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TWO NEW SPECIES OF PLANODISCUS (ACARI : UROPODINA),
RANGE EXTENSIONS AND A SYNONOMY WITHIN THE GENUS 1
BY Richard J. ELZINGA 2
PLANODISCUS N. SPP.
SYNONYM
DISTRIBUTION
ARMY ANTS
ABSTRACT : Two new species of Planodiscus from neotropical army ants are described.
The geographic ranges of other species of this genus are significantly extended.
P. elzingai is a synonym of P. squamatim.
PLANODISCUS N. SPP.
SYNONYM
VERBREITUNG
W ANDERAMEISEN
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG : Zwei neue Planodiscus-arten von neotropischen Wanderameisen
werden beschrieben. Die Verbreitungsgebiete anderer Arten derselben Gattung
werden wesentlich erweitert. P. elzingai erweist sich ais Synonym für P. squamatim.
PLANODISCUS N. SPP.
SYNONYME
DISTRIBUTION
FOURMIS
RÉSUMÉ : Deux espèces nouvelles de Planodiscus des fourmis amazones néotropicales
sont décrites. Les répartitions géographiques des autres espèces de ce genre sont
significativement augmentées. P. elzingai est synonyme de P. squamatim.
Planodiscus squamatim was described by SELLNICK
(1926) based on specimens from the army ant,
Eciton quadriglume (Haliday), with the type locality
being Rio Negro, Parana. The genus was synomyzed into Trichocylliba by HIRSCHMANN and
ZIRNGIEBL-NICOL (1964), however, ELZINGA and
RETTENMEYER (1966) and ELZINGA (1981) reaffirmed
the status of Planodiscus as a genus. ELZINGA and
RETTENMEYER (1966, 1970) redescribed P. squamatim when designating a neotype for the species and
described six new species, P. setosus and P. cupiens
from British Guiana, P. elongatus and P. hamatus
from Panama, P. foreli from Panama and Mexico,
and P. burchelli from Costa Rica, Panama, British
Guiana, and Trinidad. HrRSCHMANN (1973) designated the previously mentioned neotype of P.
squamatim as a new species, P. elzingai, based,
apparently, on the published description of the
neotype.
Specimens have been received from collectors
which have permitted a more extensive review of
the species in this genus and the variations that
appear within local populations (the summary of
these new geographic collecting records follows the
new species descriptions). The variations are within
the boundaries of the published descriptions except
for P. elzingai which should now be considered as a
synonym of P. squamatim. The discovered para-
1. Contribution No. 89-981 from the Ka nsas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kansas 66506. Supported by Experiment
Station Project H033.
2. Kansas State University, Department of Entomology, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
Acaro/ogia, t. XXXI, fasc. 3, 1990.
types of P. squamatim cited in HIRSCHMANN's
(1973) designation of P. elzingai have been viewed
by me and when coupled with the description of the
neotype and other specimens viewed when the
neotype was designated indicate the existence of a
single species.
Two new species of Planodiscus will be described
subsequently in this publication. P. borgmeieri, the
only species in this genus known from a Labidus
army ant carrier, can easily be separated from the
other elongate species, P. elongatus, by the presence
of only weak punctation, the more than 40 pairs of
large dorsal setae, and the media! striate ridges on
the anterior dorsal prolongation (Fig. 5). The
second new species, P. mexicanus, is similar to P.
foreli and to P. squamatim but can be recognized
from the former species by its larger size (more
than 1,100 µm in length) and by having less than
40 pairs of large dorsal setae and from the latter
species by the shorter female genital plate and by
the tips of the dorsal setae having one of the
bifurcate points greatly reduced ans displaced from
the tip of the seta (Fig. 1).
Planodiscus mexicanus n. sp.
Body approximately twice as long as broad ;
punctation on dorsum and venter strong and
relatively uniform.
Female
Body large, 1, 150-1,400 µm long ; other measurements in Table 1.
Dorsum (Fig. !) : with 39 pairs of large setae,
evenly dispersed, flattened, apically notched with
points unequal except 5-6 pairs of longer usually
unnotched elongate setae near posterior margin.
Anterior prolongation moderate in size, membranous margin present ; 3-4 pairs of large and 3 pairs
of small setae on anterior prolongation (excluding
small marginal setae). lst pair of large setae slightly
shorter and about as thick as 2nd pair; no anteromedial unpaired setae on prolongation. 40 pairs of
small setae in marginal row and 23 pairs in
submarginal row. 10 pairs of elongated pores.
230 2 posterior rows of fringed, mushroom-shaped
setae, anterior row of 4 in posterior margin of
dorsal shield and posterior row of 8 setae behind
margm.
Venter (Fig. 2) : sternoventral plate moderately
concave between legs II-IV, with pronounced indentations in region of coxae III. 4 pairs of setae on
sternoventral plate between coxae I-II, lst pair near
or contiguous to anterior pores, each of other
3 pairs of setae near coxae II-IV, 4th pair not on
lateral lobe, equidistant between genital plate and
tip of lobe. Genital plate about 3/4 as wide as long,
punctation absent or present as very weak configurations in posterior 1/3 of plate. Metapodal plates
with carinae cutting diagonally from near anteromedial corner to near middle of posterolateral
margin of each plate, punctation distinct and
similar to that on posterolateral area of sternoventral plate. Sternoventral plate posterior to coxae IV
with 3 pairs of setae, lst and 2nd pairs anterior to
widest point and close to margin, lst pair twice
distance from margin as 2nd, 3rd pair posterior to
widest point and usually not reaching anus. A pair
of elongate pores (may be absent) usually near
lst pair of setae. Distance from widest part of
sternoventral plate to coxae IV much greater than
distance to anus. Lateral plates somewhat wider in
posterior half than in anterior, each bearing 3 setae
and 3 elongated pores, length of setae about 1/23/4 width of lateral plates at widest point.
Legs : posteroventral setae of coxae I lacking
barbs; chaetotaxy of legs II-IV similar.
Gnathosoma : distal hypostomal setae with 2 barbs,
2nd pair 1/2 length of lst pair and with single barb,
3rd pair same length as lst pair and with 11 barbs.
Gnathosomal setae same length as 1st hypostomal,
with 5-6 barbs.
Male
Body similar to female but slightly smaller,
1, 100-1,350 µm ; other measurements in Table 1.
Eight pairs of sternoventral setae ; 4th pair of
sternoventral setae anterior to middle of lateral
lobe between coxae III and IV; flange of genital
plate usually covering 5th pair of sternal setae.
-
231 -
2
1. -
P. mexicanus n. sp., female, dorsum. 2. -
F1Gs. 1-4 : Planodiscus, spp.
Idem, venter. 3. - P. borgmeieri n. sp., female, dorsum. 4. -
Idem, venter.
TABLE
1. -
No. Specimens Measured
Measurements
Body length
Length sternoventral plate
Posterior edge genital plate to posterior edge
of sternoventral
Width sternoventral plate between legs IIIIV
Width of sternoventral plate between legs IV
and anus
Length of genital plate including !lange in
male
Width of genital plate including !lange in
male
Length of laierai plate
Width of laierai plate
232-
Measurements (in microns) of new Planodiscus.
P. borgmeieri
(2 <;?)
P. mexicanus
(6 <;?, 2 d')
Range
Range
<;?
<;?
d'
1,150-1,400
1,298-1,315
1,150-1,208
825-885
810-831
850-893
541-591
509-510
595-670
264-285
256-273
i49-i78
295-313
263-270
149-178
173-179
68-75
141-160
129-155
83-88
97-120
461-496
431-440
562-640
75-90
75-76
47-52
Types
Holotype female with the following data :
MEXICO : Upper Coatzacoalcos River, Modelo
Oax., 23.iv.45, T . C. ScHNEIRLA, Eciton hamatum,
Colony N; Slide No. RE-122. Allotype male with
same data except Slide No. RE-121. Holotype
female and Allotype male are deposited in the
U. S. National Museum (USNM). Paratypes from
the same locality and host species are deposited
in British Museum (Natural History) (1 ~) and
author's collection (19 ~. 12 c3').
Locality and Hosts
This species is known only from the type locality
and host.
Planodiscus borgmeieri n. sp.
Body approximately 4.5 to 5 times as long as
broad ; punctation on dorsum and venter weak to
moderate, those on dorsal prolongation elongate
longitudinally (Fig. 5).
Dorsum (Fig. 3) : with 2 unpaired and 4050 paired large setae, somewhat more distributed
posteriorly, unnotched apically. Anterior prolongation with dorsal striations (Fig. 5) and with 2 pairs
large, 3 pairs small, and 2 widely separated unpaired
setae. 30-36 pairs of small marginal setae, becoming
more elongate in posterior half of dorsum. 20 pairs
of small submarginal setae.
Venter (Fig. 4) : sternoventral plate elongate
4th pair of sternoventral setae on lateral lobe of
sternoventral plate opposite leg IV. Genital plate
elongate, about 2/3s wide as long. Metapodal plates
with carinae along posterior margins. Region of
sternoventral plate posterior to widest point also
elongate, possessing ail ventral setae, 3rd pair
reaching anus. Lateral plate elongate, setae 3 or
4 in number on each plate.
Legs : posteroventral setae of coxae I lacking
barbs and short.
Gnathosoma : distal hypostomal setae unbarbed,
2nd pair with 1 barb, 3rd pair with 6 barbs;
gnathosomal setae lacking barbs.
Male. Unknown.
Fe male
Body elongate, 1,150-1,210 µm long; other measurements in Table I. Agrees with description of P.
mexicanus except as follows :
Types
Holotype female with the following data; ECUADOR : Oriente, 00°24' S, 76°36' W, Limoncocha,
15.XI.1967, c. W. & M. E. RETTENMEYER, Host :
Neivamyrmex gradualis, Colony E-530. Holotype
has been deposited in USNM.
The species name is to honor the famed myrmecologist, T. BORGMEIER.
233
as host (D. H . & A. C. KISTNER) and Madre de
Dios, Peru with Eciton sp. as host (D. H. K1sTNER). P. e/ongatus has now been collected from
outside Panama with collections from Chiapas,
Mexico with E. mexicanum and E. vagans as
host (SCHNEIRLA), Tikal, Guatemala with E. hamatum as host (A. C. & D. C. KISTNER), Limancocha, Ecuador with E. rapax as host (C. W. &
M. E. RETTENMEYER), and Rio Palenque, Ecuador with E. hamatum as a carrier (D. H. &
A. C. KISTNER). P. setosus is now known from
Altamira-Maraba, Para, Brazil with E. burchelli as
the carrier (N. DEGALLIER).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dr. David H. KISTNER (Calif. St. Univ., Chico)
and Dr. Carl W. RETTENMEYER (Univ. Conn.)
supplied specimens used in the study. 1 thank
Dr. E. HORBER (Kans. St. Univ.) for the German
abstract and John KRCHMA (Kans. St. Univ.) for
scanning electron microscope services.
FIG. 5 : Planodiscus borgmeieri n. sp., anterior dorsal prolon
gation.
Localities and Hosts
In addition to the holotype, single specimen has
been collected by F. PLAUMANN in BRAZIL: Nova
Teutonio, 27°23' S, 52°23' W, n.1959 on Neivamyrmex legionis.
RANGE EXTENSIONS
The following localities represent significant
range extensions for the listed Planodiscus species (collectors are in parentheses). P. burchelli is
now known from as far north as Tikal, Guatemala with Eciton burchelli as a carrier host (D. H.
& A. C. KisTNER) and as far south as AltamiraMaraba Brazil (N. DEGALLIER). P . fore!i distribution is extended southward to Rio Palenque,
Ecuador with E. hamatum as host (D. H. &
A. C. KISTNER). P. hamatus is now known
from outside Costa Rica and Panama with collections from Tikal, Guatemala and E. hamatum
REFERENCES
ELZINGA (R. J.), 1981. - The generic status and six new
species of Trichocylliba (Acari: Uropodina). - AcaroJogia 23 (1) : 3-18.
ELZINGA (R. J.) & RETTENMEYER (C. W.), 1966. - A
neotype and new species of Planodiscus (Acarina :
Uropodina) found on doryline ants. - Acarologia 8
(2) : 191-199.
ELZINGA (R. J.) & RETTENMEYER (C. W.), 1970. - Five
new species of Planodiscus (Acarina : Uropodina)
found on doryline ants. - Acarologia 12 (1) : 59-70.
HIRSCHMANN (W.), 1973. - Gangsystematik der Parasitiformes : Adulten-Bestimmungstabelle von 19 Trichocylliba-Arten und Operculum-bestimmungstabelle von
18 Trichocylliba-Weibchen (Dinychini : Uropodinae). Acarologie 26 : 124-127.
HlRSCHMANN (W.) & ZIRNGIEBL-NICOL (1.), 1964. Uropodiden : Das Gangsystem der Uropodidae (Berlese 1892), Bestimmungstabellen, Kurzdiagnosen, Operculumbestimmungstabellen. - Acarologie 6 : 1-22.
SELLNICK (M.), 1926. - Alguns novas acaros (Uropodidae) myrmecophilos e terrnitophilos. - Arch. Mus.
Rio de Janeiro 26 : 29-56.
Paru en Décembre 1990.