Beckiella disiuncta, Mahunka, 2006

Mahunka, S., 2006, Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) From Venezuela, Ii. New Or Rare Species From Montane Forests, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (3), pp. 271-286 : 275

Beckiella disiuncta sp. n.

( Figs 6–9 )

Diagnosis: Costulae absent. Prodorsal surface with a pair of large, irregular, laterally framed fields. Sensillus short, directed laterally, its head fusiform. Dorsosejugal suture well observable, convex, ten pairs of heterogenous notogastral setae present. Epimeral setae partly flagellate, long. Tarsus of leg IV without a large, triangular elevation.

Material examined: Holotype: Estado Mérida. Secondary mesic forest N of Mérida town, on the ridge above the district of Maria Norrte , at 1800 m alt. Litter. 27. March 1997. Coll. S. & T . PÓCS (No. 9741) . Four paratypes from the same sample. Holotype (1702-HO–05) and 3 paratypes (1702-PO-05): HNHM , 1 paratype: MHNG .

Measurements: Length of body: 499–700 µm, width of body: 237–287 µm.

Prodorsum: Rostral apex slightly elongate. Prodorsum with a pair of large fields, framed by thin lines medially and a pair of distinct ones laterally ( Fig. 6 ). Costulae absent. Rostral and lamellar setae setiform, their distal end directed inwards, distinctly barbed, interlamellar and exobothridial setae simple, thin and smooth. Sensillus short, directed outward; its head roundish and finely aciculate.

Notogaster: Distinct and wide dorsosejugal suture present, curved medially and posteriorly. Ten pairs of heterogenous notogastral setae present, setae c 2 short, thin, sometimes hardly visible. Setae la also thin, curved, directed outwards ( Fig. 8 ). Setae lm and the other setae setiform or bacilliform, well, or slightly pilose. Setae lm, lp, h 1 and h 2 curved, with very short bristles, the remaining ones bacilliform, rarely pilose. No essential difference in their length, only setae h 3 shorter than setae p 1 – p 3.

Lateral part of podosoma: Tutorium well developed, pedotectum 1 long.

Ventral parts ( Fig. 7 ): Infracapitulum simple. Epimeral setal formula: 1–0–2–3. Setae 1c, 3b and 3c much longer than the others. All apodemes and borders well developed, composing a contiguius network. Longitudinal one also well visible. All setae in the anogenital region short, adanal setae bacilliform, the others setiform.

Legs: Tarsus IV simple, without apophysis or other elevation ( Fig. 9 ).

Remarks: The new species is most similar to B. silvai BALOGH et MAHUNKA, 1979 , however, the notogastral setae of the new species are very long, much longer than the similar ones of B. silvai .

Etymology: Named after the separate large reticulate fields on the prodorsum.

Figures

Figs 6–9. Beckiella disiuncta sp. n. 6 = body in dorsal view, 7 = body in ventral view, 8 = humeral part of the notogaster, 9 = leg IV