Apoplophora heterotricha Mahunka, 1987

Liu, Dong, Chen, Jun & Qiao, Gexia, 2009, Review of Apoplophora (Acari: Oribatida: Mesoplophoridae), with the description of a new species from China, Zootaxa 2051, pp. 49-61 : 54

Apoplophora heterotricha Mahunka, 1987

( Figs. 5–7 )

Apoplophora heterotricha Mahunka, 1987 , p. 770, figs. 1–3; Niedbała, 2000, p. 47, figs. 51–54; 2001, p. 365, figs. 3–6.

Material examined: 2 adults (in alcohol, CJ-01-98), CHINA: Tibet, Nyalam County, No.318 national highway in Zham Town (27°59'16.65"N, 85°59'20.76"E), from litter under broadleaf forest and shrub, 2670M, 3, Sep., 2001, leg. Jun Chen. Newly recorded from China.

Measurements of adult: Prodorsum: length 285–315, width 210–240, height 125–160, sensillus 150, setae: in 115, le 135, ro 135, distance between setae: in–in 145, le–le 200, ro–ro 170, in–le 65, le–ro 80; notogaster: length 430–475, width 325–355, height 305–340, setae: c1 115, c2 120, c3 100, c p 150, d1 120, d2 155, e1 150, e2 155, distance between setae: c1– d1 140, d1–e1 260; ventral region: ventral setae: v1 70, v2 80, v3 95, v4 95, v5 105, v6 85, h 2 80, h 3 80, an1 55, an2 60, an3 45; “ano-adanal” plate 120×62.5.

All prodorsal and notogastral setae covered with small barbs, except seta c3 fine, short and smooth, seta c2 more remote from anterior margin than setae c1 and c3; six pairs of ventral setae thick and barbed; setae h2 and h3 thin and smooth; six pairs of smooth genital setae and three pairs of barbed “ano-adanal” setae present.

Distribution. China (Tibet); India; Indonesia; Malaysia; Nepal.

Remarks. Compared with the descriptions of specimens collected from other places, the body of our specimens is relatively bigger. There are three pairs of “ano-adanal” setae in the specimens we examined, which is not consistent with the original description (four pairs of “ano-adanal” setae) of this species. But considering the number of “ano-adanal” seta is a feature subject to individual variation ( Niedbała 2001), and all other morphological features of our specimens are the same as those indicated in the original description of A. heterotricha Mahunka, 1987 , we identify them as this species.

Figures

FIGURE 5 – 7. Apoplophora heterotricha Mahunka, 1987 (specimen from Tibet): 5, prodorsum, dorsal view; 6, lateral view of body (legs removed); 7, ventral region. Scale bars: 5 – 7 = 100 μm.