Pavania madagascariensis sp. nov. (Figs. 4–6)

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org: act: CFDAAEAE-9088-4266-9812-EE93CB9AE306

Description

Female (Figs. 4–6) – Body weakly sclerotized. Length of idiosoma 120 (115–120), width 78 (75–80).

Gnathosoma – Gnathosomal capsule, excluding palps, almost round, its length 24 (23–24), width 27 (27–28). Dorsally with two pairs of blunt-tipped cheliceral setae (cha, chb). Setae cha 15 (15–16) weakly barbed; chb 10 (10–11) smooth. Dorsal median apodeme weakly developed. Postpalpal setae (pp) rod-like with tiny distal projections, situated posterolaterally to setae cha. Venter of gnathosoma with one pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m 12 (12–13). Palps with smooth setae dFe and dGe dorsally, setae dGe 11 (10–11) pointed, about two times longer than weakly blunttipped dFe 4 (4–5). Palps ventrally with solenidion almost two times longer than accessory setigenous structure. Palps terminated with well-developed tibial claw. Palp tibiotarsus with tiny eupathid-like distal seta and small lateral seta l”. Cheliceral stylets strong, curved. Pharynx poorly visible, with weak lateral projections.

Idiosomal dorsum (Figs. 4A, 6A) – Tergites D, EF and H with round and very small puncta, similar puncta also poorly visible on prodorsal shield; tergite C smooth. Prodorsal shield with three pairs of setae (v1, v2, sc2) and one pair of clavate, barbed trichobothria sc1 with rounded apex. Setae sc2 and c1 pointed, other dorsal setae blunt-tipped; tips of setae h2 club-shaped. Setae v1, v2, sc2 and c1 smooth, other dorsal setae weakly barbed. Cupules on tergites not evident. Posterior margins of tergites C, D, and EF with several very small tooth-like projections. Lengths of dorsal setae: v1 17 (17–18), v2 6 (6), sc2 41 (39–43), c1 30 (29–31), c2 18 (18–19), d 14 (15–16), e 9 (9–10), f 16 (17– 19), h1 11 (10–11), h2 52 (52–54). Distances between setae: v1–v1 20 (21–23), v2–v2 31 (29–32), sc2–sc2 34 (33–35), c1–c1 26 (26–28), c1–c2 20 (19–22), d–d 53 (50–53), e–e 42 (39–43), f–f 32 (31–34), h1–h1 9 (8–10), h1–h2 8 (8).

Idiosomal venter (Figs. 4B, 6B) – All ventral plates smooth. Setae 2c pointed, other ventral setae weakly blunt-tipped; all ventral setae smooth. Apodemes 1 (ap1) and apodemes 2 (ap2) well developed; ap1 joined with poorly visible prosternal apodeme (appr), sejugal apodeme represented by pair of small sclerites located posterolaterad setae 2c; apodemes 3 (ap3) and 4 (ap4) well developed. Poststernal apodeme absent. Coxal fields I-IV each with three pairs of setae. Lengths of ventral setae: 1a 7 (6–7), 1b 7 (6–7), 1c 6 (6–7), 2a 11 (10–11), 2b 7 (7), 2c 20 (18–20), 3a 10 (8– 10), 3b 9 (8–10), 3c 10 (9–10), 4a 9 (9), 4b 9 (9–10), 4c 9 (8–9), ag 9 (8–9), g1 5 (5), g2 5 (5), ps 7 (7–8).

Legs (Fig. 5) – All legs subequal in length. Setation of legs I-IV as in P. neoafricana sp. nov. Leg I (Fig. 5A). Tarsus with two small claws and semi-oval empodium. At least seta d of femur weakly barbed, other setae smooth. Setae l’ of femur, l’ and v’ of genu, k, v’ of tibia, and (u) of tarsus blunt-tipped; other leg setae (except eupathidia p’, p”, ft’, ft”) pointed; setae (u) and (pv) of tarsus not modified. Trochanter dorsally with one short tooth-like projection. Tarsus I with large ventrodistal membranous flange. Lengths of solenidia ω1 6 (6), ω2 3 (3), φ1 7 (7), φ2 4 (4–5); solenidion ω1 digitiform; solenidia φ2 and ω2 baculiform; solenidion φ1 clavate. Leg II (Fig. 5B). Tarsal claws simple, hooked; empodium large, extending beyond tips of claws. Solenidion ω 5 (4–5) digitiform; solenidion φ 3 (1–3) weakly clavate. Trochanter dorsolaterally with two tooth-like projections. All leg setae smooth; seta l’ of tibia incrassate, spiniform and slightly curved; setae tc”, u’ and (pv) weakly blunt-tipped; other setae pointed. Leg III (Fig. 5C). Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. All setae smooth; setae d of femur and (tc) of tarsus weakly blunt-tipped, other leg setae pointed. Trochanter ventrally with short lobe. Leg IV (Fig. 2D). Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. All setae smooth; setae d of femur, pl” and (tc) of tarsus weakly blunt-tipped, other leg setae pointed. Trochanter ventrally with short lobe.

Male – unknown.

Type material

Female holotype, slide No. ZISP T-Dol-004, Madagascar, Ankaratra Andraraty, 19° 21' 20.78" S, 47° 18' 18.71" E, on beetle Helictipleurus quadripunctatus collected in cow dung, 23.02.2022, A.V. Frolov leg; paratypes: 48 females, same data.

Type deposition

The holotype and 10 paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute of RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russia; five female paratypes are deposited in the acarological collection of Jalal Afshar Zoological Museum, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran (JAZM); other paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia.

Differential diagnosis

The new species is most similar to Pavania riparia Sevastianov, 1980 and P. copridis Khaustov and Frolov, 2020a by the similar length of idiosomal setae and setae 2c pointed and about twice longer than 2a. The new species differs from both species in having seta l’ on tibia II spiniform (setiform in P. riparia and P. copridis) and in having only one tooth-like projection on trochanter I (four in P. riparia, five in P. copridis).

Etymology The name of the new species refers to its geographical distribution.