Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) paralemurius, Niedbała, Wojciech & Starý, Josef, 2016

Niedbała, Wojciech & Starý, Josef, 2016, New and little known species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Madagascar, Zootaxa 4103 (6), pp. 587-599 : 595

Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) paralemurius sp. nov.

( Fig. 3A–K )

Measurements of holotype. Prodorsum: length 185, width 109, height 68; prodorsal setae: sensillus 71, interlamellar 20, lamellar 5, rostral 18, exobothridial 10; notogaster: length 329, width 233, height 100; notogastral setae: c 1 43, c 1 /c 1– d 1=0.5, h 1 45, ps 1 40; genito-aggenital plate 68 × 58, ano-adanal plate 83 × 51.

Measurements of paratype I (sample MAG-281): Prodorsum: length 185, height 61; prodorsal setae: sensillus 56, interlamellar 18, lamellar 7, rostral 15, exobothridial 5; notogaster: length 313, height 227; notogastral setae: c 1 61, c 1 /c 1– d 1=0.9, h 1 58, ps 1 45.

Measurements of paratype II (sample MAG-274): Prodorsum: length 177, height 66; notogaster: length 343, height 227; notogastral setae: c 1 68, c 1 /c 1– d 1=0.8.

Description. Small-sized species. Colour brownish. Surface of body covered with fine foveoles.

Prodorsum with low median crista. Sigillar regions feebly visible, median narrow, longer than laterals. Lateral carinae absent. Posterior furrows feeble. Sensilli long, asymmetrically dilated, covered with small spines laterally. Other prodorsal setae fine, very short, lamellar setae minute, rostral setae straight in holotype but curved in paratypes; mutual length of setae: ss> in> ro> ex> le (in paratype le>ex).

Notogaster with weak anterior hood visible in holotype but absent in paratypes; notogastral setae fine, smooth, procumbent, c 1/ c 1– d 1= 0.5 in holotype and 0.8 or 0.9 in paratypes; setae c 1–3 situated near anterior border, c 2 slightly remote from border in holotype and more remote in paratypes; vestigial setae and lyrifissures invisible.

Ventral region. Setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them; arrangement of genital setae: 5:4; anoadanal plates with minute setae, setae ad 2 situated near anal setae, between setae an 1 and an 2, setae ad 3 remote from paraxial margin.

Legs. Chaetome of legs of “complete type ” but we found in holotype the different location of setae d of femora I, at distal end of article on left femur and remote from article on right femur; both paratypes with arrangement of setae as in left femur of holotype.

Material examined. Holotype and four paratypes are deposited at DATE from locus typicus MAG-131, Ambohitantely Special Reserve, 18°10'53.9" S, 47°17'22.4" E, 1518 m a.s.l., forest near waterfall, sifting of forest litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, 0 2. 0 9. 2011, leg. L. S. Rahanitriniaina, one paratype is deposited at ISB from locality MAG-274, North Madagascar, Montagne d'Ambre National Park, circuit Ampijoroana, 12°31'28" S, 49°09'52" E, 950 m a.s.l., evergreen rain forest, sifting of leaf litter sample under big tree, Winkler apparatus extraction, 13. 0 1. 2015, leg. P. Baňař and E. M. Rabotoson, and one paratype is deposited at NHMG from locality MAG-281, North Madagascar, Montagne de Francais, 12°19'23" S, 49°33'92" E, 250 m a.s.l., seasonal deciduous forest, sifting of leaf litter on rock sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, 19. 0 1. 2015, leg. P. Baňař and E. M. Rabotoson.

Etymology. The prefix para is Latin meaning “near” and refers to the similarity the new species with Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) lemurius Mahunka, 1993 .

Comparison. The new species is similar to A. (H.) lemurius Mahunka, 1993 by the shape and length of sensilli and prodorsal setae and arrangement of setae of genito-aggenital and ano-adanal plates. It is distinguishable by the absence of hollow in anterior part of notogaster, slightly bigger size of body (> 500 µm in A. (H.) paralemurius versus <450 µm), longer notogastral setae (c 1/ c 1– d 1> 0.4 in A. (H.) paralemurius versus <0.2) ( Mahunka 1993). Some differences between holotype and paratypes are probably due to remoteness of the localities.

Distribution. Madagascar, probably endemic species.

Figures

FIGURE 3 A – K. A – I. Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) paralemurius sp. nov. (holotype). J, K. paratype. A, prodorsum, dorsal view; B, prodorsum, lateral view; C, opisthosoma, lateral view; D, dorsal view of notogaster; E, mentum of subcapitulum; F, left genito-aggenital plate; G, right ano-adanal plate; H, left trochanter and femur of leg I; I, right trochanter and femur of leg I; J, prodorsum, lateral view; K, anterior part of opisthosoma, lateral view. Scale bars 100 µm (A, B, C, D, H, I, J, K), scale bars 50 µm (E, F, G).