Notophthiracarus matatatipu, Liu, Dong & Zhang, Zhi-Qiang, 2013

Liu, Dong & Zhang, Zhi-Qiang, 2013, The genus Notophthiracarus of New Zealand (Acari: Oribatida: Phthiracaridae): three new species and a key to 24 described species, Zootaxa 3682 (2), pp. 392-400 : 395

Notophthiracarus matatatipu sp. nov.

( Figs. 11–20 )

Material examined: Holotype: adult ( NZAC, in alcohol, 77/27), New Zealand: FD, Darran Mts., Tutoko Bench, 1585 m.a.s.l., from crevice plants (wet, sheltered), 10 Jan., 1977, leg. J. S. Dugdale. Paratypes: four adults ( NZAC, in alcohol, 77/27), same data as holotype; one adult ( NIGA, in alcohol, 77/27), same data as holotype.

Etymology. Named after the habitat where the new species was collected; matata is Māori for crevice and tipu is Māori for plant; used here as a noun in apposition.

Description. Measurements. Holotype: Prodorsum: length 330, width 240, height 110, setae: ss 20, ro 50, le 15, in 185, ex 25; notogaster: length 670, width 430, height 410; setae: c 1 200, d 1 155, e 1 150, h 1 165, ps 1 180; ventral region: ad 1 160, ad 2 155, ad 3 55, an 1 75, an 2 75; genitoaggenital plate 145×150, anoadanal plate 130×255. Paratypes: Prodorsum: length 340̲412, width 240̲285, height 120̲150; notogaster: length 680–855, width 435̲ 542, height 455̲550.

Integument. Colour grey-brown. Surface of body finely punctate, except prodorsum weakly foveolate.

Prodorsum ( Figs. 11 ̲13). Median crista and lateral carinae absent; sigillar fields distinct, dorsal field narrow, bifurcate anteriorly; posterior furrows absent; sensilli (ss) very short with narrow pedicel and fan-like head, covered with minute spines distally; interlamellar setae (in) long and erect, covered with minute spines in distal half; lamellar setae (le) minute; rostral setae (ro) short, thin and spiniform; exobothridial setae (ex) short and fine; comparative length: in> ro> ex> ss>le.

Notogaster ( Fig. 11 ). 15 pairs of setae present, medium long (c 1> c 1– d 1), thick, covered with small spines in distal half, setae c 1 longest, setae e 2, h 3 and ps 4 shortest; setae c 2 more far away from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3; vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1; two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 16–18 ). Subcapitulum normal ( Fig. 16 ); setae h, m, and a simple and smooth; setae h shorter than distance between them; adoral seta or 1 apparently flat with barbs; or 2–3 simple and smooth; palp ( Fig. 17 ) 4-segmented, with femur and genu fused; palpal setation: 0-2-2-7(1); supracoxal seta simple and smooth; chelicera ( Fig. 18 ) with two smooth setae (cha, chb).

Ano-genital region ( Figs. 11, 14–15 ). Nine pairs of genital setae (g) arranged with formula: 5: 4; one pair of aggenital setae (ag) present; anoadanal plates each with five setae (ad, an), setae ad1 and ad 2 rough, straight, longer and thicker than other setae; setae ad 3 shorter and slightly thinner, but much thicker than genital setae; comparative length: ad 1> ad 2>an 1 =an 2>ad 3.

Legs ( Figs. 19–20 ). Setal counts for leg segments (without tarsi): I: 1-4-2(2)-4(1); II: 1-3-4(1)-3(1), III: 2-2- 1(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1-2(1); setae d on femora I inserted at level of setae v’’; setae a’’ on tarsi I and setae ft’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae a’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae s and pv’ on tarsi IV present; setae s on tarsi I and II absent.

Remark. This new species is similar to Notophthiracarus quietus Niedbała, 1989 in the presence of long and thick interlamellar setae, short lamellar setae, similar length of rostral setae, exobothridial setae present, dorsal region of sigillar fields bifurcate anteriorly, vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1, two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present, genital setae with formula: 5: 4, setae ad 3 much thicker than genital setae, and setae v’ on femora I present, but can be easily distinguished from the latter species by the following eight characters (a versus b): in N. matatatipu sp. nov., (1a) lateral carinae and posterior furrows absent; (2a) dorsal region of sigillar fields narrow; (3a) head of sensilli fan-like; (4a) interlamellar setae much longer (in 185), ex> ss; (5a) notogastral setae much longer (e.g. c 1 200, c 1> c 1– d 1), pointed distally and covered with small spines in distal half; (6a) setae ad2 straight, not hooked distally; (7a) setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them; (8a) setae d on femora I not forked distally; in N. quietus , (1b) lateral carinae and posterior furrows present; (2b) dorsal region of sigillar fields broad; (3b) head of sensilli rounded; (4b) interlamellar setae shorter (in 129), ex = ss; (5b) notogastral setae much shorter (e.g. c 1 106, c 1<c 1– d 1), obtuse distally and densely barbed in distal half; (6b) setae ad 2 hooked distally; (7b) setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; (8b) setae d on femora I forked distally.

This new species is also similar to the species Notophthiracarus abstemius Niedbała & Colloff, 1997 but differs by the following eight characters (a versus b): in N. matatatipu sp. nov., (1a) surface of notogaster finely punctate, not foveolate; (2a) dorsal region of sigillar fields narrow, bifurcate anteriorly and longer than lateral ones; (3a) exobothridial setae very short (ex 25), ro> ex; (4a) sensilli short (ss 20), with fanlike head and covered with minute spines distally; (5a) notogastral setae much longer (e.g. c 1 200, c 1/ c 1– d 1>1); (6a) vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1; (7a) setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them; (8a) setae d on femora I inserted at level of setae v’’; in N. abstemius , (1b) surface of notogaster finely foveolate; (2b) dorsal region of sigillar fields broad, not bifurcate anteriorly and similar in length with lateral ones; (3b) exobothridial setae much longer (ex 80), ex> ro; (4b) sensilli much longer (ss 40), with fusiform and smooth head; (5b) notogastral setae much shorter (e.g. c 1 124, c 1/ c 1– d 1=0.72); (6b) vestigial setae f 1 positioned anterior to setae h 1; (7b) setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; (8b) setae d on femora I inserted posterior to the level of setae v’’.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 20. Notophthiracarus matatatipu sp. nov.: 11, lateral view of body (legs removed); 12, prodorsum, dorsal view; 13, sensillus, dorsal view; 14, left side of genito-aggenital plate; 15, left side of anoadanal plate; 16, subcapitulum, palpi removed; 17, palp, antiaxial view; 18, chelicera, antiaxial view; 19, trochanter and femur I; 20, tibia IV. Scale bars: 11, 12, 14, 15 = 100 μm; 16 – 20 = 50 μm; 13 = 25 μm.