New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand Author Khaustov, Alexander A. Author Minor, Maria A. text Zootaxa 2018 2018-11-02 4508 4 507 550 journal article 28032 10.11646/zootaxa.4508.4.2 8874d4e3-3222-4abc-801d-d8c53429c7f8 1175-5326 2607410 F0369CC8-FF4B-4D96-BAE2-48A83418739E Scutacarus cornutus sp. nov. ( Figs 27–31 ) Description. FEMALE ( Figs 27–31 ). Length of idiosoma 170 (170–180), width 135 (135–145). Gnathosoma . Length of gnathosoma 20 (20–21), width 18 (16–18). Gnathosoma usually not covered by tergite C. Dorsal median apodeme well developed. All gnathosomal setae smooth. Postpalpal setae needle-like, weakly blunt-ended, situated anterolaterally to setae cha . Other gnathosomal setae pointed. Setae cha 9 (8–9), chb 11 (10– 11). Setae dFe and dGe subequal. Pits n present in posterior part of subcapitulum. Ass well-developed, palpal solenidion not evident. Setae m 10 (9–10). Pharyngeal pumps separated and striated. Pharyngeal pump 1 oval, situated inside gnathosomal capsule; pharyngeal pump 2 large, elongate-oval, more than two times longer than pump 1; pharyngeal pump 3 subequal to pump 2, bent dorsally. Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 27A , 30A , 31A, B ). Free margins of tergite C striated (not illustrated on Fig. 27A ). All dorsal shields with numerous small round dimples ( Figs 31A, B ). Prodorsum only partly covered by tergite C. Lateral propodosomal spine present. Stigmata elongate, located dorsally. Anterior corners of prodorsum with hornlike projections. Posterior parts of tergites C, D and EF with row of u-shaped elevations. Setae c 2 with short alveolar canal. Setae v 2 and sc 2 smooth, other dorsal setae barbed. Setae c 1 , c 2 , e , and h 2 pointed, other dorsal setae weakly blunt-ended. Trichobothria with long stem, clavate, sparsely barbed, with rounded apex. Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H small, round. Posterior margin of tergite H with short tongue-like projection. Tergite C with paired porous areas located posteriorly to setae c 1 and associated with pore-like structures; tergite EF with a pair of oval porous areas located anteriorly to setae f . Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 7 (6–7), sc 2 8 (7–8), c 1 31 (30–31), c 2 29 (26–29), d 27 (26–28), e 33 (29–33), f 38 (38–42), h 1 29 (29–34), h 2 24 (23–28). Distances between setae: v 2 – v 2 39 (37–39), sc 2 –sc 2 34 (32–35), c 1c 1 45 (45–48), c 1c 2 32 (29–33), d–d 100 (100–105), e–f 27 (27–29), f–f 66 (66–68), h 1h 1 28 (28–33), h 1h 2 31 (29–32). FIGURE 25. Scutacarus spinisetus sp. nov. , female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—left leg IV in ventral view. FIGURE 26. DIC micrographs of Scutacarus spinisetus sp. nov. , female: A—posterior half of the body in dorsal view, Banterior half of the body in ventral view. FIGURE 27. Scutacarus cornutus sp. nov. , female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted. FIGURE 28. Scutacarus cornutus sp. nov. , female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view. Idiosomal venter ( Figs 27B , 30B , 31C, D ). Ventral plates with dimples as on dorsal shields ( Figs 31C,D ). Setae 2 b , ps 1 , and ps 2 blunt-ended, other ventral setae pointed. Setae 2 b , 3 b , 4 a , and ps 3 smooth; setae 2 a , 3 a , ps 1 , and ps 2 with few minute barbs, other ventral setae distinctly barbed. Posterior margin of aggenital plate weakly concave. Secondary transverse apodeme absent. Ap1, ap2 and apsej well developed and joined with appr; ap3 very thin, straight, ap4 short; ap5 absent. Ags bell-like; pgs triangular. Distance between setae 4 a -4 b two times shorter than 4 a -4 a . Posterior part of posterior sternal plate with u-shaped elevations. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 22 (18–22), 1 b 23 (20–23), 2 a 18 (17–18), 2 b 15 (15–16), 3 a 16 (16–17), 3 b 21 (21–22), 3 c 21 (21–22), 4 a 16 (15–17), 4 b 39 (39– 47), 4 c 31 (30–33), ps 1 11 (10–11), ps 2 10 (9–10), ps 3 9 (8–9). Legs ( Figs 28 , 29 ). Leg I ( Fig. 28A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 3, Ge 4, TiTa 16(4). Tibiotarsus without pretarsus and claw. Tibiotarsus cylindrical, with pinnaculum bearing seta tc” . Lengths of solenidia ω 1 10 (10), ω 2 9 (8–9), φ 1 7 (6–7), φ 2 8 (7–8); φ 1 clavate, ω 1 finger-shaped, ω 2 and φ 2 uniformly thin. Setae d , l’ , v” of femur, ( l ) of genu bluntended; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Setae l’ , v” of femur smooth; other leg setae (except eupathidia) barbed. Leg II ( Fig. 28B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 3, Ge 3, Ti 4(1), Ta 6(1). Tarsus with symmetrical hooked claws and flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 9 (9) finger-shaped, solenidion φ 5 (5) weakly clavate. Seta pl” spinelike, with several barbs; setae d , l’ and v” of femur blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Setae v” of femur and u’ of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. Leg III ( Fig.29A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 2, Ti 4(1), Ta 6. Claws and empodium as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 4 (4) weakly clavate. Seta pl” spine-like, smooth; seta d of femur bluntended, other leg setae pointed. Setae u’ and tc” of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. Leg IV ( Fig. 29B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 1, TiTa 7. Tibiotarsus short, about as long as wide. All leg setae barbed. Seta d of femur weakly blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Trochanter dorsally with short spine-like projection. FIGURE 29. Scutacarus cornutus sp. nov. , female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in ventral view. FIGURE 30. DIC micrographs of Scutacarus cornutus sp. nov. , female: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view. MALE and LARVA unknown. Type material . Female holotype : New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 18' 58.45"S , 169° 11' 45.21"E , 1646 m a.s.l. , in soil and debris under Dracophyllum muscoides cushion plant, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ). Paratypes : 6 females New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 18' 58.45"S , 169° 11' 45.21"E , 1646 m a.s.l. , in soil and debris under Dracophyllum muscoides cushion plant, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) ; 1 female , New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 20' 3.78"S , 169° 12' 25.26"E , 1649 m a.s.l. , in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) ; 1 female , New Zealand , Central Otago , The Remarkables , 45° 3' 38.19"S , 168° 48' 49.51"E , 1839 m a.s.l. , in soil and debris under Dracophyllum muscoides cushion plant, 19 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) . Type deposition . The holotype and 2 paratypes are deposited in the New Zealand National Arthropod Collection, Auckland , New Zealand ; 6 paratypes are deposited in the mite collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen , Russia . Differential diagnosis . The new species is most similar to Scutacarus quadrangularis ( Paoli, 1911 ) and S. uniformis Delfinado, Baker and Abbatiello, 1976 by the absence of the claw on tibiotarsus I, blunt-ended setae ps 1, 2 and pointed c 2 . It can be distinguished from both species by setae f distinctly longer than d (vs. subequal in S. quadrangularis and S. uniformis ) and by setae 4 a not reaching posterior margin of posterior sternal plate (vs. 4 a reaching beyond posterior margin of posterior sternal plate in S. quadrangularis and S. uniformis ). From S. uniformis it also differs by the presence of well-developed horn-like projections near the stigmata (vs. absent n S. uniformis ). Etymology . The name of the new species is derived from the Latin cornu meaning horn and refers to the hornlike projections on the prodorsum near the stigmata.