Rhombognathus andrevae, Durucan & Paz & Hernández-Teixidor, 2025

Durucan, Furkan, Paz, Juan Carlos De La & Hernández-Teixidor, David, 2025, Description of two new Rhombognathus species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Halacaridae) from Tenerife (Canary Islands), Zootaxa 5636 (3), pp. 587-596 : 592-595

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5636.3.12
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:89111A50-2CDC-4B75-BB9A-E838AFBB097C
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15595308
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FF7387AB-FF8D-FFCB-BCAD-FE00FB461214
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Rhombognathus andrevae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Rhombognathus andrevae sp. nov.

[ Rhombognathus procerus — Durucan et al. 2023: 15, 16, Figs. 4B View FIGURE 4 ; 5H–J View FIGURE 5 ; 11A–D] urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2D436636-01E5-45F9-9F39-C21460946CF3

Figures 4a–e View FIGURE 4 ; 5a–g View FIGURE 5 ; Table 2 View TABLE 2

Material examined. All individuals obtained in El Pris GoogleMaps , Gelidium pusillum , in the upper eulittoral zone GoogleMaps , 28.50943226, -16.42206246, 27 May 2020. Holotype Female, ( FDHAL-25/2 ), dissected and mounted into one slide. GoogleMaps Paratypes Two males and one tritonymph ( FDHAL-25/2 ), undissected and mounted into one slide GoogleMaps .

Etymology. The specific epithet andrevae derived from the names Andrea and Eva, the daughters of the second author, in appreciation for their support and help during samplings.

Description. Measurements are presented in Table 2 View TABLE 2 .

Female (holotype). All dorsal plates are well separated by striated integument ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a') and uniformly covered with reticulate patterns ( Fig. 4a View FIGURE 4 ). Each mesh subdivided, which are between 6–8 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a''). AD wider than long, length/width ratio 0.82. AD widest at about level of ds-1. Pair of setae ds-1 short, 15 in length, on AD at 0.64 of AD. Gland pores at the level of insertion of Leg I. OC large, longer than wide (1.19‒1.22) and each with 2 corneae, extending anteriorly to the insertion of Leg II and posteriorly to insertion of the Leg III. Ds-2 (18) and ds-3 (25) long and bipectinate; ds-2 on OC at 0.12 and ds-3 on OC at 0.39. Glp-2 and glp-3 on OC as illustrated. Pore canaliculus between 2 gland pores but closer to glp-2. PD slender, anteriorly narrow, triangular and distance between AD and PD 17 . Single pair of setae (13) on PD at 0.32 to anterior of PD. Posterior part with pair of narrow ridges. Posterior gland pores (glp-4) near the posterior margin of PD as illustrated.

Ventral plates (AE, PE and GA) combined in a ventral shield ( Fig. 4b View FIGURE 4 ). AE and PE on either side with 1 adjunct setae; Epimeral region ornamented with several subsurface pores medially as illustrated ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 b'). Genital area with 9 pairs of pgs. Genital sclerites with 2 pairs of short sgs ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 b'').

Gnathosoma longer than wide (1.26). Gnathosomal base globular. Rostrum short (53 long) and triangular; with 2 pairs of maxillary setae. Tectum triangular. Palps 4 segmented ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 e'). Palps slightly surpassing tip of rostrum. Chelicera 76 long ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 e''). P1 and P3 without seta. Dorsal seta on P2 long, P4 with 3 setae in basal whorl ( Fig. 4e View FIGURE 4 ).

Legs shorter than idiosoma. Length of Legs I–IV: 220, 230, 200, 212, respectively. Tarsus I to IV without ventral setae but dorsal setae with plumose. Leg chaetotaxy ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 a-d) (from trochanter to tarsus) (solenidia, famuli and pas excluded): Leg I, 1, 2, 6, 4, 5, 3; Leg II, 1, 2, 6, 4, 5, 3; Leg III, 1, 2, 2, 2, 5, 4; Leg IV, 0, 2, 3, 2, 5, 3. Delicately pectinate setae on trochanter (0-0-1-0), basifemora (2-2-1-0), telofemora (4-4-2-1), genua (2-1-1-1).

Telofemura with 5/1, 5/1, 2/0 and 2/0 dorsal/ventral setae. The ratio of length to hight of Telofemora I to IV about 1.4–1.7. Tarsus I with 3 dorsal setae, 1 baciliform dorsolateral solenidion, 1 famulus and 4 pas. Tarsus II with 3 dorsal setae, 1 baciliform dorsolateral solenidion, and 4 pas. Solenidia of Tarsi I and II 6 long. Tarsus III with 4 dorsal setae, lateral pas spur-like, bipectinate; medial pas seta-like pas. Tarsus IV with 2 dorsal setae, and 2 pas; medial pas long, plumose, lateral pas pectinate, short and wide. Carpite of Tarsi I and II 15‒17 long, of Tarsi III and IV 20‒22 long. All legs have a pair of lateral claws with an accessory process dorsodistally, featuring 5 to 7 tines. Median claw and comb not present.

Male. Similar to female in most features ( Figs. 4c, d View FIGURE 4 ). Faintly pectinate dorsal are more distinct than in females ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 c'). Genital area surrounded by 22 branched pgs in trapeziform arrangement, including 1 pair of basilar setae. Genital sclerites with two pairs of sgs. Distinct area of reticulate markings present between line of pgs and GO ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 d''). Spermatopositor 56 long, 53 wide and extending distinctly beyond GO, a pair of wing-like process (ala) (35 long, 21 wide) on the anterior side ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 d'''). Tarsus IV with a plumose seta and a spine as parambulacral setae ( Fig. 5e View FIGURE 5 ).

Tritonymph. Dorsal plates are smaller than in adults ( Fig. 5f View FIGURE 5 ). Faintly pectinate dorsal setae are more distinct and stronger than adults. Posterior margin of AD truncate, OC quadrangular ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 f''), and anterior margin of PD acute. Ventral plates AE, PE, and GP are separated from each other by bands of striated cuticle. AE with three pairs of setae, PE with four setae, both regions lack adjunct setae. On genital plate, three pairs of setae, the medial one small and close to primordial genital opening ( Fig. 5g View FIGURE 5 ).

Remarks. The new species is characterised by uniformly reticulation on dorsal plates; all dorsal setae (except pairs of ds-1) slightly faintly pectinate setae-those setae more weak in female than males but stronger in tritonymph as illustrated; AE and PE on either side with 1 adjunct setae; Telofemura I–IV with 6-6-2-2 setae, Genua I–IV with 4-4-2-2 setae, Tibiae I–IV with 5-5-5-5 of them 2-2-2-2 bipectinate setae; claws with accessory process possess 5‒7 tines.

Durucan et. al. (2023) reported this species under the name of Rhombognathus procerus Bartsch, 1975 for the Tenerife halacarid fauna, but after careful re-examination of the same specimens under x100 objective, they were recognized as a new species.

In fact, based on the combined tabular keys of Abé (1998) and Pepato & Silveira (2015) and the shape of body, R. andrevae sp. nov. resembles R. procerus Bartsch, 1975 from France (Roscoff), Atlantic Ocean (North East Atlantic) by sharing PD anteriorly triangular and with 1 pair of setae, number of pgs for female (9) and male (10– 12), leg chaetotaxy of tibiae I to IV as 5-5-5-5, in males, a distinct region of reticulation pattern is present between the line of pgs and GO and basilar seta arrangement.

However, the new species differs from R. procerus Bartsch 1975 by (1); dorsal plates reticulated vs. not reticulated (2); AE and PE on either side with 1 adjunct setae vs. no adjunct seta (3); number of tines on accessory process (5‒7 vs. 3‒4) (4), different leg chaetotaxy of telofemura: 6-6-2-2 vs. 5-(6,7)-(3,4)-(2,3,4) (5), different leg chaetotaxy of genua: 4-4-2-2 vs. 5-5-3-3 (6); Carpite of Tarsi I and II 15–17 vs. 23–24 long.