Pavania setiformis Loghmani & Hajiqanbar

Pavania setiformis Loghmani & Hajiqanbar sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9)

Differential diagnosis. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of the genus by prodorsal seta sc 1 being setiform instead of capitate and bothridial. Disregarding the shape of the trichobothria ( sc 1), the new species is similar to Pavania tadjikistanica Sevastianov, 1980 but differs from it by setae d not reaching to bases of setae e (setae d tangent to bases of setae e in P. tadjikistanica ); by setae h 2 about 6 times longer than h 1 (setae h 2 about 4 times longer than h 1 in P. tadjikistanica ).

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma 136 (138–140), width 90 (87–93). Gnathosoma ( Figs. 1–2). Length of gnathosoma 28 (29–31), width 27 (29–32). Gnathosomal capsule rounded subhexagonal in dorsal aspect, as long as wide. Cheliceral setae ch 1 16 (16–16) and ch 2 11 (10–11) weakly barbed. Dorsomedian apodeme obvious. Cheliceral stylets 13 (13–14) falciform. Subcapitulum with subcapitular setae su 11 (10–12) smooth, located on anterior half. Pharynx ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 , 8 View FIGURES 7 – 8 ) almost visible in comparison to the congeners, in ribbed muscular form with four conspicuous lobes. Palpi exceeding apex of gnathosomal capsule, femorogenu with setae dGe 11 (10–12) and dFe 4 (5–5) weakly barbed; palpcoxal setae pp minute and rod-shape, inserted near to articulation of each palp with gnathosomal capsule.

Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig. 1). Ovoid in shape. All dorsal shields ornamented with sparse and fairly deep dimples; at least the posterior margins of tergites C and D with backward undulating projections. Dorsal idiosomal setae weakly barbed and distinctly blunt-ended except v 2, sc 1, sc 2 and h 2 which are pointed. Prodorsal shield semicircular, its anterior margin curved and posterior margin almost straight, with setae v 1 13 (14–16), v 2 5 (5–6), sc 1 4 (4–5) setiform and stiff ( Figs. 1, 7 View FIGURES 7 – 8 ), sc 2 32 (31–34), setae v 1 shorter than distance between their bases, v 2 and sc 1 subequal and located posterolaterally to v 1, setae v 2 reaching to base of setae sc 1. Median shield of tergite C with setae c 1 18 (15–17) and each lateral shield with seta c 2 21 (19–23), c 2 approximately 1.3 times longer than c 1. Tergite D with setae d 15 (15–17) and cupuli ia situated posterior to seta d. Tergite EF with setae e 12 (12–13) and f 14 (14–15), cupuli im not evident. Tergite H with setae h 1 10 (10–12) and h 2 60 (61–64), seta h 2 attenuated and almost 5.5 times longer than h 1. Relative length of some dorsal setae h 1 < e < f < d <c1 <c2. Distances between dorsal idiosomal setae: v 1– v 1 23 (23–25), v 2– v 2 38 (38–42), v 1– v 2 10 (7–8), v 2 – sc 1 4 (3–4), sc 1– sc 1 45 (42–43), sc 2– sc 2 35 (35–37), sc 1– sc 2 14 (14–17), c 1– c 1 28 (24–29), d – d 41 (42–42), e – e 44 (43–47), f – f 32 (31–32), e – f 11 (12– 14), h 1– h 1 11 (12–13), h 2– h 2 26 (25–29), h 1– h 2 8 (7–9).

Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). All ventral idiosomal setae needle-like, setae 1 c, 2 c, 3 c, 4 a, 4 b, 4c, g 1, g 2 and ag smooth, other setae weakly barbed. Apodemes 2 (ap2) and apodemes 3 (ap3) not reaching to presternal apodeme (appr) and poststernal apodeme (appo) respectively, apodemes 4 (ap4) almost joined to poststernal apodeme. Coxal field I: 1 a 7 (6–7), 1 b 8 (5–7), 1 c 5 (6–7). Coxal field II: 2 a 11 (10–11), 2 b 6 (6–6), 2 c 10 (9–11), setae 2 a and 2c subequal and longer than 2 b. Coxal field III: 3 a 8 (7–9), 3 b 9 (9–9), 3 c 9 (9–10), all subequal. Coxal field IV: setae 4 a 8 (8–9), 4 b 8 (9–10), 4 c 8 (7–8), all subequal. Genital plate with setae g 1 3 (3–4) and g 2 3 (3–4). Aggenital plates including 1 small porous area and 1 seta ag 7 (7–8) each. Pseudanal plate with bifurcate anal slit and setae ps 7 (7–10).

Legs ( Figs. 3–6 View FIGURES 3 – 6 ). Leg I ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 3 – 6 ): setal formula: 4-2-6(2)-11(2). Tarsus with 4 slightly blunt-ended eupathidial setae p’, p”, ft’ and ft”, other setae seta-like and pointed; seta tc’ longest, setae tc’, tc”, pl’ and pv’ weakly barbed; solenidion ω 1 7 (6-6) finger-shaped and prominent; solenidion ω 2 3 (3-3) finger-shaped. Tibia with eupathidium k stiff; solenidion φ 1 10 (9–10) stalked and finger-shaped, longer than φ 2 4 (4–5); setae l’ and v” weakly barbed. Genu with setae v’ weakly barbed and shorter than l’. Seta d on femur more than two times longer than l”, both barbed; seta l” longer than v”. Leg II ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 3 – 6 ). Setal formula: 2-1-4(1)-6(1). All setae weakly barbed, except u’ and pv” on tarsus and v’ on genu; seta tc’ shortest on tarsus, solenidion ω 4 (4-5) finger-shaped; solenidion φ 4 (4-5) almost similar to ω but thinner; seta d on femur bluntly tipped, not reaching to base of tarsus and about 1.5 times as long as seta v”. Leg III ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 3 – 6 ). Setal formula: 1-1-4-5. All setae of leg weakly barbed except pv” on tarsus and v’ on genu; seta pl” shortest on tarsus; setae d shortest on tibia; seta d on femur shortest on leg III and reaching to base of seta v’ on genu. Leg IV ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 3 – 6 ). Setal formula: 1-1-4-5. All setae of leg weakly barbed except pv’ on tarsus and v’ and v” on tibia; seta pl” shortest on tarsus; seta d shortest on tibia; seta d of femur shortest on leg IV and not reaching to the midpoint of genu.

Male. Unknown.

Type material. Female holotype (AL- 20121204 -1) and more than 100 paratypes, phoretic on Onthophagus ( Palaeonthophagus) vitulus Fabricius ( Coleoptera : Scarabaeidae ) ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 ). The host beetle was collected from excrement in and around the nest of the ground squirrel Spermophilus fulvus ( Lichtenstein) , Northeastern Iran, Razavi Khorasan province, farmlands near Quchan town, 37.11°N, 58.53 °E, altitude 1,350 m., 14 May 2012, leg. A. Loghmani.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to seta-like shape of the trichobothria ( sc 1).