Tumerozetes roughleyi, Colloff, 2022

Colloff, Matthew J., 2022, First records of Tumerozetidae and Nodocepheidae from Australia, with descriptions of new taxa and a re-assessment of the Polypterozetoidea (Oribatida, Brachypylina), Zootaxa 5194 (1), pp. 33-57 : 37-40

Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov.

( Figures 1 , 2 )

Dimensions. Holotype female length 309 μm, breadth 205 μm. Paratype males: mean length (n = 4) 256 μm (range 239–283 μm); mean breadth 165 μm (range 154–183 μm). Paratype females: mean length (n = 10) 307 μm (range 296–321 μm); mean breadth 200 μm (range 194–211 μm). Ratio of prodorsum to total length: 0.47 (holotype).

Adult. Prodorsum: rostrum very broad, rounded, with margin covered by blocks of cerotegument ( Figure 2c ). Rostral setae (ro) short, smooth; barely visible in dorsal view. Lamellae (la) long, thin, narrow; lamellar setae (le) well-developed, barbed, on parallel lamellar cusps extending anteriorly as far as apex of rostrum ( Figure 1a ). Lamella (la) connecting anteriorly with tutorium (tu) in anterior view ( Figure 2a ). Prodorsum inflated, with broad, lateral ridge-like interlamellar plates (ilp) extending from base of lamellae almost to apex of rostrum, bearing smooth, curved interlamellar setae (in). Setae in projecting vertically from interlamellar plates in anterior view ( Figure 2a ). Interlamellar plates sub-rectangular, slightly longer than broad, fused posteriomedially ( Figure 2b ). Apices of interlamellar plates not fused anteriorly in dorsal orientation. Heart-shaped anteriomedian projection of notogastral plate (ap) with fine alveolate ornamentation and median ridges covering central part of prodorsum, positioned below and not fused with interlamellar plates, extending from anterior of in, converging toward dorsosejugal furrow. Anteriomedian projection of notogastral plate strongly convex in lateral view. Bothridia prominent, projecting laterally, with well-developed rim and internal circular ridges ( Figure 2h ). Bothridial seta long (65 μm; holotype), setiform, slightly inflated apically and with fine, long spinules. Short, smooth exobothridial seta (ex) present.

Notogaster: margins of relatively small humeral processes (h) convex laterally, curving ventrally and with median protuberance; humeral processes not extending as far as bothridia ( Figure 1a ). Seta c 2 positioned immediately posterior of humeral process on small, rounded projection. Dorsosejugal furrow (ds) straight, transverse, with paired, curved, longitudinal median notogastral ridges (mnr) forming ovoid shape, extending posteriorly as far as level of lyrifissure iad, fused anteriorly, connecting at dorsosejugal furrow with anteriomedian projection of notogastral plate. Notogaster smooth, broader (215 μm; holotype) than long, with 9 pairs of marginal setae (c 1 plus la, lp, h and p series); la, lp and h 3 with fine spines basally. Lyrifissurae ia present.

Ventral aspect: subcapitulum rounded apically, with tectum derived from genae, bearing a median infrabuccal cleft (ibc) on its ventral surface ( Figure 7e ); setae a and m with bases not hidden by tectum in ventral orientation; setae h positioned posteriomedially on subcapitulum. Labiogenal articulation absent. Rutellum Y-shaped ( Figure 2f ). Chelicerae short, with digitus fixus reduced to flat, smooth, lobe-like structure; digitus mobilis curved, projecting beyond digitus fixus, bearing a comb-like fringe of several thin, straight teeth ( Figure 2d ). Palp setal formula 0-2- 1-3-9; setae on palpfemur, genu and seta d on tibia with sparingly spinose ornamentation, others smooth ( Figure 2e ). Eupathidia not on prominent tubercles; eupathidium acm not fused with solendidum ω which is positioned posteriorly on palptarsus.

Epimeral plates discrete, all broadly separated in midline, sub-rectangular (I-II) or sub-triangular (III-IV); epimeral setation 3-1-3-3 ( Figure 1b ). Pedotectum I (pd I) and II (pd II) and patronium (pa) strongly developed; humeral processes appearing lobe-like in ventral orientation; discidium (di) with prominent, sharp point; welldeveloped circumpedal carina (cc) present ( Figure 1b ). Ventral plate sub-circular, broader than long. Genital and anal plates each surrounded by ring of sclerotized cuticle; genital plates 46 µm long (holotype), with 5 pairs of setae; 1 pair of aggenital setae, 2 pairs of adanal setae and 2 pairs of anal setae; lyrifissure iad in para-anal position ( Figure 2g ). Anal plates lozenge-shaped, 55 µm long (holotype); only slightly separated from genital plates. Preanal organ (po) broad, flat T-shaped.

Lateral aspect: anterior prodorsum strongly concave. Tutorium (tu) pointed apically, similar shape as lamella, but without cusp; pedoctectum I (pd I) with sharp, well-developed cusp; pedotectum II (pd II) well-developed with blunt apex; discidium (di) prominent, pointed. Interlamellar plates convex, strongly inflated; seta in pointed vertically. Anteriomedian projection of notogastral plate convex, strongly inflated. Notogastral setae positioned on faint horizontal lath of more heavily sclerotized cuticle that connects anteriorly with humeral process.

Legs: monodactylous; claw lacking dorsal tooth.

Type designation, material examined and locality data. Holotype, wet moss , Cumberland Creek Valley , Marysville-Woods Point Road , nr. Cambarville, Yarra Ranges National Park , Victoria, 37º33’S 145º53’E, coll. R.E. Roughley, 12.iii.1996. Paratypes: four females, one male, ANIC 297, Moss and litter, rainforest with Nothofagus cunninghami, Cumberland Creek Valley , near picnic area [Cumberland Memorial Reserve], Yarra Ranges National Park, Victoria. 37°34’S 145°52’E, 920 m., coll. R.W. Taylor and R.J. Bartell, 4.xi.1970. Paratypes: five females, moss ( Dicranoloma billiardieri ), Nothofagus cunninghami forest, The Beeches, Lady Talbot Drive near Warburton, Yarra Ranges National Park, Victoria, 37°29’S, 145°50’E, 800 m., coll. G. Perdomo, May, 2009. Paratypes: 22 males, 49 females, moss on Sassafras ( Atherosperma moschatum ), cool temperate rainforest, 1077 m., Errinundra Saddle, Errinundra National Park, Victoria, 37°19’S 148°51’E, 1030 m., coll. M.J. Colloff, 29.ix.2009. Paratype: male, moss, Nothofagus cunninghami rainforest, Melba Gully, Otway National Park, Victoria, coll. M.J. Colloff, 20.vii.2011. Paratypes: 12 males, 24 females, moss, Nothofagus cunninghami rainforest, rainforest walk, Maits Rest, Otway National Park, Victoria, coll. M.J. Colloff, 19.vii.2011.

Etymology. This species is named in honour and memory of the collector of the holotype specimen, Robert E. Roughley.

Diagnosis. Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by the following combination of characters: (1) the paired, curved, longitudinal median notogastral ridges forming an ovoid structure and extending posteriorly as far as level of lyrifissure iad: (2) setae la, lp and h 3 with fine spines basally; (3) with heart-shaped anteriomedian projection of the notogastral plate; (4) the presence of a patronium; (5) the dorsosejugal furrow coinciding with the junction between the longitudinal notogastral ridges and the anteriomedian projection of the notogastral plate and positioned markedly posterior of the level of the bothridia.

Remarks. Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to T. pumilis in the shape of the median notogastral ridges and to T. bifurcatus in the shape of the anteriomedian projection of the notogastral plate. However, in T. pumilis each notogastral ridge is considerably narrower and they converge posteriorly at a position level with setae h 3. Tumerozetes bifurcatus Hammer, 1966 and T. circularis Hammer, 1966 both have short, parallel longitudinal dorsal ridges set some distance apart and extending posteriorly only as far as a position level with setae la. Also, T. bifurcatus has bifurcate notogastral setae. Tumerozetes indistinctus Hammer, 1966 and T. parallelus Hammer, 1966 both have very long, parallel longitudinal dorsal ridges, almost contiguous and extending posteriorly as far as a position level with setae h 3. Other than dimensions, there were no obvious external morphological differences between males and females.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov. (a) dorsal aspect; (b) ventral aspect); (c) lateral aspect; (d) detail of seta le. Scale bar = 100 μm

FIGURE 2. Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov. (a) anterior aspect; (b) bothridia and interlamellar plates; (c) waxy tegument on rostrum; (d) chelicera; (e) palp; (f) rutellum; (g) anal and genital plates; (h) bothridium. Scale bars: a–c, g, h = 50 μm; e, f = 15 μm

FIGURE 7. Morphology of the subcapitulum of polypterozetoid taxa included in the character analysis. (a) Polypterozetes cherubin Berlese 1916; (b) Podopterotegaeus altimonticola Piffl, 1972; (c) Nemacepheus dentatusAoki, 1968; (d) Nodocepheus laterodentatus Piffl, 1972; (e) Tumerozetes roughleyi sp. nov.; (f) Sacculella yarra gen. et sp. nov.