Arphthicarus sassafrasensis Niedbała, 2017

Niedbała, Wojciech & Szywilewska-Szczykutowicz, Anetta, 2017, Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Victoria (Australia), Zootaxa 4344 (1), pp. 47-85 : 57-59

Arphthicarus sassafrasensis Niedbała sp. nov.

( Fig. 6A–F )

Measurements of holotype: prodorsum: length 202, width 131, height 88; setae: ss 94, in 71, le 13, ro 43; notogaster: length 379, width 242, height 217; setae: c 1 51, c 1/ c 1- d 1=0.5, h 1 and ps 1 56; genitoaggenital plate 101 × 78; anoadanal plate 164 × 86. Measurements of paratype: prodorsum: length 215, height 88; notogaster: length 424, height 222.

Description. Rather small-sized species. Color light brown. Surface of body covered with feeble concavities.

Prodorsum with weak median crista and without lateral carinae. Posterior furrows present. Sigillar fields narrow, median slightly longer than laterals. Sensilli long, setiform, in distal half ciliate. Interlamellar setae stout, erect covered with small spines in distal half, similar to notogastral setae. Lamellar and rostral setae spiniform, rostral rough situated very close each other. Exobothridial setae vestigial.

Notogaster with 15 pairs of medium length setae (c 1<c 1- d 1), stout covered with small spines in distal half, blunt distally. Setae c 1 situated at distal margin, setae c 3 slightly remote and setae c 2 considerably remote from anterior margin. Vestigial setae f 1 situated posterior of setae h 1. Lyrifissures invisible.

Ventral region. Setae h of mentum of the same length as distance between them. Genitoaggenital plates with nine pairs of setae with formula: 9 (4+3): 2. Anoadanal plates each with five setae, two anal and three adanal setae; setae ad 1 and ad 2 longer than anal setae, setae ad 3 rough and obtuse distally.

Legs. Chaetome of legs of “complete type ”. Setae d on femora I with fine distal fork, situated at anterior end of article.

Material examined. Holotype and 20 paratypes.

Holotype and 11 paratypes: Vic. Errinundra Plateau , Coast Range Rd, 37°17'S, 148°56'E, (09) soil from below Doryphora sassafras, Tullgren funnels, NMV Survey, 14 September 1983, leg. A. Yen, P . Lillywhite; two paratypes: Vic. Errinundra Plateau , Coast Range Rd, 37°17'S, 148°56'E, (sample 03) soil from below Doryphora sassafras, Tullgren funnels, NMV Survey, November 1983, leg. A. Yen, P . Lillywhite; six paratypes: Vic. Errinundra Plateau , Coast Range Rd, 37°17'S, 148°56'E, soil from below Doryphora sassafras, Tullgren funnels, NMV Survey, 14 September 1983, leg. A. Yen, P . Lillywhite; one paratype: Vic. Errinundra Plateau , Coast Range Rd, 37°17'S, 148°56'E, (sample 04) soil from below Doryphora sassafras, Tullgren funnels, NMV Survey, 14 September 1983, leg. A. Yen, P. Lillywhite.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the common name “ sassafras ” for the tree Doryphora sassafras where the samples were found.

Comparison. The new species is easily distinguishable by a very small distance between rostral setae. It is similar to three species from the genus Austropthiracarus: A. lamingtoni Niedbała 2000 , A. paralamingtoni sp. nov. and A. konwerski Niedbała, 2012 in the length of sensilli and short interlamellar setae; but differs from them by the “generic” location of genital setae, all in one row, except setae g 5 remote from paraxial border of plate (versus setae g 1-5 and g 6-9 situated in two rows), the presence of 15 pairs of notogastral setae and three pairs of adanal setae (versus neotrichy of notogastral and adanal setae) and setae d of femora I forked distally and situated at distal end of article (versus setae d not bifurcated and remote from distal end).

Figures

FIGURE 6 A – F. Arphthicarus sassafrasensis Niedbała sp. nov. (holotype). A, prodorsum, dorsal view; B, prodorsum, lateral view; C, opisthosoma, lateral view; D, mentum of subcapitulum; E, right genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates; F, trochanter and femur of leg I; G, seta d of femur I. Scale bars 100 µm (A – C, E), 50 µm (D), 20 µm (F), 10 µm (G).