Euphthiracarus minimus, Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2012

Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2012, Six new species of the genus Euphthiracarus (Acari: Oribatida: Euphthiracaridae) from China, Zootaxa 3481, pp. 47-59 : 51

Euphthiracarus minimus sp. nov.

( Figs. 7–10 )

Material examined: Holotype: adult (in alcohol, W-90-79), China: Fujian Province, Jiangle County, Longqishan Mt. (26°16'28.27"N, 117°38'40.70"E), Xianrentang, from litter under mixed forest, 1300 m a.s.l., 13 Sep., 1990, leg. Hui-Fu Wang.

Etymology. The new specific name “ minimus ” is from Latin and refers to the minute aggenital setae.

Measurements: Holotype: Prodorsum: length 260, width 185, height 112, setae: ss 83, ro 40, in 85, le 50, ex 13, distance between setae: ro–ro 30, in–in 85, le–le 50, in–le 90, le–ro 70; notogaster: length 485, width 320, height 320; setae: c1 60, c2 60, c3 50, c p 46, d1 50, d2 45, e1 55, e2 50, h1 60, h2 55, h3 52, ps1 50, ps2 55, ps3 55; distance between setae: c1–d1 120, d1–e1 110, e1–h1 95, h1–ps1 85; ventral region: genitoaggenital plate 205×85, anoadanal plate 235×75.

Colour yellowish to tan. Surface of body covered with dense and small foveolae, except notogaster with distinct and large foveolae.

Anterior region of prodorsum humped; one pair of wavelike lateral carinae present; sensilla short with narrow pedicel and dilated head, not pointed distally and covered with robust spines; interlamellar and lamellar setae short, robust and erect, covered with spines in distal half; rostral setae smooth, semi-erect, spiniform; comparative length: in>ss> le> ro>ex.

Notogaster setae short, similar in shape to interlamellar setae, barbed in distal half; setae c1–3 remote from anterior border, setae c1 slightly more so than setae c2 and c3; vestigial setae f1 not observed; arrangement of opisthosomal glands and lyrifissures typical for genus.

Nine pairs of genital and two pairs of aggenital setae present, g1–3 short and fine, located in progenital position, other setae and aggenital setae slightly longer, spiniform, equally long and thick; setae an1 and an2 smooth and flagellate at distal end, setae an3 and adanal setae shorter, robust and covered with small spines in distal half; lyrifissures iad situated between setae an3 and ad3.

Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; palps three-segmented with setal formula: 2-2-8(1); chaetotaxy of legs (without tarsi): I: 1-2-4(2)-5(1); II: 1-3-3(1)-5(1), III: 2-2-2(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1(1)-2(1); all legs heterotridactylous.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Remark. This new species is easily distinguished from other species of this genus by the combination of following characters: surface of notogaster with distinct and large foveolae; anterior region of prodorsum humped; one pair of wavelike lateral carinae present; sensilla with dilated head covered with robust spines; rostral setae spiniform.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 10. Euphthiracarus minimus sp. nov.: 7, lateral view of body (legs removed); 8, prodorsum, dorsal view; 9, sensillum; 10, ventral plates. Scale bars: 7 – 8, 10 = 100 μm; 9 = 50 μm.