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 incisus sp. nov. ( Figs 17–22 ) Description. F EMALE ( Figs 17–22 ). Length of idiosoma 190 (190–195), width 180 (175–185). Gnathosoma ( Fig. 18 ). Length of gnathosoma 21 (20–21), width 19 (18–20). Gnathosoma completely covered by tergite C. Dorsal median apodeme reduced. All gnathosomal setae smooth. Postpalpal setae needle-like, weakly blunt-ended, situated anterolaterally to setae cha . Other gnathosomal setae pointed. Setae cha 9 (9–10), chb 11 (10– 11). Setae dFe slightly shorter than dGe . Pits n not evident. Ass well-developed, palpal solenidion not evident. Setae m 10 (9–10). Pharyngeal pumps separated. Pharyngeal pump 1 oval, striated, situated inside gnathosomal capsule; pharyngeal pumps 2 and 3 indiscernible. Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 17A , 21A , 22A, B ). Free margins of tergite C striated (not illustrated on Fig. 17A ). All dorsal shields with numerous large round dimples ( Figs 22A, B ). Prodorsum completely covered by tergite C. Lateral propodosomal spine present. Stigmata elongate, located dorsally. Posterior margins of tergites C, D and EF weakly undulate. Setae e and h 2 barbed, pointed and slightly thickened, other dorsal setae smooth and weakly blunt-ended. Trichobothria with long stem, clavate, sparsely barbed, with rounded apex. Posterolateral margins of tergite C with deep incisions. Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H small, round. Posterior margin of tergite H evenly rounded. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 7 (7–8), sc 2 6 (6–7), c 1 9 (9–10), c 2 7 (7–8), d 7 (7–8), e 13 (13–15), f 9 (8–9), h 1 10 (9–10), h 2 13 (13–15). Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 39 (37–40), sc 2 –sc 2 35 (32–35), c 1c 1 47 (46–49), c 1c 2 44 (44–52), d–d 120 (115–120), e–f 16 (15–16), f–f 100 (100–105), h 1h 1 47 (47–52), h 1h 2 20 (20–22). Idiosomal venter ( Figs 17B , 21B , 22C, D ). Ventral plates with large dimples as on dorsal shields ( Figs 22C, D ). Setae 2 b blunt-ended, thickened and flattened, other ventral setae pointed. Setae 2 b , 3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b , and ps 3 smooth, other ventral setae barbed. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Secondary transverse apodeme absent. Ap1, ap2 and apsej well developed and joined with appr; ap2 forming w-like structure; ap3 indistinct, ap4 short; ap5 absent. Ags bell-like; pgs triangular. Well sclerotized chitinous curved ridges present posterolaterally to legs IV. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 18 (18–20), 1 b 18 (18–20), 2 a 15 (14–18), 2 b 19 (18–19), 3 a 10 (10–12), 3 b 12 (11–12), 3 c 32 (32–42), 4 a 10 (10–12), 4 b 13 (12–14), 4 c 41 (38–42), ps 1 12 (12–13), ps 2 7 (7–8), ps 3 7 (7–8). FIGURE 17. Scutacarus incisus sp. nov. , female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted. Legs ( Figs 19 , 20 ). Leg I ( Fig. 19A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 1, Ge 4, TiTa 16(4). Tibiotarsus without pretarsus and claw. Tibiotarsus cylindrical, with pinnaculum bearing seta tc” . Lengths of solenidia ω 1 11 (11–12), ω 2 8 (9– 11), φ 1 9 (8–9), φ 2 7 (7–9); φ 1 clavate, ω 1 finger-shaped, ω 2 and φ 2 uniformly thin. Setae d of femur and v’ of genu weakly blunt-ended; seta l” of genu distinctly blunt-ended; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Setae pl’ , ( pv ) and s of tibiotarsus smooth; other leg setae (except eupathidia) barbed. Setae l’ and v” of femur absent. Leg II ( Fig. 19B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 1, Ge 3, Ti 4(1), Ta 6(1). Tarsus with symmetrical hooked claws and flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 11 (11–12) finger-shaped, solenidion φ 4 (4) weakly clavate. Seta pl” spine-like, smooth, with subapical seta-like projection; seta l’ of tibia thick, comb-like, seta d of femur weakly blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Setae u’ and tc” of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. Setae l’ and v” of femur absent. Leg III ( Fig.20A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 1, Ge 2, Ti 4(1), Ta 6. Claws and empodium as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 4 (4) weakly clavate. Seta pl” spine-like, with several barbs and subapical seta-like projection; seta d of femur weakly blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Setae u’ and tc” of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. Leg IV ( Fig. 20B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 1, TiTa 7. Tibiotarsus short, slightly longer than its width. All leg setae pointed. Seta tc’ of tarsus smooth, thickened, other leg setae barbed. Trochanter dorsally with short spine-like projection. FIGURE 18. Scutacarus incisus sp. nov. , female: A—gnathosoma in dorsal view, B—gnathosoma in ventral view. FIGURE 19. Scutacarus incisus sp. nov. , female: A—left leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view. MALE and LARVA unknown. Type material . Female holotype : New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 19' 7.60" S , 169° 12' 11.49" E , 1655 m a.s.l. , in soil and debris under Raoulia sp. cushion plant, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ). Paratypes : 10 females , New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 19' 7.60" S , 169° 12' 11.49" E , 1655 m a.s.l. , in soil and debris under Raoulia sp. cushion plant, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) ; 1 female , New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 19' 7.60" S , 169° 12' 11.49" E , 1655 m a.s.l. , in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) ; 5 females , New Zealand , Central Otago , Old Man’s Range , 45° 18' 59.85"S , 169° 11' 45.19"E , 1639 m a.s.l. , alpine herbaceous snowbank, in soil, 17 February 2014 ( M. Minor ) ; 2 females , 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 ) . Type deposition . The holotype and 3 paratypes are deposited in the New Zealand National Arthropod Collection, Auckland , New Zealand ; 15 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 cactaeformis Mahunka, 1967 , described from Australia ( Mahunka 1967 ), by the absence of the claw on tibiotarsus I, slightly thickened setae e and h 2 , short and smooth setae 3 a , 3 b , 4 a , 4 b , long and strongly barbed 3 c and 4 c , and thick and smooth seta tc’ on tibiotarsus IV. It can be distinguished from the latter by the much shorter dorsal setae c 1 , c 2 , d , f , and h 1 , which are shorter than e and h 2 (vs. c 1 , c 2 , d , f , and h 1 distinctly longer than e and h 2 in S. cactaeformis ), and by smooth setae c 1 and c 2 (vs. barbed in S. cactaeformis ). FIGURE 20 Scutacarus incisus sp. nov. , female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in ventral view. FIGURE 21. DIC micrographs of Scutacarus incisus sp. nov. , female: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view. Etymology . The name of the new species is derived from the Latin incisus meaning having been cut , and refers to the presence of deep incisions on posterolateral margins of tergite C.