| abstract | Tricholaelaps typhlomydis, sp. nov.
Female (figs. 1-3) Idiosoma oval, weakly sclerotized, yellowish in colour, 765µ in length and 517µ in width. Dorsal plate 760µ long and 496µ wide, bearing 39 pairs of setae, most of them longer than the longitudinal distance between their bases. Sternal plate 117µ long (in middle) and 156µ wide (at narrowest point), with anterior margin flat and posterior margin wavy. St1 and St2 subequal, shorter than St3. Genitoventral plate flask-like, length 289µ, width 131µ, sculptured as figured, the distance of Vl1 two times the distance of Vl4. Anal plate triangular, longer than width, Ad situated behind the middle of anus, shorter than PA. Metapodal plate bean-like. Peritreme long, extending to the anterior portion of coxa I. The naked area of venter behind coxa IV with 12 pairs of setae. All coxae and tarsi of legs without spine or long seta. Chelicera slender and weakly sclerotized, pilus dentilis as figured, pilus basalis finger-like.
Holotype (♀) was collected off Typhlomys cinereus subsp. from Suiyang County, Guizhou province, in Apr. 1976. Type specimen is deposited in the Department of Parasitology, Guiyang Medical College.
The present new species is similar to Tricholaelaps keegani, but differs in the following characteristics: (1) The dorsal setae of Tr. keegani are smaller than the ventral setae, those of the new species are subequal; (2) The difference between the Vl4 distance and the Vl1 distance is less than 10µ in Tr. keegani, and 30µ or more in the new species; (3) The peritreme of Tr. keegani ends in the middle of coxa I, while that of the new species is more forward to the anterior portion of coxa I. Moreover, the special form of the chelicera of the new species may serve as a criterion of identification as well. |