Euphthiracarus flagellatus, Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011

Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011, Species of Euphthiracarus (Acari: Oribatida: Euphthiracaridae) from China, Zootaxa 2752, pp. 45-61 : 50-53

Euphthiracarus flagellatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 15–18 )

Material examined. Holotype: adult (in alcohol, CG070), China: Guangxi Province, Napo County, Xiahua (23°12'24"N, 105°42'34"E), Peak of Guinongshan Mt., from tree hole, 1670M, 21 Jun., 2000, leg. Jun Chen.

Etymology. The new specific name “ flagellatus ” is from Latin, and refers to the flagelliform of interlamellar setae.

Measurements. Holotype: Prodorsum: length 311, width 215, height 115, setae: ss 102, in 255, le 166, ro 99, ex 18, distance between setae: ro -ro 60, in -in 210, le -le 55, in -le 85, le -ro 75; notogaster: length 600, width 415, height 400; setae: c1 210, c2 232, c3 165, c p 220, d1 93, d2 84, e1 147, e2 110, h1 230, h2 115, h3 95, ps1 240, ps2 115, ps3 100; distance between setae: c1-d1 233, d1-e1 156, e1-h1 105, h1-ps1 93; ventral region: genitoaggenital plate 216×120, anoadanal plate 307×80.

Integument: Colour brown. Surface of body covered with small foveolae.

Prodorsum: One short median carina present, especially distinct in lateral view; two pairs of parallel lateral carinae present, upper carina stronger and longer than lower one; bothridial scale situated below bothridium, posterior median apodeme present; sensilli with long and narrow pedicel and rounded head, pointed distally and covered with several small spines; interlamellar and lamellar setae long and erect, sparsely barbed and flagellate in distal half; rostral setae smooth, semi-erect, flagellate and directed inwards distally; exobothridial setae short and fine; comparative length: in>le> ss> ro>ex.

Notogaster: 14 pairs of notogastral setae, setae c1, c2, c p, h1, ps1 very long, similar in shape to interlamellar setae, sparsely barbed and flagellate in distal half, other setae robust, rough and moderately long; setae c1-3 remote from anterior border, setae c1 slightly more so than setae c2 and c3; vestigial setae f1 located anteriorly of setae h1; openings of opisthosomal glands and five pairs of lyrifissures present.

Venter: Genital plates with nine pairs of setae, g1-3 short and fine, located in progenital position, g4-5 thick and slightly longer, posterior four setae thicker and longer than anterior; two pairs of aggenital setae present, ag1 thin and short, ag2 thick and more than three times as long as ag1; three pairs of anal and three pairs of adanal setae present, setae an1 and an2 smooth and flagellate at distal end, setae an3 and adanal setae shorter, robust and covered with small and sparse spines in distal half; lyrifissures iad situated between setae an3 and ad3.

Gnathosoma: Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; palps three-segmented with setal formula: 2-2-8(1).

Legs: Chaetotaxy of legs (without tarsi): I: 1-3-4(2)-5(1); II: 1-4-3(1)-5(1), III: 2-2-2(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1(1)- 2(1); all legs heterotridactylous.

Distribution. Known only from type locality.

Remarks. This new species is similar to E. vietnamicus Starý, 1993 but differs from the latter by following characters: prodorsum with one short median carina; sensilli with long and narrow pedicel and rounded head covered with several small spines; setae h1 and ps1 very long. This new species is also similar to E. pakistanensis Hammer, 1977 , but can be easily distinguished from the latter by following characters: prodorsum with one short median carina; sensilli with rounded head; setae c1, c2, c p, h1, ps1 sparsely barbed and flagellate in distal half, distinctly longer than other notogastral setae.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 18. Euphthiracarus flagellatus sp. nov.: 15, lateral view of body (legs removed); 16, prodorsum, dorsal view; 17, left side of ventral plate; 18, mentum of infracapitulum. Scale bars: 15 = 150 μm; 16 – 17 = 200 μm; 18 = 100 μm.