Passeroptes sylviae Bochkov & Mironov, 2012, sp. nov.

Passeroptes sylviae sp. nov.

(Figs. 6–9)

Description. MALE (holotype). Body 160 long (155–165 in 5 paratypes) and 95 wide (90–100). Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercules. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields about 20. Propodonotal shield 38 long (38–42) and about 40 wide; posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Pair of small platelets present posterior to setae se. Setae se at least 5 times longer than si. Hysteronotal shield 90 long (90–95); its length along midline 50 (50–55); with pair of deep lateral incisions at level of leg IV femora insertions. Posterior margin of hysteronotal shield with narrowly triangular median incision. Setae d2 absent. Humeral shields without dorsal valves. Opisthosomal lobes about 30 long, widely separated from each other, lateral margins poorly sclerotized. Terminal cleft slightly longer than its greatest width, anterior end of cleft narrowly angular [=forms acute angle]. Lateral membranes narrow, entire. Interlobar membrane wide, entire; incision in interlobar membrane longitudinally ovate; terminal margin of these membranes near bases of setae h3 slightly concave. Coxal fields III not closed. Genital arch shaped as a wide inverted V (Fig. 7). Aedeagus short, 5–6 long. Pair of adanal shields present, separated from each other. Diameter of adanal suckers 4–5. Cupules ih situated postero-lateral to adanal suckers. Legs III and IV subequal, 65–70 long. Femur III with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral weakly developed retrorse projections. Other projections on legs III and IV absent. Solenidion ω 1 absent on tarsi I. Tarsi IV straight. Lengths of setae: se 57 (50–60), cp 95 (90–100), c3 35 (30–35), h2 160 (160–180), h3 28 (28–33), ps1 25 (23–26), ps2 30 (28–30), d II 45 (40–45), d III 60 (60–70), ω 3 and ω 1 I about 15, φI and II about 20, φIII about 3, φIV about 15, σ 1 I about 17, and σII about 3.

FEMALE (1 paratype). Body 155 long and 100 wide. Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercules. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields 25. Propodonotal shield 40 long and 45 wide, posterolateral extensions encompassing or touching bases of setae se and si. Setae se at least 8 times longer than si. Hysteronotal shield 65 long and 40 wide. Setae d2 absent. Humeral shields each with weakly developed dorsal valve. Coxal fields III not closed. Adanal shields widely separated from each other, weakly sclerotized. Legs III and IV subequal, about 80 long. Femora III and IV each with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral weakly developed retrorse projections. Other projections on posterior legs absent. Solenidion ω 1 absent on tarsi I. Lengths of setae: se 68, cp 90, c3 30, h2 140, h3 22, ps2 24, d II 42, d III–IV 50 –55, ω 3 and ω 1 I about 12, φI–II about 25, φIII and φIV about 3, σ 1 I about 14, and σII about 3.

Type material. Holotype male (ZISP 4859) and 4 male paratypes ex Sylvia communis (Latham) (Passeriformes: Sylviidae), RUSSIA: Kaliningrad Province, Curonian spit, Rybachy village, 55°09'15" N, 20°51'14" E, 5 June 1982, coll. S.V. Mironov (field number 271); 1 male and 1 female paratypes ex Sylvia curruca (Linnaeus), same locality, 6 June 1982, coll. S.V. Mironov (field number 282).

Type deposition. Holotype and all paratypes – in ZISP.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host and is a noun in the genitive case.

Differential diagnosis. This species, as the previous one, is closest to Passeroptes dermicola. In both sexes of these species, the soft idiosomal cuticle is devoid of scales or tubercules, the idiosomal shields are devoid of ornamentation, setae se are whip-like, at least 5 times as long as si, solenidion ω 1 I is absent, and only femur III bears the projections. In males of both species, the aedeagus is short, not more than 8 long, and the hysteronotal shield is not transversely separated; in females, the adanal shields are not fused to each other. The new species differs from P. dermicola by the following characters. In both sexes of P. sylviae sp. nov., the dorsal and ventral retrorse projections on femur III are weakly developed and coxal fields III are almost completely opened; in males, the body is 155–165 long, cupules ih are situated posterior to the adanal suckers, and the genital arch has widely divergent branches; in females, the body is 155 long, and the non-sclerotized patches are absent on the hysteronotal shield. In both sexes of P. dermicola, the dorsal and ventral retrorse projections on femur III are moderately developed and coxal fields III are opened only in the anterior third; in males, the body is about 190 long, cupules ih are situated at the same level with the adanal suckers, and the genital arch has a shape of an inverted V with tips curved laterally; in females, the body is about 190 long, and a pair of non-sclerotized patches (probable remnants of setal alveoli) are present on the hysteronotal shield.