Cosmolaelaps sansungensis, Oh & Joharchi & Lee & Jung, 2025

Cosmolaelaps sansungensis sp. nov.

( Figures 86–101 View FIGURES 86–90 View FIGURES 91–97 View FIGURES 98–101 )

Specimens examined. Holotype. Female, San 44-1, Sansung-dong, Sangdang-gu, Chungju-si, CB, Republic of Korea, 36°38'58.1"N 127°32'02.7"E, 16 July 2020, M. Oh coll., on the body of Formicine ants ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae ).

Diagnosis (adult). Dorsal shield covered with tiny serration-like patches, with 37 pairs of spatulate setae (serrated apical margin, without basal protuberance) (except z1, r2–r6, and S1), including four unpaired Jx setae; presternal area slightly marked with dotted reticulation without any sclerotised plates, ratio of shield length/width (at broadest level) ≃ 0.67; genital shield flask-shaped expanded behind coxa IV, surface of shield with irregular polygonal reticulation, shield ratio of length/width (at broadest level) ≃ 1.48, anal shield slightly longer than wide, with ratio of length/width (at broadest level) ≃ 1.06; opisthogastric setae spatulate, except Jv1, Jv2, and Zv1–Zv3. Fixed digit of chelicera with nine blunt teeth. Most of legs setae spatulate except trochanter I–IV, some tibial, and ventral setae.

Description (adult female)

( Figures 86–101 View FIGURES 86–90 View FIGURES 91–97 View FIGURES 98–101 )

One specimen was measured. Dorsal idiosoma ( Figure 86 View FIGURES 86–90 & 91 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Dorsal shield oval-shaped, 898 long, 675 wide, covering entire idiosoma dorsally; posterior part of shield with distinct serration-like patches, bearing 37 pairs of spatulate setae (serrated apical margin, without basal protuberance), except z1 horse ear-like (28–30), r2–r5 (27–46), and S1 spatulate horse ear shaped (42–46): 22 pairs of podonotal setae (r6 located ventrally), 15 pairs of ophisthonotal setae, and four unpaired supernumerary setae Jx between J1 and J5, dorsal setae mostly homogeneous in length, never reaching base of next posterior setae (32–72) (most of podonotal setae are missing fig. 91, cause the microphotograph was taken after the dissection. However, the length and shape of dorsal setae were observed before the dissection). Shield with seven pairs of discernible pore-like structures, including two poroids (id1, idl3) and five gland openings (gd2, gd5, gd4, gd6, and gd9). Poroids gd4 greatly enlarged and gland gd9 enlarged.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figures 87 View FIGURES 86–90 & 92–95 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Tritosternum with paired pilose laciniae (126–128), columnar base 60 long × 11 wide; presternal area slightly marked with dotted reticulation without any sclerotised plates, sternal shield 253 long, narrowest between coxae II (170), widest at level of endopodal between coxae II and III (253), covered with same reticulation as dorsal shield, anterior margin of shield inconspicuous, anterolateral corners narrowly extending between coxae I–II, posterior margin concave as usual ( Figure 92 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Shield bearing three pairs of smooth long setae (st1 86–88, st2 58–58, st3 54–57), st1 extending beyond next posterior setae, st2 and st3 barely reaching base of next posterior setae, and two pairs of thin rectangular poroids (iv1 mesal to setae st1 and iv2 between st2 and st3, respectively), metasternal setae st4 (86–93) and metasternal poroids (iv3) located on soft integument; endopodal elements between coxae II–III fused with shield and endopodal elements III–IV elongate, curved. Genital shield flask-shaped, slightly expanded laterally past level of setae st5, length 317, maximum width 214, posterior margin rounded, anterior margin of shield slightly convex, abutting posterior margin of sternal shield, surface reticulated with irregular, mostly longitudinal lines in anterior region, posterior part with irregular polygonal pattern, bearing a pair of simple setae st5 (86–93) inserted on lateral margins of shield, near level of posterior edge of coxae IV ( Figure 93 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Paragenital poroids iv5 located on soft cuticle lateral to shield near setae st5; anal shield pear-shaped, rounded anteriorly, 150 long, 142 wide, anterior half covered with lineate reticulation, para-anal setae (40–41) and post-anal seta (29) simple, cribrum consisting of a terminal tuft with some irregular rows of spicules and a pair of anterior arms extending to level between anal orifice and post-anal seta ( Figure 94 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Anal gland pores (gv3) on anterolateral margin of shield; soft opisthogastric cuticle surrounding genital, anal shields, and a pair of elongated metapodal plates (46–52 Long × 19–14 wide), two pairs of poroids (iv5, ivo) and 12 pairs of spatulate setae (26– 55) (R1–R5, UR2), except Jv1, Jv2, and Zv1–Zv3 setiform (33–51), and bearing gland pore (gv2); peritrematal shield well developed laterad peritremes, bearing one gland pore and one poroid at level near coxae II–III, post-stigmatic extension of shield relatively wide, with two pairs of poroids and one pair of gland pores. Anterior region of peritrematal shield fused to anterior margin of dorsal shield behind setae z1, peritremes long, extending to mid-level of coxa I (near s1).

Gnathosoma ( Figures 88–90 View FIGURES 86–90 & 95–97 View FIGURES 91–97 ). Anterior margin of epistome convex, trapezoid-shaped, irregularly denticulate ( Figures 89 View FIGURES 86–90 & 95 View FIGURES 91–97 ); hypostomal groove considerably widened, with six transverse rows of denticles, each row with 23–50 tiny denticles, groove wider anteriorly, progressively narrowing from anterior to posterior ( Figure 88 View FIGURES 86–90 ). Hypostome with four pairs of smooth setae, h3 (116–122)> h1 (70)> pc (62–73)> h2 (40–42). Corniculi robust and horn-like, internal malae longer than corniculi, comprising a pair of pilose median projections, and 18–25 lateral, longer, tentacle-like, smooth projections; labrum with pilose median surface, supralabral process indistinct; chaetotaxy of palps: trochanter 2, femur 5, genu 6, tibia 14, tarsus 15, all setae smooth, palpfemur with seta al thickened, slightly blunt, and spine-like; palpgenu with al1 and al2 stout, blunt, thickened and spatulate. Palptarsal apotele two-tined ( Figure 96 View FIGURES 91–97 ); fixed digit of chelicera with an offset distal tooth (gabelzhan), followed by nine blunt teeth in various sized, a setaceous pilus dentilis, dorsal cheliceral seta small and prostrate, arthrodial membrane with a rounded flap and normal filaments, dorsal and lateral lyrifissures distinct, movable digit bidentate ( Figure 90 View FIGURES 86–90 & 97 View FIGURES 91–97 ).

Insemination structures. Not seen, apparently unsclerotised.

Legs ( Figures 98–101 View FIGURES 98–101 ). Leg II (774–774) and III (832–832) short, I (1008–1015) and IV (1094–1106) longer. Chaetotaxy normal for free-living Laelapidae {additional pl setae on tibia III (9) and genu IV (10)}: Leg I ( Figure 98 View FIGURES 98–101 ): coxa 0-0/1, 0/1-0, trochanter 1-1/2, 0/1-1, femur 2-2/1, 3/3-2 (al1, ad1, and pd1–pd3 spatulate), genu 2-3/2, 3/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except ventral setae), tibia 2-3/2, 3/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except ventral setae). Leg II ( Figure 99 View FIGURES 98–101 ): coxa 0-0/1, 0/1-0, trochanter 1-1/1, 0/1-1, femur 2-3/1, 2/2-1 (ad1 –ad3, pd1, pd2, pl spatulate), genu 2-3/1, 2/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except al1, al2, av), tibia 2-2/1, 2/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except al1, al2, av). Leg III ( Figure 100 View FIGURES 98–101 ): coxa 0-0/1, 0/1-0, trochanter 1-1/1, 0/1-1, femur 1-2/1, 1/0-1 (ad1, ad2 spatulate), genu 2-2/1, 2/1-1 (all setae spatulate, except ventral setae), tibia: 2-1/1, 2/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except ventral setae). Leg IV ( Figure 101 View FIGURES 98–101 ): coxa 0-0/1, 0/0-0, trochanter 1-1/1, 0/1-1, femur 1-2/1, 1/0-1 (ad1, ad2 spatulate), genu 2-2/1, 3/0-2 (all setae spatulate, except ventral seta), tibia 2-1/1, 3/1-2 (all setae spatulate, except ventral setae). Tarsi II–IV with 18 setae (3-3/2, 3/2-3 + mv, md); with some tarsal setae thickened and spatulate, see Figures 99–101 View FIGURES 98–101 . All pretarsi with well-developed paired claws, rounded pulvilli and normal ambulacral stalk.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the name of the region (Sansung tractional pond, Cheongju, Korea) where the type species occurs.

Differential diagnosis. This species is close to other cuneifer -group species. However, C. cuneifer ( Michael, 1891) : 39 pairs of dorsal setae + 14 accessory setae, shape of dorsal setae with basal protuberance, only r1 acicular-shaped, sternal shield without spine-like reticulation, st1 off the shield ( Evans & Till, 1966). C. neocuneifer Evans & Till, 1966: 39 pairs of dorsal setae + nine accessory setae, shape of dorsal setae with basal protuberance, post-anal seta spatulate, sternal shield without spine-like reticulation, st1 off the shield, genu IV with one pl seta ( Evans & Till, 1966). C. paracuneifer Gu & Bai, 1992: 39 pairs of dorsal setae + six accessory setae, dorsal setae with basal protuberance, only S1 acicular-shaped, sternal shield without spine-like reticulation, st1 off the shield, metapodal plates two pairs ( Gu & Bai, 1992). C. bengalensis Bhattacharyya, 1968: 37 pairs of dorsal setae + four accessory setae (39 pairs of dorsal setae in original description), presternal platelet distinctly sclerotised, sternal shield with three pairs of barbed setae, post-anal seta spatulate ( Bhattacharyya, 1968). C. bicuspisetosa Willmann, 1953 : Shape of dorsal setae spatulate and bifurcated apically except for z1 ( Willmann, 1953). C. tuberculata Mašán, 1992: 39 pairs of dorsal setae + one or two accessory setae, dorsal setae with basal protuberance, metapodal plates two pairs ( Mašán, 1992). C. aciphila Karg, 1987: 37 pairs of dorsal setae + five accessory setae, dorsal setae z1, s1, s3, s6, r2–r5, Z5, S1–S3, S5, and R1 acicular-shaped, presternal area fused with sternal shield, anterior margin of sternal shield distinct, all the ventral setae acicular shaped not spatulate ( Karg, 1987). C. ornata ( Berlese, 1903) : Dorsal setae broadened spatulate but without apical denticles, with fine hair-like processes ( Hull, 1918; Mašán, 1992). C. cavosternalis sp. nov.: 40 pairs of dorsal setae + 10 accessory seta, dorsal setae with basal protuberance, sternal setae st1 off the shield, genu IV with one pl setae.