Oribatodes reticulatus ( Sitnikova, 1979 ), 2024

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Bayartogtokh, Badamdorj, 2024, Contribution to knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Oribatodes (Acari, Oribatida, Cepheusidae), with supplementary descriptions of two species and data on juvenile instars, Zootaxa 5485 (1), pp. 73-91 : 81-87

Oribatodes reticulatus ( Sitnikova, 1979)

( Figs 7–12 )

Material. Eleven adults and one deutonymph: Panama, Chiriqui Province, Finca Lenida, near Boquete Casita Alta , ca. 690 m elev., debris in damp ravine, 17.III.1959 (leg. H.S. Dybas). As “ Oribatodes ? sp.” in the personal collection of Roy A. Norton .

The material (adults and deutonymph) is deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Main morphological traits. Adult. Body length: 630–690. Rostrum rounded. Prolamella present, pair fused anteriorly. Rostral and lamellar setae setiform, with short flagellate tip, barbed; interlamellar seta setiform, barbed; bothridial seta with long stalk and short, slightly developed head having barbs and short ciliae. Notogastral foveolae rounded. Notogastral setae medium-sized, setiform, barbed. Pedotectum I with small tubercles (not foveolate). Leg trochanters III and IV with tooth dorsoanteriorly.

Supplementary description of adult. Measurements. Body length: 630–690; notogastral width: 495–540. Gender not identified.

Integument ( Figs 7A–E ; 11A–D ; 12A, B ). Body color brown to dark brown. Body and legs covered by thick layer of gel-like cerotegument with microgranulate inclusions. Surface microgranulate sculpturing; notogaster with large rounded foveolae forming typical foveolate-reticulate ornamentation; prodorsum (except rostrum and basal part), lamella, lateral part of epimere I with medium-sized foveolae; pedotectum I with small tubercles (not foveolate); lateral part of body between notogaster and acetabula II, III densely tuberculate; anogenital region with ridges and depressions.

Prodorsum ( Figs 7A, B, D ; 11A, C ; 12A, B ). Rostrum rounded, with thin convex carina connecting insertions of rostral setae. Lamellar cusp with small lateral tooth. Translamella absent. Prolamella simple, pair fused anteriorly. Interlamellar region with longitudinal, elongate triangular ridge. Tutorium ridge-like, heavily spinose dorsally. Rostral (82–90) and lamellar (123–150) setae setiform, with short flagellate tip, barbed; interlamellar seta (60–67) setiform, barbed; bothridial seta (112–123) with long stalk and short, slightly developed head having barbs and short ciliae; exobothridial seta not observable.

Notogaster ( Figs 7A, D, E ; 11A, C, D ; 12A ). Humeral process well defined. All notogastral setae (c, la, lm, lp, h 2, h 3: 60–67; h 1, p 1, p 2, p 3: 41–52) setiform, barbed. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures distinct (except ia not observable in dorsal view).

Gnathosoma ( Figs 8A–C ; 11B ). Subcapitulum size: 142–150 × 105–120; subcapitular setae (a, h: 26–30; m: 19) setiform, roughened; both adoral setae (9–11) setiform, smooth. Palp length: 82–86; postpalpal seta (11) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera length: 142–150; setae (cha: 41–43; chb: 22–26) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral and podosomal regions ( Figs 7C,D ; 11B,C ).All epimeral setae (3c, 4c:34–41; 1b, 3b, 4a, 4b: 19–26; 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a: 11) setiform, roughened. Discidium elongate triangular, rounded distally. Circumpedal carina originating near posterior margin of acetabulum IV, then curving to approach circumgastric scissure asymptotically.

Anogenital region ( Figs 7C–E ; 11B ). Genital, aggenital, anal, and adanal setae (22–26) setae setiform, roughened. Adanal lyrifissure distinct.

Legs ( Figs 8D–G ; 11B, C ; 12A ). Claw of each leg strong, slightly barbed on dorsal side. Trochanters III and IV with long tooth-like process dorsoanteriorly. Dorsoparaxial porose area on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV well visible. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-3-4-20) [1-2-2], II (1-4-3-4-16) [1-1-2], III (2-3-2-3- 15) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-3-3-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1 . Famulus short, slightly swollen and blunt distally, located posterior to solenidia ω 1 and ω 2; seta ft” specifically bent in the middle; seta s eupathidial; solenidion φ 1 on tibia I long, subflagellate versus other solenidia short or medium-sized, rod-like or slightly bacilliform.

Description of deutonymph. Measurements. Total length: 435; total width: 315.

Integument ( Figs 9A–C ). Body colorless with a yellowish tint. Body surface indistinctly porose covering by gel-like cerotegument with bacillar and tuberculate inclusions.

Prodorsum ( Figs 9A, C ). About 1/2 of gastronotic region (in lateral aspect). Rostrum rounded. Rostral (64) and lamellar setae setiform, barbed, inserted on tubercles; interlamellar seta (7) spiniform, smooth, located on tubercle; bothridial seta (150) setiform, with flagellate tip, barbed; exobothridial seta (37) setiform, slightly barbed.

Gastronotic region ( Figs 9A, C ). Exuvial scalps not found. Gastronotic setae c 1, c 3, la, lm, lp, h 1, h 2, h 3 very long (more 400), subflagellate, barbed, often broken; c 2 (37), p 1 (94), p 2 (79), p 3 (56) setiform, barbed; all setae except p 2, p 3 inserted on large trapezoid apophyses. Opisthonotal gland opening and all cupules distinct in transmitted light.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 9B ). Similar to that to adult.

Epimeral region ( Figs 9B, C ). Epimeral setal formula: 3-1-2-2; all setae (17–22) setiform, slightly barbed.

Anogenital region ( Figs 9B, C ). Genital, aggenital and adanal setae (17–22) setiform, slightly barbed. Adanal cupule distinct; anal cupule not observable.

Legs ( Figs 10A–D ). Claw of each leg strong, slightly barbed on dorsal side. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (0-4-3-4-16) [1-2-2], II (0-4-3-4-13) [1-1-2], III (1-3-2-3-13) [1-1-0], IV (0-2-2-2 -12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1 .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), adult (gnathosoma and legs not shown): A—dorsal view; B—anterior part of prodorsum, anterodorsal view; C—ventral view; D—right lateral view; E—posterior view. Scale bars 100 μm (A, C–E), 50 μm (B).

FIGURE 8. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), adult: A—subcapitulum, ventral view; B—palp, right, antiaxial view; C—chelicera, left, paraxial view; D—leg I, right, antiaxial view; E—leg II, right, antiaxial view; F—leg III, left, antiaxial view; G—leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bars 50 μm (D–G), 20 μm (A–C).

FIGURE 9. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), deutonymph (some gastronotic setae broken): A—dorsal view; B— ventral view; C— right lateral view. Scale bar 100 μm.

FIGURE 10. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), deutonymph: A—leg I, right, antiaxial view; B—leg II (tarsus not shown), right, antiaxial view; C—leg III (tarsus not shown), left, antiaxial view; D—leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 50 μm.

FIGURE 11. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), adult, SEM micrographs (cerotegument partially removed): A—dorsal view; B—ventral view; C—right lateral view; D—notogastral seta lp.

FIGURE 12. Oribatodes reticulatus (Sitnikova, 1979), adult, SEM micrographs (cerotegument partially removed): A— anterodorsal view; B—bothridium, interlamellar and bothridial setae, basal parts of lamella and tutorium, from right lateral view.