Bostocktrachys wisniewskii, Kontschán & Ermilov, 2024

Bostocktrachys wisniewskii sp. nov.

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8B97F4E5-EDE5-4E8B-8A25-251B6B68520C

( Figs 1 View Figure 1 –15)

Material examined. Holotype. Female. India, Tamil Nadu, Madurai , 9°53'21", 78°8'11", 300 m. a.s.l., 9. January 1972. R. Mussard coll. Paratypes. Four females and five males, two deutonymph and one protonymph, with same collection data as those for the holotype .

Diagnosis. Idiosoma oval, central area of dorsal shield elevated from neighboring areas and its margins strongly sclerotized. All dorsal setae robust and spine-like, dorsal shield with some oval pits. Posterior transversal grooves bear one pair of triangular apical prolongations. Genital shield of female scutiform and with reticulate ornamentation on anterior and with oval pits on posterior areas.

Description. Female (N =5). Idiosoma reddish-brown, 1190–1230 long and 760–780 wide, its shape oval.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ). Dorsal and marginal shields completely separated. Dorsal shield 1000–1015 long and 660–670 wide. Surface of dorsal shield bearing numerous strongly sclerotized structures. One pair of short undulate grooves situated on anterior area of dorsal shield, one pair of large L-shaped grooves situated on laterocentral area of dorsal shield. A deep transversal furrow situated in central area of dorsal shield, one pair of long and omega (Ʊ)-shaped strongly sclerotized grooves situated anteriorly and a straight strongly sclerotized grooves with two triangular anterior prolognations posterior to dorsal furrow. One pair of curved caudolateral grooves situated on dorsal shield with two pairs of long (ca 60–70) and spiniform setae on caudal part. Surface of dorsal shield with oval pits (9– 10×9–11) on central and lateral areas of dorsal shield. 10–12 pairs of spiniform setae (ca 35–45 long) placed on small protuberences situated on caudolateral margins of dorsal shield. Marginal shield without sculptural pattern; and bearing numerous spiniform setae (ca 37–46 in length) situated on small protuberances.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 View Figure 2 ). Base of tritosternum narrow, its laciniae divided into two marginally pilose lateral and two apically pilose central branches ( Figure 3A View Figure 3 ). Seven pairs of sternal setae smooth, needle-like and ca 17–22 long, sternal shield without sculptural pattern.

Genital shield scutiform, ca 220–230 long and ca 165–170 wide on its basis, its surface with reticulate sculptural pattern on anterior area and with oval pits (10×10). Numerous long (ca 35–42) and robust setae situated posterior to coxae IV. Three pairs situated between pedofossae IV, one pair anterior to adanal setae and 11–12 posterior to coxae IV ordered in a row. Ventral area covered by numerous oval pits (10–12×10–11). Anal opening oval (17–19 long and 11-12 wide), adanal and postanal setae similar in shape and length to other ventral setae. Stigmata situated close to coxae III, post-stigmatid part of peritreme short and straight, prestigmatid part long and like a bent hairpin. Pedofossae well developed, their surface smooth, with separate groove for tarsi IV.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ). Corniculi horn-like, internal malae moustache-like and longer than corniculi. Corniculi often covered by moustache-like internal malae. Hypostomal setae h1 (ca 23–26 long) smooth, h2 (ca 30–32) smooth, h3 (ca 58–60) marginally pilose and h4 (ca 55–59) marginally serrate. Ventral setae of palptrochanter v2 marginally serrate, v1 smooth, v2 two times longer than v1. Other setae on palp smooth and needle-like ( Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ). Epistome apically serrate ( Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ). Chelicerae without teeth on both digits, fixed digit bears a needle-like sensory organ and a little longer than movable digit, internal sclerotized node present ( Fig. 3D View Figure 3 ).

Legs ( Figs 3E–H View Figure 3 ). Legs I 480–490, legs II 425–430, legs III 420–430, and legs IV 510–520 long. Legs I with tarsal claws, but it smaller than others on tip of legs II-IV. Leg setae smooth and needle-like. Femora of all legs bear flap-like ventral prolongation.

Male (N =5). Idiosoma 1180–1200 long and 740–770 wide.

Dorsal idiosoma. As in female.

Ventral idiosoma. Surface of sternal shield covered by oval pits (10–11×10–12). All setae on sternal shield smooth, needle-like and ca 45–48 long, except one pair of setae (ca 20– 22 long) close to anterior margin of genital opening. Genital shield circular, ca 73–75 wide and ca 72–75 long, without sculptural pattern and without eugenital setae ( Fig. 3I View Figure 3 ).

Other characters as in female.

Deutonymph (N =2). Idiosoma 1060–1075 long and 675–680 wide.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ). Dorsal shield oval (925–940 × 680–690), its surface covered by irregular pits and bearing numerous T-shaped setae with long transversal crossbar and short base. Tshaped setae placed on long (ca 33–38) prolongations on lateral margins of dorsal shield. Similar setae situated on long prolongation situated on membranous cuticle posterior to caudal margin of dorsal shield. Margins of idiosoma with numerous T-shaped setae.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ). Sternal shield vase-shaped, without sculptural pattern and bearing eight pairs of T-shaped setae. Surface of peritrematal and metapodal shields without ornamentation, anal shield covered by oval pits. Anal shield triangular, bearing eight pairs of T-shaped setae. One pair of Tshaped setae situated on membranous cuticle anterior to anal shield. Ten pairs of T-shaped setae placed on small prolognation situated lateral to anal shield.

Protonymph (N =1). Idiosoma 635 long and 370 wide.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 4C View Figure 4 ). Dorsal shield oval (410 long and 285 wide), caudal margin convex, separated from other shields, its surface covered by web-like sculptural pattern and bearing T-shaped setae. Pygidial shield wider than long (95 long, 175 wide), covered by cobweb-like sculptural pattern and bearing one pair of T-shaped setae. Caudal part of dorsal idiosoma bearing T-shaped setae placed on long prolognations.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 4D View Figure 4 ). Sternal shield narrow, short, posterior end reaching to coxae III, covered by irregular pits and bearing three pairs of T-shaped setae. Surface of peritrematal, metapodal and anal shields without sculptural pattern. Anal shield with five T-shaped setae around anal opening. One pair of T-shaped setae situated on membranous cuticle anterior and two pairs of T-shaped setae lateral to anal shield.

Larvae unknown.

Etymology. We dedicate the new species to Dr. Jerzy Wiśniewski, the excellent Uropodina specialist who passed away this year.

Remarks. The new species is easy to recognised from the congeners based on presence of the omega (Ʊ)-shaped strongly sclerotized grooves situated anterior and a straight strongly sclerotized groove with two triangular anterior prolognations posterior to dorsal furrow.