Mesoplophora Berlese, 1904

Niedbała, W., 2017, Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Madagascar and neighbouring islands, Acarologia 57 (1), pp. 3-205 : 13-16

Mesoplophora Berlese, 1904

Distance between genital and anal plates equal to half the length of anal plates; nine to 10 pairs of "ventral" setae; two to four pairs of anal setae; seven pairs of genital setae, formula 6+1 or 5+2; setation of palps: 0-2-0-3-12+1.

Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) Berlese, 1904

Two pairs of anal setae present. Distribution — Semicosmopolitan.

Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) africana Balogh, 1958

( Figure 5 )

Mesoplophora africana Balogh, 1958

Mesoplophora insularis PØrez-Iaeigo, 1983 syn. by

Niedbała 2001

Mesoplophora ifeana Badejo et al. 2001 ( Badejo et al.

2001b) syn. by Niedbała 2008a

Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) africana: Niedbała 2001

Diagnosis — Measurements of specimens from sample MAG-015. Adult: prodorsum: length 215,

A – lateral view of body; B – ventral side; C – adult, lateral view of body; D – adult, genital plate; E – tritonymph, lateral view of body; F – tritonymph, ventral side; G – deutonymph, lateral view of body; H – deutonymph, ventral side.

height 101; "notogaster": length 303, height 187; tritonymph: length of prodorsum 202, "notogaster": length 271, width 215; length of genital plate 83, length of anal and adanal plates 96; deutonymph: length of prodorsum 174; length of "notogaster" 245; length of genital plate 63; length of anal and adanal plates 88.

Small-sized species; adult specimen is similar in size as specimen from type series.

Deutonymph — Body almost transparent. Prodorsum with fine interlamellar, lamellar and rostral setae almost similar in length, exobothridial setae minute; sensilli setiform covered with 6 rather long spines. "Notogaster" with seven pairs of fine setae, setae c 2 slightly remote more from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3. Ventral plate with 4 pairs of setae; plate Q with one pair of setae; plate P with 2 pairs of setae; genital plates with 4 pairs of setae; anal plates without setae; adanal plates with 2 pairs of setae.

Remark — This deutonymph has, as the deutonymph of Mesoplophora (Parplophora) pulchra Sellnick (1928) ( Grandjean 1933) genital plate with 4 setae and anal plates without setae.

Tritonymph — Body almost transparent. Prodorsum with fine interlamellar, lamellar and rostral setae almost similar in length, exobothridial setae minute; sensilli setiform covered with seven rather long spines. "Notogaster" with 8 pairs of fine setae, setae c 2 remote distinctly more from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3. Ventral plate with 5 pairs of setae; plate Q with one pair of setae; plate P with 2 pair sof setae; genital plates with 6 pairs of setae; anal plates with 2 pairs and also adanal plates with 2 pairs of setae.

Remark — This tritonymph has, as the tritonymph of Mesoplophora (P.) pulchra the same number (8) of "notogastral" setae but more all ventral setae (7 pairs in M. (M.) pulchra ) and less anal and adanal setae (each 3 pairs in M. (P.) pulchra ) ( Grandjean 1933).

Adult — Size and all characters as in redescription by Mahunka (1985). Colour yellowish. Prodorsum with lateral carinae distinct; sensilli setiform covered with 12-15 thin spines; interlamellar, lamellar and rostral setae covered with small spines, in> le> ro; exobothridial setae minute, shorter than diameter of bothridia. "Notogaster" with 8 pairs of short setae covered with thin spines; setae of row c thinner than setae of rows d and e; setae c 2 remote from anterior border more than setae c 1 and c 3. Ventral region with 9 pairs of setae covered with thin spines of unequal length, except minute setae h 2; 7 pairs of genital setae with formula: 6+1; 2 pairs of anal setae covered with small spines.

Localities in Comoros: Niedbała 2001.

Distribution — Afrotropical, central and eastern parts.

Figures

FIGURE 5: Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) africana Balogh, 1958. A, B (after Mahunka 1985); C-H (after specimens from MAG-015):