Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia ) longispinus ( Radford, 1948 )

Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia) longispinus ( Radford, 1948) View in CoL

( Figs. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 , 6 View FIGURE 6 )

Ascoschoengastia longispina Radford, 1948: 219 , figs. 13–14.

Euschoengastia longispina : Wharton & Fuller 1952: 78; Zumpt 1961: 162.

Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia) longispina : Vercammen-Grandjean 1965b: 87; 1966: 643, pl. O, 3.

Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia) longispinus View in CoL : Stekolnikov 2018: 61 View Cited Treatment .

Ascoschoengastia rhabdomyia Lawrence, 1951a: 116 , fig. 16, c, syn. nov.

Euschoengastia rhabdomyia : Wharton & Fuller 1952: 81; Zumpt 1961: 162.

Herpetacarus ( Herpetacarus) rhabdomys View in CoL : Vercammen-Grandjean 1965b: 86; Stekolnikov 2018: 68 View Cited Treatment .

Herpetacarus ( Herpetacarus) rhabdomiya : Vercammen-Grandjean 1966: 640, pl. F, 5.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7B-N-3-2111.1100; fPp = B/B/NNB; PL ≥ AL >> AM; fD = 2H-8-6-6-6+(2–8); DS = 30–34; V = 21–24; NDV = 53–55; scutum telostigmal, with bow-shaped posterior margin; sensilla subglobose; sensillary bases anterior to level of PLs; Ip = 731–820. Standard measurements are given in Table 3 View TABLE 3 .

Redescription ( holotype and 1 topotypic specimen of H. longispinus and 8 non-type specimens of A. rhabdomyia ). IDIOSOMA ( Figs. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 , 6A–F View FIGURE 6 ). Eyes 2 + 2, in ocular plate; 30–34 dorsal idiosomal setae, including one pair of humeral setae, moderately covered with thin barbs, 8 setae in 1 st posthumeral row (C excluding humeral setae), by 6 setae in next three rows plus 2–8 caudal setae; 4 sternal setae; 21–24 ventral setae; NDV = 53–55.

GNATHOSOMA ( Fig. 6G, H View FIGURE 6 ). Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap and dorsal tooth; cheliceral base, gnathobase, palpal femur and genu with puncta; gnathobase with 1 pair of branched gnathocoxal (tritorostral) setae; galeal (deutorostral) seta nude; palpal claw with three prongs; setae on palpal femur and genu branched; dorsal and lateral setae on palpal tibia nude; ventral palpal tibial seta branched; palpal tarsus with 7 branched setae and tarsala ( ω).

SCUTUM ( Figs. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 , 6C, D View FIGURE 6 ). Nearly trapezoidal, telostigmal, moderately covered with small puncta, anterior scutal margin sinuous, lateral margins slightly concave, posterior margin slightly projected, bow-shaped; ALs and PLs situated in projected angles of scutum; AM posterior to level of ALs; sensillary (trichobothrial) bases anterior to level of PLs (PSB – P-PL = 3–8); all scutal setae uniform with dorsal idiosomal setae; PL ≥ AL >> AM; sensilla (trichobothria) subglobose, covered with small setules.

LEGS ( Fig. 6I–K View FIGURE 6 ). All 7-segmented, with 1 pair of claws and claw-like empodium. Leg I: coxa with 1 branched seta (1B); trochanter 1B; basifemur 1B; telofemur 5B; genu 4B, 2 genualae ( σ), microgenuala ( κ); tibia 8B, 2 tibialae ( φ), microtibiala ( κ); tarsus 22B, tarsala ( ω), microtarsala ( ε) distal to tarsala, subterminala ( ζ), parasubterminala ( z), pretarsala ( ζ). Leg II: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 3B; genu 3B, genuala ( σ); tibia 6B, 2 tibialae ( φ); tarsus 16B, tarsala ( ω), microtarsala ( ε) behind tarsala, pretarsala ( ζ). Leg III: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 3B; genu 3B, genuala ( σ); tibia 5B, tibiala ( φ), mastitibiala; tarsus 14B, mastitarsala.

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from Glen Craig, Grahamstown (currently Makhanda, Eastern Cape), South Africa, ex Aethomys namaquensis (A. Smith) (syn. Thallomys namaquensis grahami Roberts ) ( Rodentia : Muridae ). Ascoschoengastia rhabdomyia was described from Champagne Castle, Drakensberg Mts., Natal, South Africa, ex Rhabdomys pumilio ( Rodentia : Muridae ) and Procavia capensis capensis (Pallas) (syn. P. c. natalensis Roberts ) ( Hyracoidea : Procaviidae ).

Material examined. Holotype larva of Ascoschoengastia longispina, NHM 1948 -2-3-31, ex Thallomys n. grahami, Grahamstown, Glen Craig, 24 May 1939, Dr. G. Theiler ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Topotypic larva of A. longispina , labeled as Euschoengastia longispina (Radford) , ZIN 14503, ex Thallomys n. grahami, Grahamstown, Glen Craig, 24 May 1939, G. Theiler ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 12 View FIGURE 12 ). Eight non-type specimens, larvae of A. rhabdomyia on two slides (NM 5387 and 5388), ex P. c. natalensis, P’Maritzburg (Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Prov.) , February 1951, collector unknown ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 13 View FIGURE 13 ).

Remarks. As in the case of H. alticolus, Vercammen-Grandjean (1965b , 1966) followed by Stekolnikov (2018) included H. rabdomyia in the subgenus Herpetacarus ( Herpetacarus) without examination of any material. However, the absence of palpal subterminala ( ζ) shows that this species should belong to the subgenus Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia) .

The examined specimens of A. rhabdomyia differ from the holotype of A. longispina only in a slightly lesser size ( Table 3 View TABLE 3 ). Thus, identity of these two species is indubitable and I regard A. rhabdomyia as a synonym of H. longispinus .

This species is similar to Herpetacarus ( Abonnencia) aethomys (Radford, 1942) and differs from it in nude dorsal palpal tibial seta vs. branched (fPp = B/B/NNB vs. B/B/BNB), bow-shaped posterior scutal margin vs. evenly arquate, shorter scutum (PSB = 16–20 vs. 25; SD = 41–45 vs. 56), and in a slightly higher number of idiosomal setae (NDV = 53–57 vs. 50) ( Vercammen-Grandjean 1966).