs of dorsolateral opisthosomal setae, setae c 3 orbicular and setae e 3, f 2, f 3, h 2 and h 1, obovate decreasing in length. Prodorsum with few coarse striae delineating five regions; opisthodorsum with few coarse striae delineating two medial regions, anterior medial region (bearing setae c 1) weakly divided into three areas by few U-shaped striae, posterior medial region (bearing setae e 1) divided longitudinally by few coarse striae; otherwise opisthodorsum mostly smooth. Posterior margin of opisthosoma with a broad rounded projection between setae h 1 usually present. setal count, trochanters 1-1-2-1, femora 4-4-2-1, genua 3-3-1-0 and tibiae 5-5-3-3. Palp tarsus with one eupathidium and one solenidion in the male, whereas lacking solenidion in the female.
Type specimens. Holotype, female, Jianfengling National Forest Park, Hainan Province, China, 17 March, 2022, coll. Hu-Die He, ex. Dicranopteris sp. (Gleicheniaceae). Paratypes: four females and five males, the same data as the holotype. All specimens are deposited at Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, China (GUGC).
Adult Female (n=5)
Gnathosoma. (Fig. 1, 2A) Subcapitular setae m simple, m 8 (8–12), m–m 16 (14–17). Palp 4-segmented, setal formula: 0, 0, 2, 1; tibia with two feathery setae near distal portion, tarsus with one eupathidia ul ʺ 5 (5–6).
Idiosoma. (Figs 3, 4) Body including gnathosoma 428 (428−449) long; idiosoma 375 (361−375) long, 248 (248−260) wide, widest at posterior margin of propodosoma, narrowing at level of setae c 3, then expanding posteriorly; prodorsum with few coarse striae delineating five regions, bearing three pairs of prodorsal setae (v 2, sc 1 and sc 2) and two pairs of eyes; setae v 2 and sc 1 small, simple, sc 2 broadly lanceolate, and there is a projections associated with the setae sc 2; lengths of prodorsal setae: v 2 5 (4−6), sc 1 5 (4−7), sc 2 75 (75−84); distances: v 2 − v 2 43 (43−48), sc 1 − sc 1 124 (112−125), sc 2 − sc 2 216 (216−231).
Opisthodorsum divided with two central regions delineated by coarse striae etc. [see notes above on diagnosis and write that here]; with three pairs of dorsocentral smooth setiform setae (c 1, d 1, e 1), subequal in length; one pair of humeral seta c 3 and six pairs of dorsolateral setae (d 3, e 3, f 2, f 3, h 2 and h 1), setae c 3 orbicular, dorsolateral setae obovate, excepting simple, minute d 3; length of setae decreases from e 3 to h 1; Posterior margin of opisthosoma with a broad rounded projection between setae h 1 usually present (Fig 4); lengths of opisthodorsal setae: c 1 5 (5−7), c 3 42 (40−46), d 1 7 (5−7), d 3 7 (5−7), e 1 6 (5−6), e 3 82 (82−91), f 2 65 (65−72), f 3 62 (62−69), h 1 59 (53−64), h 2 57 (57−66); distances between setal bases: c 1 − c 1 53 (44−53), c 3 − c 3 256 (249−272), d 1 − d 1 16 (16−18), d 3 − d 3 226 (223−228), e 1 − e 1 8 (8−11), e 3 − e 3 211 (202−211), f 2 − f 2 198 (169−198), f 3 − f 3 171 (154−171), h 1 − h 1 69 (67−69), h 2 − h 2 123 (120−128), e 3 − f 2 24 (21−24), f 2 − f 3 27 (23−27), f 3 − h 2 30 (29−32), h 2 − h 1 28 (28−34).
Venter. (Figs 5, 6, 7). Striae longitudinal between setae m to 1a, fine transverse striations between setae 1a–4a and dense round knots in lateral area of ventral idiosoma; all ventral setae slender except for 1c barbed (Fig 7), setae 1a and 4a flagellate. Lengths of setae: 1a 161 (98−163), 3a 23 (20−23), 4a 108 (102−155); distances: 1a −1a 41 (41−57), 3a–3a 48 (41−51), 4a–4a 26 (18–27); genital and ventral plates with flap of cuticle as shown in Fig 6, bearing one pair of aggenital setae ag and two pairs of subequal setiform genital setae (g 1 and g 2); anal plate with three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1, ps 2 and ps 3). Setal lengths: ag 14 (12−14), g 1 20 (14−20), g 2 15 (14−20), ps 1 15 (15−20), ps 2 66 (35−66), ps 3 17 (11−17); distances: g 1 – g 1 33 (27−33), g 2 –g 2 21 (18−22), ps 1 − ps 2 11 (12−15), g 1 –g 2 11 (9−13).
Legs. (Fig. 8) Lengths of legs I–IV: 199 (188−201), 169 (160−169), 154 (141−154), 140 (131−145). Setal counts: I 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 8+ω; II 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 8+ω; III 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 5; IV 1, 1, 1, 0, 3, 5. Most dorsal and lateral setae on trochanters, femora, genua and tibiae broadly obovate to narrowly lanceolate, the ventral setae pilose excepting setae on femora III–IV and trochanter III–IV slender, smooth or mostly smooth; setae ft ′ on tarsi I–IV flagelliform, much longer than others; ft′′ slender, smooth; unguinal setae u pectinate and equal in length; lengths of solenidia: I ω” 7 (7-10), II ω” 6 (6-9), claws pad-like with tenent hairs on each side.
Adult male (n=5)
Gnathosoma. (Figs. 9, 2B) Subcapitular setae m pectinate, m 6–12, m–m 14–16; palp 4-segmented, setal formula: 0, 0, 2, 2; tibia with two feathery setae near distal portion, tarsus with one eupathidia 4–6 and one solenidion ω″ 4–6.
Idiosoma. (Figs 10, 11). Males with much narrower opisthosoma compared to the propodosoma, forming a “waist”. Idiosoma including gnathosoma 338−357 long; idiosoma 290−301 long, 189−185 wide; idiosoma widest at posterior margin of propodosoma, narrowing abruptly at level of setae c 3, then expanding posteriorly after setae d 3; prodorsum smooth excepting few coarse striae, bearing three pairs of prodorsal setae (v 2, sc 1 and sc 2) and two pairs of eyes (Figs 10, 11). Setae v 2 and sc 1 simple, sc 2 broadly lanceolate, and there is a projection associated with the setae sc 2; lengths of prodorsal setae: v 2 4−6, sc 1 4−7, sc 2 56−74; distances: v 2 − v 2 38−41, sc 1 − sc 1 112−125, sc 2 − sc 2 186−192.
Opisthodorsum with an anterior region divided into three sections (a medial striate region flanked by smooth circular areas) and a posterior sooth, rounded region; with three pairs of dorsocentral setae (c 1, d 1, e 1), c 1, d 1 and e 1 simple, subequal in length; one pair of humeral seta c 3 and six pairs of dorsolateral setae (d 3, e 3, f 2, f 3, h 2 and h 1), setae c 3 orbicular, dorsolateral setae are broadleaved except for simple and minute d 3; posterior margin of opisthosoma with a broad rounded projection between setae h 1 (Fig 11); length of the setae decreases from e 3 to h 1. Lengths of opisthodorsal setae: c 1 4−6, c 3 32−35, d 1 4−5, d 3 4−6, e 1 5 −6, e 3 68−77, f 2 58−62, f 3 57−60, h 1 43−57, h 2 50−55. Distances between setal bases: c 1 − c 1 33−39, c 3 − c 3 189−195, d 1 − d 1 13−19, d 3 − d 3 155−163, e 1 − e 1 9 −13, e 3 − e 3 152−160, f 2 − f 2 140−155, f 3 − f 3 131−157, h 1 − h 1 52−59, h 2 − h 2 194−103, e 3 − f 2 16, f 2 − f 3 16−21, f 3 − h 2 20−28, h 2 − h 1 21−26.
Venter. (Figs 12, 13, 14) Striae between seta m to 4a as that of female; all ventral setae slender except for 1c barbed; setae 1a and 4a flagellate; lengths: 1a 98−140, 3a 17−21, 4a 65−135. Distances between setal bases: 1a −1a 34−38, 3a–3a 37−45, 4a–4a 20–27; genital and ventral plates with flap of cuticles (Figs 12, 13), bearing one pair of aggenital setae ag and two pairs of subequal setiform genital setae (g 1 and g 2); anal plate with three pairs of pseudanal setae (ps 1, ps 2 and ps 3), setae ps 3 slightly thickened than other pseudanal setae (Fig. 14); setae lengths: ag 9−17, g 1 13−16, g 2 14−17, ps 1 19−22, ps 2 46−63, ps 3 11−17. Distances: ag −ag 17−25, g 1 – g 1 17−25, g 2 –g 2 21−33, ps 1 − ps 2 6−11, g 1 – g 2 5−10.
Aedeagus. (Fig. 14). Length 92−93, narrow, elongate and sclerotized.
Legs. (Fig. 15). Lengths of legs I–IV: 160−171, 135−148, 123−132, 115−122; chaetotaxy: I 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 8+2 ω; II 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, 8+2 ω; III 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 5; IV 1, 1, 1, 0, 3, 5; most dorsal and lateral setae on trochanters, femora, genua and tibiae narrowly to broadly lanceolate or obovate, ventral setae feathery excepting for setae on femora III–IV and trochanters III–IV simple; setae ft ′ on tarsi I–IV flagelliform, much longer than others; ft′′ simple; unguinal setae u pectinate and equal in length; lengths of solenidia: I ω’ 10−11, ω” 9−10, II ω’ 9−11, ω” 9−11; claws pad-like with tenent hairs on each side.
Etymology. The species is named after the genus name of host plant.
Remarks. The new species belong to a biogeographically distinct group of species that all have setae f2 (Beard et al. 2016). Within this group, the new species is similar to U. pteriphilus Meyer by being the only species with setae c 1, d 1 and e 1 minute. These species are easily distinguished by the genual setation of 3-3- 1 in U. dicranopteris sp. nov. compared with 2-2-0 in U. pteriphilus. Intriguingly, males of the new species have one more solenidion on their palps than females, which is common in other groups in the family Tenuipalpidae (Xu & Zhang, 2013, 2014; Xu et al. 2015).
description: Published as part of He, Hu-Die, Jin, Dao-Chao, Ochoa, Ronald & Yi, Tian-Ci, 2024, A new species of Ultratenuipalpus and redescription of Ultratenuipalpus hainanensis (Wang) (Acari, Tenuipalpidae), pp. 201-225 in Zootaxa 5485 (1) on pages 202-208, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5485.1.14, http://zenodo.org/record/13209531