Apoplophora dentata, Liu, Dong, Chen, Jun & Qiao, Gexia, 2009

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 : 52-54

Apoplophora dentata sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–4 )

Material examined: Holotype: Adult (in alcohol), CHINA: Tibet, Mêdog County (29°19'31.08"N, 95°19'59.51"E), from litter, 800M, 9, Jan., 1983, leg. Yin-Heng Han. Paratype: 1 adult (in alcohol), with same data as holotype.

Etymology. The new specific name “ dentata ” is from Latin, and refers to the dentate margin of the rostrum.

Diagnosis: Anterior margin of prodorsum finely dentate; all prodorsal and notogastral setae faintly barbed, except setae c3 fine, short and smooth; six pairs of ventral setae and setae h2 and h3 faintly barbed, nearly uniformly thick, but h2 and h3 much longer.

Measurements of adult holotype: Prodorsum: length 285, width 240, height 160, sensillus 145, setae: in 100, le 110, ro 110, distance between setae: in–in 100, le–le 190, ro–ro 165, in–le 60, le–ro 65; notogaster: length 400, width 365, height 290; setae: c1 95, c2 100, c3 60, c p 100, d1 100, d2 100, e1 105, e2 110; distance between setae: c1– d1 120, d1–e1 255; ventral region: ventral setae: v1 55, v2 60, v3 60, v4 75, v5 75, v6 60, h2 90, h3 90, an1 40, an2 45, an3 40; “ano-adanal” plate 95×55.

Large species. Colour yellow. Surface of body smooth.

Anterior margin of rostrum finely dentate; sensillus long, thin, setiform, sparsely covered with faint barbs unilaterally; prodorsal setae in, le, ro faintly barbed; exobothridial seta thin, long, several times longer than diameter of bothridium, sparsely covered with small barbs; comparative length: ro = le> in> ex; lamellar seta situated between interlamellar and rostral setae, slightly closer to interlamellar seta.

Notogaster with eight pairs of setae, faintly barbed, relatively thick except setae c3 thin, short and smooth; seta c2 more remote from anterior margin than setae c1 and c3.

Ventral region with six pairs of ventral setae, nearly uniformly thick, faintly barbed as notogastral setae; setae h2 and h3 faintly barbed, equally thick with ventral setae, but much longer; genital plates with six pairs of smooth setae; “ano-adanal” plates with three pairs of faintly barbed setae.

Distribution. Known only from type locality.

Remarks. This new species is similar to A. heterotricha Mahunka, 1987 , A. malaya Mahunka, 1991 and A. solomonensis Niedbała, 1998 in having short, fine and smooth seta c3. It differs from them by the following combined characters: prodorsal, notogastral and ventral setae faintly barbed, except setae c3 and genital setae; all ventral setae nearly uniformly thick; setae h2 and h3 longer than ventral setae; anterior margin of rostrum finely dentate. This new species is also similar to A. phalerata Niedbała, 2000 in having two barbed long setae on antero-lateral position of ventral region, but differs from the latter by: seta c3 fine, smooth and shorter than other notogastral setae; all prodorsal setae nearly equally thick, except setae ex; rostrum finely dentate anteriorly; all setae, except genital setae and setae c3, faintly barbed.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 4. Apoplophora dentata sp. nov.: 1, prodorsum, dorsal view; 2, anterior margin of rostrum, dorsal view; 3, lateral view of body (legs removed); 4, ventral region. Scale bars: 1, 3, 4 = 100 μm, 2 = 200 μm.