Leptotocepheus murphyi ( Mahunka, 1989 )

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Kalúz, Stanislav, 2019, A new species of Fissicepheus and a supplementary description of Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989) (Acari, Oribatida, Otocepheidae) from Malaysia, Acarologia 59 (4), pp. 456-474 : 466-473

Leptotocepheus murphyi ( Mahunka, 1989)

( Figures 8–13 )

Supplementary description — Measurements – Body length: 630–946 (21 specimens: 11 females and 10 males); notogaster width: 232–398 (21 specimens). Length/width ratio 2.3–2.7. Females larger than males: 813–946 × 365–398 versus 630–730 × 232–282.

Integument ( Figs 8a, 8b , 9b, 9c , 12 a-d, 13a, 13b) – Body color brown, but legs, genital plates, subcapitular genae and anterior part of chelicerae dark brown. Body covered by layer

of colorless, gel-like cerotegument. Body surface microgranulate. In addition, prodorsum, notogaster, anogenital region and anterior part of ventral plate foveolate (diameter of foveolae up to 16); region between costulae sometimes slightly rugose. Costulae partially foveolate. Lateral parts of body (between bothridia and acetabula I–III) without tubercles (their diameter up to 8).

Prodorsum ( Figs 8a , 9a, 9b , 12 a-c, 13b, 13c) — Rostrum broadly rounded. Costulae well developed, long, reaching bothridia basally and lamellar setae distally. Tutorial ridges absent. One lateral carina between acetabulum I and insertion of rostral seta present on each side. Rostral (65–69) and lamellar (77–82) setae setiform, shortly ciliate on dorsal sides, curving and directed anteromedially. Interlamellar setae (98–110) thickened, barbed. Exobothridial setae Pedotecta I represented by large lamina, pedotecta II represented by small lamina. Discidia elongate triangular.

Anogenital region ( Figs 8b , 9b, 9c , 12b , 13a ) – Aggenital lyrifissures not visible. Four pairs

of genital (20–24) and one pair of aggenital (49–61) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Three pairs of adanal (57–59) and two pairs of anal (45–53) setae thickened, barbed. Adanal lyrifissures diagonal, slightly distanced from anal aperture, located between anal aperture and insertions of adanal setae ad 3. Circumventral ridge present, but poorly visible ( Fig. 12b ).

Legs ( Figs 10a, 10b , 11a, 11b , 12a, 12b , 13a, 13b ) – Claw of each leg strong, slightly barbed dorsally. Tarsi with one pair of distinct teeth on dorsal side. Porose areas present on all femora and on trochanters III, IV (well visible in dissected specimens). Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-4-3-4-16) [1-2-2], II (1-4-3-3-15) [1-1-2], III (2-3-1-2-15) [1-1-0],

IV (1-2-2-2-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Solenidion 1 φ on tibiae I setiform, others bacilliform. Famulus of tarsi I short, erect, distally blunt, inserted posterior to solenidia. Setae u setiform on tarsi I, II and spiniform on tarsi III, IV.

Material examined — Twenty one specimens (11 females and 10 males): Malaysia, Perak District, 50 km NE to Gerik, Titiwangsa, 05°36’17.4”N, 101°32’34.0”E, alt. 1100 m, forest complex Belum–Temenggor, litter, 30 March–13 April 2015 (E. Jendek & O. Šauša).

Remarks — Morphological traits – Based on the supplementary description and original description ( Mahunka 1989), the following diagnostic morphological traits for L. murphyi are proposed:

Body size: 630–946 × 232–398. Body surface microgranulate; prodorsum, notogaster, anogenital region and anterior part of ventral plate foveolate. Rostral and lamellar setae long, setiform, shortly ciliate. Interlamellar and 10 pairs of notogastral setae long, thickened, barbed. Bothridial setae distinctly or slightly dilated mediodistally. Lateral prodorsal and lateral notogastral condyles tubercle-like, medial prodorsal condyles broadly rounded, three medial notogastral condyles (one pair of additional condyles and one median unpair condyle) tubercle-like. Epimeral and genitoaggenital setae setiform, slightly barbed. Adanal and anal setae thickened, barbed. Adanal lyrifissures diagonal. Setae u setiform on tarsi I, II and spiniform on tarsi III, IV.

Comparison – Our specimens of L. murphyi are morphologically identical to the Singapore specimens from the original description ( Mahunka 1989). Only one slight difference is present: bothridial setae usually distinctly dilated mediodistally versus bothridial setae near setiform, slightly dilated in median part (only one our specimen has similar structure of bothridial setae).

Also, we have found that sometimes the median unpaired notogastral condyle is lacking in four males in Malaysia versus always developed. Thus, these morphological nuances must be considered in future identifications of L. murphyi .

Figures

Figure 8 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult: a – dorsal view (gnathosoma and legs omitted); b – ventral view (legs omitted). Scale bar 100 μm.

Figure 9 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult: a – prodorsal and notogastral condyles (unpair median notogastral condyle not developed), dorsal view; b – anterior part of body, lateral view (gnathosoma and legs omitted); c – posterior part of body, lateral view; d – subcapitulum, ventral view; e – palp, right, antiaxial view; f – anterior part of chelicera, left, paraxial view. Scale bar 50 μm (a), scale bar 100

Figure 10 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult: a – leg I, right, antiaxial view; b – leg II, right, antiaxial view. Scale bar 50 μm.

Figure 11 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult: a – leg III, left, antiaxial view; b – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 50 μm.

Figure 12 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult, SEM photos: a – dorsal view; b – lateral view; c – basal part of prodorsum and anterior part of notogaster, anterior view; d – mediobasal part of notogastral setah1, and notogastral foveolae. Scale bar 100 μm (a), scale bar 200 μm (b), scale bar 20 μm (c), scale bar 10 μm (d).

Figure 13 Leptotocepheus murphyi (Mahunka, 1989), adult, SEM photos: a – ventral view; b – anterior view; c – bothridial seta. Scale bar 200 μm (a), scale bar 100 μm (b), scale bar 10 μm (c).