Schoengastia pseudocordyli Lawrence 1949

Schoengastia pseudocordyli Lawrence, 1949

(Figs. 8, 9)

Schoengastia pseudocordyli Lawrence, 1949: 429, fig. 16; Wharton & Fuller 1952: 89; Vercammen-Grandjean 1958b: 659, pl. 9; Stekolnikov 2018: 85.

Schoengastia (Schoengastia) pseudocordyli: Zumpt 1961: 158; Vercammen-Grandjean 1965b: 82.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.0000; fPp = B/N/NNB; PL ≥ AM> AL; fD = 2H-8-6-6-4+(6–9); DS = 32–35; V = 26; NDV = 58–61; scutum nearly rectangular, with evenly arquate posterior margin and anterolateral shoulders; sensillary bases far anterior to level of PLs; Ip = 688–774. Standard measurements are given in Table 5.

Redescription (3 non-type specimens). IDIOSOMA (Figs. 8A, 9A–F). Eyes 2 + 2, in ocular plate; 32–35 dorsal idiosomal setae, including one pair of humeral setae, moderately barbed, 8 setae in 1 st posthumeral row (C excluding humeral setae), by 6 setae in next two rows (D and E), four setae in 4 th row (F) plus 6–9 caudal setae; 4 sternal setae; 26 ventral setae; NDV = 58–61.

GNATHOSOMA (Fig. 9G–I). Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap and row of five dorsal teeth; cheliceral base and palpal femur with sparse puncta, gnathobase with sparse puncta, transverse cuticular striations, and one pair of branched gnathocoxal (tritorostral) setae; galeal (deutorostral) seta nude; palpal claw with three prongs; seta on palpal femur short, with few branches; seta on palpal genu short, nude; dorsal and lateral setae on palpal tibia nude; ventral palpal tibial seta branched; palpal tarsus with 7 branched setae, subterminala (ζ) and tarsala (ω).

SCUTUM (Figs. 8, 9C). Nearly rectangular, moderately covered with small puncta, with anterolateral shoulders, anterior and lateral scutal margins almost straight, posterior margin slightly projected, evenly arquate, with cuticular striations; AM at level of ALs; sensillary (trichobothrial) bases far anterior to level of PLs (PSB – P-PL = 7–9), with curved anterior ridges; ALs uniform with dorsal idiosomal setae, PLs and especially AM covered with much longer thin barbs; PL ≥ AM> AL; sensilla (trichobothria) globose, covered with small setules.

LEGS (Fig. 9J–L). 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, 3 genualae (σ), microgenuala (κ); tibia 8B, 2 tibialae (φ), microtibiala (κ); tarsus 22B, tarsala (ω), microtarsala (ε) far distal to tarsala, subterminala (ζ), parasubterminala (z), pretarsala (ζ). Leg II: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 4B; 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 6B, tibiala (φ); tarsus 15B, mastisetae absent.

Distribution and hosts. This species was described from Champagne Castle, Drakensberg Mts., Natal(KwaZulu-Natal Prov.), South Africa, ex Pseudocordylus spinosus Fitzsimons (Squamata: Cordylidae) and Trachylepis striata (Peters) (syn. Mabuya striata) (Squamata: Scincidae).

Material examined. Three larvae, NM 4939 (slides 1–3), ex M. striata, coll. Lawrence, place and date unknown, prepared by Vercammen-Grandjean (Fig. 1, 15).

Remarks. Schoengastia pseudocordyli is similar to S. moreli Taufflieb, 1960, but differs in the absence of mastitarsala, presence of prominent anterolateral shoulders of the scutum, much longer AM (37–41 vs. 22), shorter AL (31–32 vs. 55), and in PL ≥ AM> AL vs. AL> PL >> AM.