Protectoribates occidentalis, Behan-Pelletier, 2017

Behan-Pelletier, Valerie M., 2017, Tegoribatidae of North America, with proposal of Protectoribates gen. nov., and new species (Acari, Oribatida, Tegoribatidae), Zootaxa 4337 (2) : 155-163

Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 2, 3 , 4A–D , 5A–E , 6 , 7A–E , 22F, G )

Material examined: Holotype: adult female, USA, Oregon, Coos Co., Seven Devil’s Road, alder litter, 2.i.1977 (LR), deposited in the CNC, type number 24349 . Paratypes: 5 females, 5 males with same data as holotype ; Oregon, Curry Co., Loeb State Park, 8 mi. NE Brookings, 12.viii.1985 (EEL) 20 adults from rotting log; Curry Co., 2 mi S Pistol R., 2.i.1977 (LR) 1 female from moss in dune slack; Curry Co., Siskiyou National Forest (SNF), Shrader Old Growth Trail, 10mi on Jerry’s Flat Rd. , 42.491N, 124.284W , 22.iii.2004, (VBP), 20 adults from litter of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana , fir, Tanoak; same collecting information, except 15 adults from mixed litter with Douglas fir, rhododendron, Tanoak ; SNF, Forest Road 0 20, bridge on South Fork , Bald Mt. Creek , 42.705N, 124.395W , 17.iii.2004 (VBP) 6 from myrtle and Red cedar litter; SNF, Butler Bar Campground on Elk River Road , 42.73N, 124.27W , 18.iii.2004 (VBP) 20 adults from mixed litter of Douglas fir, Tanoak, Madrone; Polk Co., Mt. Riley, 5.xii.1976 (LR) 1 male from moss on N cliff; Tillamook Co. , Cliff Creek Trail, 19.xii.1976 (LR) 6 adults. Paratypes deposited in the CNC, USNM, and RNC.

Other Material Examined: USA, California, Del Norte Co., Oak Flat Trail, off Oak Flat Road, 42.491N 124.284W, 21.iii.2004 (VBP) 4 from Chamaecyparis lawsoniana: Douglas fir, Tanoak litter; Humboldt Co., Prairie Creek State Park, 7.v.00 (M.A. Camann) 20; Tehama Co., 4mi SW Platina Beegum Creek, 2250’, 3.xii.1986, (D.S. Chandler) 8 from Quercus durata litter; Matea Co., 6 mi SE Half Moon Bay, 13.vi.1981 (D.S. Chandler) 10 from Redwood litter; Marin Co., Taylor State Park, 7.xii.1958 (C.W. O’Brien) 2 from Redwood duff; Monterey Co., Lighthouse Point, Pacific Grove, 27.vii.1981 (J. B. Hoy) 6 from Cypress litter; Monterey, Jack's Peak Regional Park, 850' elev, 12.ix.1978 (DEW) 2 from litter in mature, even age Pinus radiata plantation; San Mateo Co., Point Ano Nuevo, 12.ix.1978 (DEW) 3 from litter in mature, even age Pinus radiata plantation; San Louis Obispo Co., Cambria, 2.vii. 1979 (DEW) 2 from Pinus radiata litter; Santa Cruz Co., 3 mi F. Laurel, 3.vi.1973 (Burdick) 1; Del Norte Co., Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park off Rt. 199, 21.iii.2004, 38.898N 77.037W (VBP) 20 from Redwood and ferns litter in Redwood forest; Smith River National Recreation Area, Darlingtonia Trail, of Rt. 199, 21.iii.2004 (VBP) 3 from litter of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana in riparian area; Colorado, Mesa Co., 6400’, Colorado National Monument, Upper No Thoroughfare Canyon, 27.v.1988 (DEW), 6 from Quercus gambellii litter; New Mexico: Sierra Blanca Recreation Area, 15 mi NW Ruidoso, 11500’, 26.vii.1973 (EEL) 1 from alpine shrub litter; McGaffey Campground, 8000’ 20 mi SE Gallup, 26.viii.1973 (EEL) 2 from ponderosa pine duff, 4 from oak-pine litter; Arizona, Rustler Park, 8500’, 50 mi SE Willcox, 4–5.viii.1973 (EEL) 9 from fern litter; 1 from oak litter; Canada, British Columbia, Cathedral Provincial Park, Glacier Lake, 2210m, 7.vii.1986 (VBP) 2 from Antennaria lanata and Luzula parviflora on dry S-facing slope; Vancouver Island, MacMillen Provincial Park, Cathedral Grove, 18.vi.1987 (R.A. Norton & M.C. Clayton) 2 from litter in 300 yr old virgin cedar/Douglas-fir forest.

Diagnosis. Adult. Total length 288–336. Notogaster with 4 pairs porose areas, 9–15 in diameter. Notogastral setae smooth, 10–15 long, setae subequal in length; lm posterolateral of Aa and lp medial of A1. Lamella 81–92 long; depth of V-shaped indentation about 9. Lamellar seta about 15 long. Interlamellar setae 8–11 long, subequal in shape to lamellar setae. Bothridial seta spindle-shaped, 81–101 long, spindle about 20–33; spindle often broken. Ah maximum depth subequal to aperture, about 7.5. Tutorium 67–75 long, of which cusp 10–19. Custodium broadly rounded distally, 9–12 long. Carina on tibia II with large anterior tooth and 1–2 smaller, more posterior teeth.

Description. Adults. Dimensions: Total length: females (n = 10) 327 (312–336); males (n = 10) 307 (range 288–331). Notogastral width: females (n = 10) 235 (221–240); males (n = 10) 220 (range 206–230).

Integument: Generally smooth; with paired, shallow longitudinal grooves on ventral plate, extending from level of custodium to anal plate ( Fig. 5B ). Lamella posterolaterally, and pedotectum I with fine irregular striae ( Figs. 5D, E ). Epimeres I–III microtuberculate.

Prodorsum: Seta ro 19–23 long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially ( Figs. 3 , 5C ); mutual distance of pair about 41. Lamella 81–92 long, V-shaped indentation about 9 long. Lamellar seta arising anteriorly on fused lamellae, about 15 long, setiform; mutual distance 15–18 ( Figs. 1 , 5D ). Seta in about 8–11 long, smooth, acuminate; mutual distance about 34 ( Fig. 1 ). Bothridial seta spindle-shaped, 81–101 long, spindle about 20–33 but often broken. Seta ex about 27, barbed overlain by pedotectum (only alveolus illustrated in Fig. 3 ).

Lateral region of podosoma: ( Fig. 5E , arrow). Tutorium 67–75 long, of which cusp 10–19 ( Figs. 3 , 5D ). Custodium broadly rounded distally, 9–12 long ( Figs. 2 , 7B ). Saccule Ah large, deep; maximum depth subequal to aperture, about 7.5 ( Figs. 7C, D ).

Notogaster: Slightly longer than wide: 1.1:1. Porose areas Aa 9–15 in diameter, A1–A3 about 9 at widest. Notogastral setae smooth, 10–15 long, subequal in length; lm posterolateral to Aa ( Fig. 1 ); lp dorsocentrally positioned, well medial to A1; mutual distance of h1–h1 about 36, of p1–p1 about 27.

Ventral Region: Epimeral setae 9–15 long, thin, smooth, acuminate, except 1c slightly barbed and thicker than other epimeral setae. Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth; genital setae about 20, others 6–8.

Gnathosoma: Axillary saccule at base of palp 4 x 2. On palptarsus solenidion and eupathidium acm running parallel for most of length, bases slightly separated. Cheliceral seta cha 24 long, chb 28 long. Mentum without tectum ( Fig. 5E ). Length of seta m>a>h.

Legs: Setae l” of genua and tibiae I and II setose, subequal in shape to other genual and tibial setae. Seta pv ’’ of tarsus II strongly barbed ( Figs. 4B , 7E ). Carina on tibia II with large anterior tooth and 1–2 smaller teeth posteriorly ( Figs. 4B , 5D , left arrow, 7E).

Immatures. Dimensions: Mean length: protonymph (n =1) 235; deutonymph (n = 1) 256; tritonymph (n = 3) 310 (289–340); measurements based on slide-mounted specimens. Length of prodorsal and hysterosomal setae given in Table 1.

Protonymph ( Fig. 7F ). Integument: Sclerotized with very light brown coloration. Cerotegument of tightly packed platelets, about 1 in width covering all of body and leg segments, making observation of leg setae difficult.

Prodorsum: Aspis with faint, porose area extending from posterior margin to setae in and bothridium to level of setae le. Seta ro finely barbed along length, tapered; le, in and ex smooth, isodiametric. Mutual distance of setae ro-ro, le-le and in-in about 9, 15 and 24, respectively. Bothridial seta long, barbed, clavate, head subequal in length to stalk, without distal spindle.

Gastronotic Region: Integument without sclerites; orientation of plicae more transverse anteriorly, more labyrinth-like posteriorly ( Fig. 7F ). Mutual distance of setae da-da, dm-dm and dp-dp about 24, 32 and 16, respectively.

Ventral Region: Medial margin of epimeral plates weakly defined. Epimere I with narrow mentotectum, divided medially with overlapping edges. Epimeral, genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth, isodiametric, about 10 long. Porose integument surrounding opening of opisthonotal gland not evident.

Gnathosoma: Axillary saccule present. Palpal eupathidium acm attached to solenidion along distal threequarters of solenidial length (as for adult).

Legs: Proral setae of tarsus I eupathidial. Subunguinal seta of tarsus I of normal form and inserted distal to antelateral pair as in adult. Porose areas present on femora I–IV. Distal setae of tarsi I–IV blunt. Seta d of femora I– IV barbed, tapered. Solenidion and coupled seta d of tibia I on anterodorsal tubercle. Seta d of genua I-III and tibiae I-IV very thin, short, at most third length of companion solenidion, appearing as minute spines closely adpressed to base of solenidion, easily overlooked.

Deutonymph. As for protonymph, except for size. Mutual distance in-in about 25, distance le-le about 12. Gastronotal setae thin, smooth, almost isodiametric.

Tritonymph ( Fig. 6 ). As for protonymph and deutonymph, except for size. Mutual distance of setae ro-ro, lele and in-in about 23, 12 and 28, respectively. Gastronotal setae thin, smooth, almost isodiametric; mutual distance of setae da-da, dm-dm and dp-dp about 27, 34 and 12, respectively.

Development. Development of epimeral setae (protonymph to adult): 3-1-2-1, 3-1-2-2, 3-1-2-3, 3-1-3-3. Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae (protonymph to adult): 1-3-5-6, 1-1-1-1, 0-0-2-2, 0-2-3-3, respectively. Development of leg setae and solenidia given in Table 2 .

Etymology. The specific epithet ‘ occidentalis ’ is from the Latin for ‘western’ and refers to the distribution of this species in western North American states and provinces from California to British Columbia. There is a record of this species from Arkansas, from chicken manure, but, in the absence of records from natural habitats, this seems to be an introduction.

Remarks. This species closely resembles the description and illustration of Tegoribates trifolius Fujikawa, 1972 , which according to this author has “long baciliform sensilli and monodactyle legs” ( Fujikawa 1972). The body length of T. trifolius also falls within the range of Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov. The two taxa are possibly conspecific, but the type specimen and paratopotype of T. trifolius cannot be found in their stated depository, the National Science Museum, Tokyo, and I have been unable to get non-type material from Japanese colleagues to compare.

Gut contents of adults and immatures included fungal hyphae, spores and undetermined material. Gravid females had 2 eggs.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., adult female, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated; dorsophragmata indicated by arrows. Scale bar = 50 µm.

FIGURE 4. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., adult female, A, leg I, B, leg II, C, leg IV, all antiaxial aspect. Legs I and II, trochanter not illustrated. Scale bar = 20 µm.

FIGURE 5 A – E. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., scanning electron microscope images of adult female from California; A. habitus dorsal; B, habitus ventral, with arrow to custodium; C, frontal aspect; D, dorsolateral of prodorsum, with arrow to spindle end of bothridial seta (bo), second arrow to genal incision and third arrow to carina on tibia II; E, ventrolateral of prodorsum, with arrow to ridge on genal tooth. Scale bars: A, B = 25 µm, C – E = 15 µm.

FIGURE 6. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., tritonymph, dorsal aspect. Scale bar = 50 µm.

FIGURE 7. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., differential interference contrast microscope images, A – E adults; A, bothridium and bothridial seta (5 layers), with arrow to nerve canal of seta le on lamella; insert of bothridium showing scales; B, custodium and discidium (3 layers), with arrow to broad, rounded anterior edge of custodium; C, porose organ Ah, lateral view, with arrow to surrounding cerotegument (3 layers); D, dissected specimen with Ah in direct view (2 layers); E, genu, tibia and tarsus II, with white arrow to dentate carina on tibia (2 layers) and narrow black arrow to seta pv ”; F, protonymph (2 layers), dorsal view. Scale bar: A = 25 µm; B = 10 µm; D = 7.5 µm; F = 50 µm.

FIGURE 22. Differential interference contrast microscope images of adults; A – D, Tegoribates walteri sp. nov., A, part of prodorsum (4 layers) showing lamella, bothridium, bothridial seta, interlamellar seta, with arrow to fused dorsophragmata; B, hinged pteromorph (3 layers); C, coxisternal region showing custodium (arrow) and pedotectum II (3 layers); D, porose area Aa and surrounding muscle sigillae (5 layers). E, Tegoribates subniger Ewing, lateral of podosoma, showing elongated, bent femur I (indicated by arrow); F, G, Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., detail of preanal organ; H, Hypozetes laysanensis Aoki, detail of preanal organ; I, Tectoribates borealis Behan-Pelletier & Walter, detail of preanal organ. Scale bars: A, B, E = 25 µm; C, D = 20 µm.

FIGURES 2 – 3. Protectoribates occidentalis sp. nov., adult female, legs not illustrated; 2, ventral aspect; 3, lateral aspect, only alveolus of seta ex illustrated, gnathosoma not illustrated. Scale bar = 50 µm.