Prozercon esati, Karaca, 2025

Prozercon esati sp. nov.

Specimens examined. Holotype (♀): soil and litter samples under raspberry ( Rubus sp. ) and rose hip ( Rosa canina ), 41º16'N, 27º7'E, 41 m a.s.l., vicinity of Çıkrıkçı and Lahna villages, Hayrabolu county (Tekirdağ province), 23.03.2014. Paratypes: 12 ♀♀, 6 ♂♂, 7 DN, 2 PN: same data as holotype. 5 ♀♀: soil and litter samples under raspberry ( Rubus sp. ), 41º15'N, 27º44'E, 105 m a.s.l., vicinity of UlaŞ village (Ergene riverside), Çorlu county (Tekirdağ province), 21.03.2014. 6 ♀♀: soil and litter samples under alder ( Alnus sp. ) and oak ( Quercus sp. ), 41º10'N, 26º40'E, 51 m a.s.l., vicinity of Kavacık village, Uzunköprü county (Edirne province), 12.04.2014.

Diagnosis. On podonotum, setae j2–6, z2, z4–5, s1 and s4 smooth, other podonotal setae plumose with various lenghts. On opisthonotum, marginal setae R1–6 smooth and thorn-like, other opisthonotal setae plumose with various lenghts. Seta S4 absent. Gland pore gdS2 located on the line connecting setae Z2 and S2, gdZ3 located on the line connecting setae J3 and Z4, closer to Z4. Dorsal cavities weakly developed. Podonotum covered by reticulate pattern, opisthonotum with alveolar pits and irregular dots.

Description

Female (n=10)

( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–5 )

Dorsal idiosoma. Length (without gnathosoma) and width in holotype 344 and 269, respectively. Measurement of nine paratypes: length 332–348, width 265–273. Ornamentation of idiosomal shields were illustrated in Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–5 . Dorsal cavities uniform, equal in size, saddle-like and weakly sclerotized. Podonotal shields with 20 pairs of setae, including six pairs in j row (j1–6), five pairs in z row (z2–6), six pairs in s row (s1–6), and three pairs in r row (r2 and r4–5). Setae r1 and r3 inserted ventrally, on peritrematal shields. Setae z3, r4–5, s3 and s6 markedly elongate, densely plumose, brush-like and apically rounded. Setae j2–6, z2, z4–5, s1 and s4 short, smooth and needle-like or thorn-like. Setae j1, z6, s2, s5 and r2 partly short, but plumose. Seta z6 reaching the margin of posterior part of podonotum. All smooth podonotal setae about the same size. Podonotal shield covered with reticulate pattern with irregular pits in the crossing points on its central and posterocentral surface. Opisthonotal shields with 20 pairs of setae, including five pairs in J row (J1–5), five pairs in Z row (Z1–5), four pairs in S row (S1–3 and S5), and six pairs in R row (R1–6). All opisthonotal setae (except marginal) located on enlarged raised bases. Except setae R1–6, all the others plumose with various lenghts. Setae J1–5, Z1, Z4–5, S1 and S5 similar in appearance, all of them bilateral plumose. Setae Z2–3 and S2–3 unilateral plumose in contrary of other plumose setae. Setae Z5, S1 and S5 densely plumose, brush-like and apically rounded. Seta S4 absent. Marginal seta S1 longer than other setae in R row. Setae R1–6 short, smooth and thorn-like. Only seta J4 reaching the insertions of the following seta in the same row. None of setae reaching the insertions of the following seta in Z and S rows. Although seta Z3 reaching the margin of opisthonotum, setae J4, Z5 and S5 reaching beyond margin of opisthonotum. The range between Z5–Z5 68–79 and Z5–JV5 21–27, respectively. Opisthonotal shield covered with relatively large alveolar pits in anterior parts and irregular dots in the middle parts ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–5 ). Gland pore gds1 located on the line connecting setae s1 and z2, closer to s1, gdj4 located on the line connecting setae j4 and z4, closer to z4, gds4 located on the line connecting setae s4 and s5, gdZ1 located above the insertion of seta Z1, gdS2 located on the line connecting setae Z2 and S2, gdZ3 located on the line connecting setae J3 and Z4, closer to Z4, gdS5 located on the line connecting setae S5 and JV5 ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–5 ).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 2–5 ). Posterolateral tips of peritrematal shield reaching the level of setae R1–2. Chaetotaxy and ornamentation of peritrematal shield characteristical for Prozercon species. Peritrematal shield with two pairs of setae (r1 and r3), both short, smooth and needle-like. Peritreme slightly twisted anteriorly, and gland pore gv1 located closer to anterior part of peritreme. Sternal shield with three pairs of setae (st1–3). Epigynal shield with one pair of setae (st5). Setae st4 present between posterior part of sternal shield and anterior part of epigynal shield. All the above-mentioned setae (st1–5) short, smooth and needle-like or thorn-like. Gland pore gv2 absent between posterior part of epigynal shield and anterior part of ventrianal shield. Ventrianal shield with nine pairs of short, smooth and needle-like setae (JV1–5, ZV2–4, Ad), postanal longest, one pair of gland pore, and one single postanal seta (Pa). Seta JV5 similar to opisthonotal setae Z5 and S 5 in terms of shape, but shorter them. Anterior margin of ventrianal shield with one pair of setae (JV1 present, ZV1 absent). Gland pore gv3 located closer to the insertions of adanal setae. Anterior part of ventrianal shield covered with squamous pattern, continuously extending the insertions of setae JV3 and ZV3–4.

Male (n=6)

( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 6–9 )

Length and width of idiosoma 268–297 and 215–220, respectively. With a few exceptions, chaetotaxy of idiosomal setae, location of gland pores on idiosoma and ornamentation of dorsal and ventral shields similar to those of female. Podonotal seta z3 markedly elongate, densely plumose, brush-like and reaching beyond the lateral margin of podonotum in female specimens, it is short, smooth, thorn-like and not reaching the lateral margin of podonotum in male specimens. Unlike female specimens, in which the opisthonotal setae J3 and Z2 not reaching the insertions of the next setae, these setae reaching the insertions of the following setae in the same row in male specimens. Additionally, while seta S5 extends vertically beyond the opisthonotum in female specimens, this seta is inclined towards to seta JV 5 in male specimens. Ventral idiosoma as Fig. 3 View FIGURES 2–5 in general (except seta JV5). Distances between setae Z5–Z5 56–71 and Z5–JV5 18–24, respectively.