Phthiracarus paralaevigatus, Niedbała & Starý, 2010

Niedbała, Wojciech & Starý, Josef, 2010, Three holarctic new species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida), Zootaxa 2625 (1), pp. 63-68 : 65

Phthiracarus paralaevigatus sp. nov.

( Figs 5–11 )

Measurements of holotype: prodorsum: length 409, width 323, height 162, sensillus 76, setae: interlamellar 147, lamellar 74, rostral 81, exobothridial 68; notogaster: length 858, width 596, height 576, setae: c 1 119, h 1 81, p 1 58; genitoaggenital plate 187 x 136, anoadanal plate 252 x 106.

Description: Rather large species. Colour brown. Integument densely porous.

Prodorsum with distinct and long lateral carinae. Sigillar fields narrow, median slightly shorter than lateral ones. Sensilli short (shorter than exobothridial setae), narrow, slightly spindle-shaped, pointed distally, smooth, covered with myelin membrane. Setae of medium length, attenuate, in> ro> le> ex.

Notogaster with 15 pairs short setae, setae c 1 shorter than distance c 1 -d 1 (c 1 / c 1 -d 1 = 0.59). Setae c 3 near the anterior border, setae c 2 more remote than setae c 1. Vestigial setae f 1 far posteriad of setae h 1. Two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present.

Ventral region. Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them. Formula of genital setae: 4+3: 2, setae g 3 posteriorly of setae g 5. Anoadanal plates with well-developed anal and adanal setae. All setae except shorter ad 3 setae similar in length.

Setation of legs complete. Setae d of femora I remote from anterior end of article.

Material: Holotype (in DATE). Slovakia, [6879], Malá Fatra Mts. , near trail down from Minčol to Vrútky, 24.VI.1988, altitude 1240m, 49 o 06´38,92´´ N, 18 o 49´37,46´´ E, climax spruce forest with dominant Picea abies, spruce litter sample, leg. J. Starý

Etymology: The prefix para is Latin meaning “near” and refers to the similarity the new species with Phthiracarus laevigatus .

Comparison: The new species is similar to some other Palaearctic species but is distinguishable by the following characters: sensilli short, shorter than exobothridial setae, relatively short notogastral setae, presence of two pairs of lyrifissures, between genital setae, setae g 3 located posteriorly of setae g 5, all adanal setae well developed.

Comparison to similar species: Phthiracarus laevigatus (C.L. Koch, 1841) has all four pairs of lyrifissures and adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 vestigial; P. ferrugineus (C.L. Koch, 1841) has longer sensilli and setae of body; adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 vestigial; P. lentulus (C.L. Koch, 1841) has longer setae of body, adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 vestigial and setae d of femora I near anterior end of article.

Figures

FIGURES 5–11. Phthiracarus paralaevigatus sp. nov.: 5, prodorsum, lateral view; 6, prodorsum, dorsal view; 7, lateral view of opisthosoma; 8, mentum of infracapitulum; 9, genitoaggenital plate; 10, anoadanal plate, 11, trochanter and femur I.