Share this article    

              

       

Two new mite species of Anchigamasus Athias-Henriot, 1971 (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae)

Witaliński, Wojciech ¹

¹✉ Department of Comparative Anatomy, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30–387 Kraków, Poland.

2025 - Volume: 65 Issue: 3 pages: 854-867

https://doi.org/10.24349/v0z2-t67t
ZooBank LSID: EB3139BC-A12A-444A-9C6F-25B7B1009255

---

Original research

Keywords

mite taxonomy new species European fauna

Abstract

---

Introduction

The genus Anchigamasus Athias-Henriot, 1971 (Pergamasinae) has previously been designated as one of eight subgenera in the genus Paragamasus Hull, 1918 sensu lato (Athias-Henriot 1971), subsequently considered as genera (see Hrúzová & Fenďa 2018). Genus Anchigamasus Athias-Henriot, 1971 with a type species Anchigamasus geileri (Karg, 1968), comprised to date of 9 species (Athias-Henriot 1967, 1968, 1979; Karg 1968; Willmann 1954; Witaliński 2024a, b, c). Species of Anchigamasus are rather scarce European predators, encountered primarily in forest litter, feeding on small arthropods, oligochaetes and nematodes. The current paper provides a description of two new species from Romania, Anchigamasus campanulatus n. sp., and Anchigamasus stipularis n. sp.

Methods

The drawings were made with the aid of Corel Draw X8 and a Wacom Intuos Graphic Tablet. The system of dorsal, ventral, palpal, and leg setal notations was based on Evans and Till (1979), whereas poroidotaxy and adenotaxy on Moraza and Peña (2005), with some necessary adjustments for Parasitidae.

Systematics

Family Parasitidae Oudemans, 1901

Subfamily Pergamasinae Juvara-Balş, 1972

Genus Anchigamasus Athias-Henriot, 1971

Paragamasus (Anchigamasus) Athias-Henriot, 1971: 172

Type species Anchigamasus geileri (Karg, 1968), designated by Witaliński 2024b: 412

Anchigamasus campanulatus n. sp.

ZOOBANK: FC663531-C170-421E-B24C-3A52DA54AC54

(Figures 1–5)

Diagnosis

Female and male — Idiosoma well sclerotised; podonotum with 22 pairs of setae (r1 and z3 absent), opisthonotum with 23 pairs of setae (R6 absent); opisthogaster with 9 pairs of setae only (SV1 present, but SV3 absent).

Female — Central prong of the epigynial shield acute, very narrow and long; central subapical thickening bell-shaped; endogynium roundish (diameter ca. 64–70, not exceeding the margins of metagynial sclerites), with two distinct subcircular spherules, posterior endogynial sac wall bearing long and acute thorns protruding anteriad, covered with a lamella on the ventral side.

Male — Chelicera fixed digit edentate and rounded apically; leg II ventrally: the femoral main spur sigmoidal, streaked along the part of dorsal surface, the axillary process long and bacillary, directed obliquely posterolaterally.

Description

Female (Figures 1-3, 5D)

Idiosoma (Fig. 1) — Oval, well sclerotised, 740–780 x 420–445 in paratypes (length x width, n=5), holotype 751 x 442. Podonotum – 22 pairs of setae (r1 and z3 absent), setae short, ca. 38–46, but 51–56 (j1), 42–45 (j2), 44–49 (j3), 22–25 (z1), 21–24 (s1, s2), 25–30 (r2), 76–82 (r3), and 12–16 (r4). Six pairs of pore openings (idj4, idj6, idz1, idz3, idz6, ids4) and four pairs of gland openings (gdj2, gdz5, gdz6, gds4) are discernible. Opisthonotum – with 23 pairs of setae, since R6 absent. The length of the opisthonotal setae similar to the podonotal ones. They range from ca. 28 to 35, but the posterior most marginal setae (Z5 and J6) may reach 50–58. Dorsal setae simple, podonotum with several lines of reticulation located axially, opisthonotum with a scale-like reticulation. Eleven pairs of pore openings (idJ1, idJ2, idJ4, idJ5, idZ1, idZ3, idZ5, idZ6, idS2–idS4) and two pairs of gland openings (gdS2, gdZ4) are discernible. Peritreme – length 312–320 in paratypes and 307 in holotype, ending anteriorly at the Co I level.

Ventral idiosoma (Fig. 2) – Setae length: 31–34 (st1), 41–46 (st2, st3), 35–38 (st4), 31–35 (st5), opisthogaster with nine pairs of setae only, since setae SV3 are absent, 26–29 (JV1), 31–37 (JV2), 31–34 (JV3), 50–52 (JV4), 21–24 (ZV1), 34–39 (ZV2), 31–34 (ZV3),45 –50 (ZV4), 22–26 (SV1), 17 (Aa), 18 (Pa). Ventral setae simple, reticulation of the sternum and opisthogaster scale-like. The presternal plates subtriangular, with the rear margin irregularly arcuate and oriented obliquely to the anterior sternal margin. The area between the presternal plates and the sternum with several fine lines. The pores gv1 located close to the posterior sternal margin, somewhat laterally to setae st3. Paragynial shields (Figs 2, 3A, C, F) with metagynial sclerites arcuate, with a shallow dimple in the anterior part. Epigynial shield (Figs 2, 3B, C) with the central prong very long and acute. The central subapical thickening bell-shaped rather than in the form of inverted T shape, as in most Anchigamasus species. The lateral subapical thickenings join anteriorly and run slightly sigmoidally in the anterior half, then divergent caudally. In the intact specimens, the thickened posterior margins of the paragynial shields run divergently backward at some distance from the lateral subapical thickenings (Fig. 2). Endogynium (Fig. 3C–F) roundish, with two distinct subcircular spherules located laterally. Posterior endogynial sac wall between the spherules arcuate and thickened; long, acute thorns protruding anteriad are discernible between the spherules, but several denticles can also be encountered in the anterior part of the endogynial sac (Fig. 3C′). Posterior part of the endogynium is covered on the ventral side with a lamella (Fig. 3E, F). The diameter of the endogynium at the spherules level (ca. 64–70) does not exceed the margins of metagynial sclerites (Fig. 3C, F). Gland pores gv2 with two openings, pores iv1–iv3, iv5, ivo2, ivo3 and ivp, as well as gv3 gland pores well discernible.

Gnathosoma — Gnathotectum (Fig. 3G) trispinate, all prongs acute and slim, the central one at least twice longer. Corniculi conical, hypostome with 11 rows of denticles, posterior ones better visible. Hypostomatic and palpcoxal setae simple, h1 somewhat longer than the others. Palptrochanter v1 seta simple, v2 in the distal half barbed on both sides. Chelicera (Fig. 3H) – movable digit with three teeth, the fixed digit with two small teeth located ahead of the pilus dentilis, followed by two larger teeth proximally; just behind the pilus dentilis a minute denticle located on the adaxial digit side is well discernible.

Legs — Seta al on Tr I somewhat shorter. Leg IV: tarsal tactile seta pd1 130–139 long. Tarsal seta av1 thicker than pv1. Coxa IV with an anterolateral rectangular tubercle (Fig. 5D), Tr IV smooth. Ta IV 220 (holotype) and 205–210 (paratypes) long.

Male (Figures 4, 5A–C, E)

Idiosoma — Oval, with lateral incisions at legs III/IV level, well sclerotised, 685–715 x 335–350 (length x width, n=4). Podonotum and opisthonotum setation like in the female. Dorsal setae simple. Reticulation of the podonotum not discernible, the opisthonotum scale-like reticulated. Dorsal suture is discernible. Peritreme – length 305–320, ending anteriorly as in the female.

Ventral idiosoma — Setae length: 40–46 (st1), 43–46 (st2), 34–39 (st3), 26–28 (st4), 23–26 (st5), opisthogastral setae 27–29 (JV1), 29–31 (JV2), 33–37 (JV3), 49–53 (JV4), 18–20 (ZV1), 38–41 (ZV2), 41–45 (ZV3), 45–50 (ZV4), 26–29 (SV1). Ventral setae simple. Sternal region (Fig. 4A, B) – the genital lamina large, anterior margin convex, its corners protruding laterally and rounded (Fig. 4A, B). Presternal plates subtriangular with acute anterior corners and rounded posterior ones. The sternum with gland pores gv1 located laterally, behind setae st3. Gland pore gv2 with two openings, pores iv5 in one-third behind st5 seta toward seta ZV1. Pores ivo2, ivo3, and gv3 well discernible.

Gnathosoma — Gnathotectum (Fig. 4C) prongs triangular, central one more than twice longer than the lateral prongs. Corniculi (Fig. 4D) slim, settled on the arcuate bases (genae). Hypostome between the genae more pigmented, followed by 10 rows of denticles. Hypostomatic and palpcoxal setae simple, h1 and h3 slightly longer than the others. Palptrochanter v1 seta very short, narrow distally, but thickened basally, located on the article protrusion, seta v2 like in the female. Behind seta v1 a distinct elongated tubercle is present (Fig. 4D). Chelicerae – when observed ventrally (Fig. 4E), fixed digits are tapered, whereas movable digits are shorter and terminally curved. Laterally (Fig. 4F) fixed digit edentate and rounded apically, whereas the movable digit with two not prominent teeth in distal part and tooth-like indentation of digit margin located proximally.

Legs — Leg II (Fig. 5A–C) spurred as follows: when viewed from the ventral side (Fig. 5A, B), the femoral main spur sigmoidal, the axillary process bacillary and directed obliquely posterolaterally. The genual and tibial spurs oval. From the lateral view (Fig. 5C), the femoral main spur arcuate, the axillary process elongated, with arcuate margins. Genual and tibial spurs rounded, the genual one located on a distinct protrusion, whereas the tibial one is on a low bulge. The main femoral spur streaked along the part of dorsal surface (Fig. 5B, C). Setae on leg II simple, femoral seta al1 slightly shortened and thickened, setae al2 and ad2 short, whereas ad3 short and needle-like. Seta pv1 on the genu located just behind the spur-bearing protrusion, seta pv1 on the tibia posterolaterally to the tibial spur (Fig. 5A, C). Leg IV: setae av1, pv1 on genu and tibia, as well as setae av2, av3 and pv2 on the tarsus somewhat thickened, tarsal av1 thicker than pv1. Tactile dorsal seta on Ta IV 114–131 long. Co IV smooth, Tr IV with a posterolateral low tubercle and anterolateral eminence bearing al1 seta (Fig. 5E). Ta IV 203–210 long.

Material examined

Holotype — Female (slide no. 3286 A), Grădiştea Muncelului–Cioclovina Natural Park, Transylvania, Romania, 45.5040°N, 23.2915°E, alt. ca. 1061 m a.s.l., 24 April 2023, litter in a beech forest. Leg. Dr. M. Pabijan.

Paratypes — 5 females (slides no. 3286 B–F), 4 males (slides no. 3286 A, G, H), collection data as in the holotype.

Type deposition — Types are deposited in the Zoological Division of the Nature Education Centre, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.

Etymology

The species name comes from the Latin word campanulatus (meaning bell-shaped) and refers to the shape of the subepigynial thickening.

Differential taxonomy

Anchigamasus campanulatus n. sp. shows only 9 setae pairs on the opisthogaster, therefore is similar to A. apuseniensis Witaliński, 2024c and Anchigamasus stipularis n. sp. (please refer back to the remarks on the latter species). All three species differ from other Anchigamasus species which are characterised by 10 pairs of opisthogastral setae. In the female, a second key characteristic in A. campanulatus n. sp. is a shape of subepigynial thickening, bell-shaped rather than inverted T-shaped, as in other Anchigamasus species, including A. apuseniensis. In A. campanulatus n. sp. male, the most characteristic are chelicerae and armature of leg II. Cheliceral fixed digit is edentate and terminally rounded in A. campanulatus n. sp., whereas in other species it is dentate, except for A. halaskovellus (Athias-Henriot, 1967) and A. gardaensis Witaliński, 2024c. In A. halaskovellus cheliceral fixed digit is terminally curved and pointed, and bears only one tooth, whereas in A. gardaensis fixed digit bears very small, indistinct teeth, being terminally obtuse. As far as the armature of leg II is considered, some similarities can be found in the case of A. apuseniensis and A. halaskovellus leg II armature (rounded genual and tibial spurs), but main femoral spurs in both species are straight in ventral view, whereas sigmoidal in A. campanulatus n. sp. Furthermore, the axillary process in a new species is much longer than the processes in both already known species.

Anchigamasus stipularis n. sp.

ZOOBANK: 6092DBDB-2050-453C-9BC6-F51A1E3E82C6

(Figures 6–8)

Diagnosis

Female — Idiosoma well sclerotised; podonotum with 22 pairs of setae (r1 and z3 absent), opisthonotum with 25 pairs of setae (one supplementary seta pair Sx discernible); opisthogaster with 9 pairs of setae; central prong of epigynial shield acute and long; central subapical thickening in the shape of inverted T; the lateral subapical thickenings short, arcuate, free anteriorly and posteriorly, running posteriad convergently; endogynium roundish (diameter ca. 69–76, not exceeding the margins of metagynial sclerites), devoid of teeth or thorns, with two distinct subcircular spherules; endogynial sac covered with thick, arcuate stipula-like plate on the ventral side.

Male — not known

Description

Female (Figures 6–8)

Idiosoma (Fig. 6) — Oval, well sclerotised, 733 x 455 in holotype (length x width), in paratype 712 x 414. Podonotum – 22 pairs of setae (r1 and z3 absent), setae short, ca. 30–36, but 16–19 (z1, s1–s3, r2–r4) and 75–77 (r3). Six pairs of pore openings (idj4, idj6, idz1, idz3, idz6, ids4) and four pairs of gland openings (gdj2, gdz5, gdz6, gds4) are present. Opisthonotum – with 25 pairs of setae, as one supplementary pair (Sx) is discernible. Opisthonotal setae range from ca. 27 to 35, but the posterior most marginal setae may reach up to 44–51. Dorsal setae simple, podonotum smooth, opisthonotum with a scale-like reticulation. Eleven pairs of pore openings (idJ1, idJ2, idJ4, idJ5, idZ1, idZ3, idZ5, idZ6, idS2–idS4) and two pairs of gland openings (gdS2, gdZ4) are discernible. Peritreme – length 316 in holotype and 308 in paratype, ending anteriorly at the Co I level.

Ventral idiosoma (Fig. 7) — Setae length: 39–42 (st1–st3), 35–37 (st4, st5), opisthogaster with nine pairs of setae (holotype), 32–38 (JV1–JV3), 52–57 (JV4), 25–27 (ZV1), 42–51 (ZV2–ZV4), 31– (SV1), 15 (Aa), 14 (Pa). Opisthogaster with nine setae pairs in holotype (setae SV3 absent), but in paratype on one side seta SV3 is discernible (location marked in Fig. 7) (see comment in the Remarks and differential taxonomy section). Ventral setae simple, reticulation of the sternum and opisthogaster scale-like. The presternal plates subtriangular, with rear margins nearly straight. The area ahead of the sternum margin with 2–3 fine lines. The pores gv1 located behind setae st3, close to the posterior sternal margin. Paragynial shields (Figs 7, 8A) with metagynial sclerites narrow and arcuate. Epigynial shield (Figs 7, 8A, B) with the central prong acute, regularly tapered and long. The central subapical thickening in the shape of inverted T, with posterior arms arcuate; the lateral subapical thickenings short, arcuate, free anteriorly and posteriorly, and running posteriad convergently. In the intact specimens, the thickened posterior margins of the paragynial shields run parallel to the lateral subapical thickenings (Fig. 8A). Endogynium (Figs 7, 8C, D) roundish, with two distinct irregular spherules located laterally and devoid of any thorns or denticles. It is partly covered from ventral side with a thick and arcuate stipule-like plate. This plate, however, is not connected with the posterior wall of endogynial sac (Fig. 8C, D). The diameter of the endogynium at the spherules level (ca. 69–76) does not exceed the margins of metagynial sclerites. Gland pores gv2 with two openings, iv5, ivo2, ivo3, ivp pores and gv3 gland pores well discernible.

Gnathosoma — Gnathotectum (Fig. 8E) trispinate, prongs acute, the central one wider and more than two times longer than the lateral ones. Corniculi conical, hypostome with 10 rows of denticles, the anterior ones barely visible. Hypostomatic and palpcoxal setae simple, h1 somewhat longer than the others. Palptrochanter v1 seta simple, v2 in the distal half barbed on both sides. Chelicera (Fig. 8F) – movable digit with three teeth, the fixed digit with two little teeth ahead and two larger teeth behind the pilus dentilis.

Legs — Leg IV: tarsal tactile seta pd1 134–136. Tarsal seta av1 thicker than pv1. Coxa IV with an anterolateral rectangular protuberance (Fig. 4F), Tr IV smooth. Ta IV 194 (holotype) and 203 (paratype) long.

Material examined

Holotype — Female (slide no. 3356 A), Băile Balvanyos, Harghita County, Transylvania, Romania, 46.1021°N, 25.9675°E, alt. ca. 777 m a.s.l., 8 August 2022, litter in beech, spruce and fir mixed forest. Leg. Dr. Cristina Fiera.

Paratype — 1 female (slide no. 3356 B), collection data as in the holotype.

Type deposition — Types are deposited in the Zoological Division of the Nature Education Centre, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.

Etymology

The specific name stipularis refers to the distinct, stipule-like arcuate plate, covering the endogynium ventrally.

Remarks and differential taxonomy

Anchigamasus stipularis n. sp. description is based on a very small sample, since only two females (holotype and paratype) were encountered. Both females differ in a number of opisthogastral setae: in one female there are 9 pairs of setae on the opisthogaster, whereas in the other one the opisthogaster bears 9 setae on one side and 10 setae on the opposite side. The female with 9 pairs of setae was chosen to be the holotype. Until the collection of a larger sample, 9 pairs of the opisthogastral setae in this species should be considered as a normal seta number and the 10 setae on one side of the paratype as an aberration. Hence, A. stipularis n. sp. belongs to the group of Anchigamasus species showing 9 pairs of opisthogastral setae, comprising also A. campanulatus n. sp. (this study) and A. apuseniensis Witaliński, 2024c. The female of A. stipularis n. sp. differs from A. campanulatus n. sp. showing a subapical epigynial thickening of an inverted T-shape type, whereas in A. campanulatus n. sp. that thickening is bell-shaped. Moreover, in A. stipularis n. sp. the endogynium does not contain any thorns or denticles, and is covered on the ventral side with a characteristic, large and thick plate. In A. campanulatus n. sp., the endogynium in a rear part is covered with a fine plate, but between the spherules many thorns and denticles are discernible. A. stipularis n. sp. female differs from A. apuseniensis, mainly due to the endogynium structure: in the former species the endogynium does not contain any denticles, spherules are irregularly circular and directed axially, whereas in the endogynium of A. apuseniensis spherules are conical, directed anteroaxially and between them a lot of small denticles are discernible.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks are offered to Dr. Maciej Pabijan and Dr. Cristina Fiera, who personally contributed to collecting the material for the present study. The study was partly supported by a grant allocated by the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland (Grant Ref. No N18/DBS/000005).

---

References

1. Athias-Henriot C. 1967. Observations sur les Pergamasus. I. Sous-genre Paragamasus Hull, 1918 (Acariens anactinotriches: Parasitidae). Mém. Mus. natl. Hist. nat., Sér. A (Zool.), 49: 1-197.
2. Athias-Henriot C. 1968. Observations sur les Pergamasus. V. Additions et corrections aux Paragamasus d'Europe tempérée, principalement occidentale (Acariens anactinotriches, Parasitidae). Bulletin scientifique de Bourgogne, 25: 175-228.
3. Athias-Henriot C. 1971. Paragamasus (Tanygamasus) probsti (Oudemans) (systématique, géographie), avec quelques mises au point synonymiques (Arachnides, Gamasides tocospermiques, Parasitidae). Zool. Meded., 45: 167-179.
4. Athias-Henriot C. 1979. A contribution to the knowledge of the family Parasitidae of the fauna of the Ukrainian SSR. Zoologicheskii Zhurnal, 58: 1148-1156 (in Russian).
5. Evans G.O., Till W.M. 1979. Mesostigmatic mites of Britain and Ireland (Chelicerata: Acari Parasitiformes). An introduction to their external morphology and classification. Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 35: 139-262. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1979.tb00059.x
6. Hrúzová K., Fenďa P. 2018. The family Parasitidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) - history, current problems and challenges. Acarologia, 58 (Suppl.): 25-42. https://doi.org/10.24349/acarologia/20184280
7. Karg W. 1968. Neue Arten der gattung Pergamasus Berlese, 1903 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Deut. Entomol. Z., 15: 335-358. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnd.4810150407
8. Moraza M.L., Peña M.A. 2005. The family Pachylaelapidae Vitzthum, 1931 on Tenerife Island (Canary Islands), with description of seven new species of the genus Pachylaelaps (Acari, Mesostigmata: Pachylaelapidae). Acarologia, 45: 103-129.
9. Willmann C. 1954. Mährische Acari Hauptsächlich aus dem Gebiete des Mährischen Karstes. Českoslov. parasitologie, I: 213-272.
10. Witaliński W. 2024a. The Anchigamasus mite species (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae), synonyms revisited. Acarologia, 64: 803-818. https://doi.org/10.24349/2r5k-fyp7
11. Witaliński W. 2024b. A new mite species and a new type species designation in the Anchigamasus genus (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae). Annales Zoologici, 74: 411-422. https://doi.org/10.3161/00034541ANZ2024.74.3.007
12. Witaliński W. 2024c. Two new Anchigamasus mite species and an unknown male in Anchigamasus halaskovellus (Athias-Henriot, 1967) (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae). Acarologia, 64: 1263-1282. https://doi.org/10.24349/vtyn-syp0

---

Please read and follow the instructions to post any comment or correction.