Rafapicobia toxostoma sp. nov.

(Figs. 12–25)

Description. PHYSOGASTRIC FEMALE (holotype). Total body length 700 (590–700 in 5 paratypes). Gnathosoma. Hypostomal apex tapering. Infracapitulum apunctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 5–6 chambers, each lateral branch short with poorly visible chambers. Movable cheliceral digit edentate in posterior part, 90 long. Stylophore apunctate, 110 (110–120) long. Idiosoma. Propodonotal shield entire, shirt-like, punctate at lateral margins, bearing bases of all propodonotal setae except c2. Setae vi situated anterior to level of setae ve. All propodonotal setae lightly beaded. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:2.3–3:5–5.6. Setae c1 and se located at same transverse level. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae d1 situated closer to setae e2 than to d2. Pygidial shield well developed, apunctate. Setae f2 about 5 times as long as f1. Setae f1 and h1 subequal in length. Setae h2 3.3 times longer than f2. Aggenital plate absent. Genital plate present, bases of setae ag2 situated at lateral margins of this plate. Aggenital setae ag1 situated anterior to level of setae ag2. Length ratio of setae ag1: ag2: ag3 2.3:1:1.6–1.8. Setae ps1 and ps2 minute and subequal in length. Coxal fields I–IV well developed, apunctate. Setae 3c about 3 times longer than 3b. Legs. Most of dorsal setae of legs I and II, beaded. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV subequal in size. Setae tc’III–IV and tc”III–IV subequal in length. Lengths of setae: vi 30 (30), ve 75 (75–105), si 150 (150–155), se 180 (170–180), c1 185 (160–190), c2 175 (170–180), d1 170 (150–165), d2 180 (160–180), e2 160 (130–150), f1 15 (15), f2 (70–80), h1 (15), h2 250 (230–255), ag1 115 (115–125), ag2 (45–60), ag3 (80–90), ps1 and ps2 (5), g1 7 (5–7), tc’III– IV 65 (55–65), tc” III–IV 65 (65), 3b 35 (25–35), 3c 85 (75–85), 4b 35 (30–35), 4c 100 (95–100), dTIII– IV 80 (80), l’RIII 35 (30–35), l’RIV 35 (35–35).

MALE (4 paratypes). Total body length 445–525. Gnathosoma. Infracapitulum apunctate. Hypostomal apex tapering. Each medial branch of peritremes with 5 chambers, each lateral branch short with poorly visible chambers. Movable cheliceral digit edentate in posterior part. Stylophore apunctate, 105 long. Idiosoma. Propodonotal shield entire, shirt-like, concave on anterior margin, bearing all propodonotal setae except c2, punctate. Setae vi situated anterior to level of setae ve. All propodonotal setae lightly beaded. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:3.2:4.8– 5.3. Setae c1 located anterior to level of setae se. Hysteronotal shield entire, well sclerotized, not fused to pygidial shield. Setae d2 about 25 times longer than d1 and e2. Pygidial shield well developed, apunctate. Setae h 2 29–33 times longer than f2. Aggenital plate absent. Length ratio of setae ag1: ag2 5.5:1. Coxal fields I–IV well developed, apunctate. Setae 3c 3 times longer than 3b. Legs. Most of dorsal setae of legs I and II lightly beaded. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV subequal in size. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III–IV subequal in length. Lengths of setae: vi 20, ve 65, si 95–105, se 120–140, c1 120–130, c2 115–120, d1 5, d2 105–125, e2 5, f2 5, h2 145–165, ag1 55, ag 2 10, 3b 25–30, 3c 65–75, l’RIII 20, l’RIV 20, dTIII– IV 55.

Type material. Female holotype (physogastric form) and paratypes: 6 females (physogastric form), 7 males, 3 nymphs and 1 egg (AMU–SYR.334) from Toxostoma curvirostre (Swainson); UNITED STATES, Texas, Webb Co., Laredo, 29 March 1962, coll. L.W. Oring. Mites removed by M. Skoracki.

Type deposition. All material is deposited in the AMU, except 1 female and 1 male in the ZISP and 1 female in the ZSM.

Etymology. The name toxostoma refers to the generic name of the host – Toxostoma.

Differential diagnosis. The genus Rafapicobia was known only from the type species R. zirnitra Skoracki, 2011 described from Saxicola rubetra (Linnaeus) (Sylviidae) and Ficedula hypoleuca (Pallas) (Sylviidae) from Poland (Skoracki 2011). This new species differs from the type species by the following characters: in females of R. toxostoma sp. nov., the lengths of setae ve, si and f2 are 75–105, 150–155 and 70–80 respectively; the propodonotal shield is entire; in males the length ratio of setae vi: ve: si is 1:3.2:4.8–5.3; the hysteronotal shield is not divided. In females of R. zirnitra, the lengths of setae ve, si and f2 are 65, 80–90 and 50–55 respectively; the propodonotal shield is divided into three shields; in males the length ratio of setae vi: ve: si is 1:2.3:3.7; the hysteronotal shield is divided longitudinally.