Geminoppia amatholensis, Ermilov, Sergey G., Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Khaustov, Alexander A., 2021

Ermilov, Sergey G., Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Khaustov, Alexander A., 2021, Contribution To The Knowledge Of Geminoppia (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae), With Description Of A New Species From South Africa, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 67 (3), pp. 211-222 : 213-219

Geminoppia amatholensis sp. n.

( Figs 1–5)

Diagnosis. Body size: 348–415 × 215–232. Rostrum rounded. Without costula and transcostula. Rostral and lamellar setae of medium length, setiform, barbed. Interlamellar and exobothridial setae short, setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Bothridial seta long, with small head, barbed. Nine pairs of notogastral setae present: c, h 2 and p 1 – p 3 short, setiform, thin, slightly barbed; la, lm, lp, and h 1 long, setiform, slightly swollen apically, barbed; la located anterior to lm, h 2 posterolateral to lp. Discidium absent.

Description. Measurements. Body length 415 (holotype), 348–415 (seven paratypes); body width 215 (holotype), 215–232 (seven paratypes). No distinct difference between males and females in body size.

Integument ( Figs 5A, E). Body color light brown. Body surface microporose (visible only under high magnification in dissected specimens, × 1000). Lateral part of rostrum with microfoveolate region. Lateral part of body between bothridium and acetabula I–III partially tuberculate (diameter of tubercle up to 4) and microtuberculate (diameter of tubercle less than 1).

1

3

Prodorsum ( Figs 1A, 2A, 5A, B). Rostrum rounded. Rostral and lamellar setae (36–41) setiform, barbed. Interlamellar (10–14) and exobothridial (10–12) setae setiform, straight, thin, slightly barbed. Insertion of lamellar seta located closer to insertion of interlamellar seta than to rostral seta. Bothridial seta (86–90) clavate, barbed. Alveolar vestige of second exobothridial seta distinct. Interbothridial region with three pairs of poorly observed muscle sigillae. Interbothridial and postbothridial tubercles not observed. Longitudinal row, comprising several muscle sigillae, present in front of the bothridium.

Notogaster ( Figs 1A, 2A, B, 5C, D). Anterior border convex medially, slightly developed. Nine pairs of notogastral setae present (h 3 and their alveolus completely absent): c (6–8), p 1 (28–34), h 2 (16–24), and p 2, p 3 (8–10) setiform, thin, slightly barbed (visible under high magnification); la, lm, lp, and h 1 (114–131) setiform, slightly swollen apically, barbed, inserted in two longitudinal, parallel rows. All notogastral lyrifissures, opisthonotal gland opening, circumgastric scissure, and circumgastric sigillar band distinct.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 2C–E, 5E). Subcapitulum longer than wide (77–90 × 53–61). Subcapitular setae setiform, slightly barbed, a (16–18) shorter than m (28–30) and h (26–28).Adoral seta (8–10) setiform, thin, smooth. Palp (53–57) with setation 0-2-1-3-8(+1 solenidion). Solenidion bacilliform, slightly swollen apically and connected with seta ul’. Postpalpal seta (4) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera (77–90) with two setiform, heavily barbed setae, cha (28–32) thickened, indistinctly swollen apically, chb (16–20) setiform. Trägårdh’s organ elongate triangular.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs 1B, 2A, 5F). All epimeral setae (1b, 1c, 3b, 3c, and 4a: 36–45; 4c: 28–32; 1a, 2a, 3a, and 4b: 16–24) setiform, slightly barbed. Discidium not developed.

Anogenital region ( Figs 1B, 2A, B, 5G, H). Genital seta (10–16), aggenital (16–24), adanal (16–24), and anal (16–24) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Two pairs of genital papillae visible, the first pair not observed. Adanal lyrifissure distinct. Preanal organ caecum-like. Ovipositor elongated (110 × 36), blade (41) shorter than length of distal section (beyond middle fold; 69). Each of the three blades with four smooth setae, ψ 1 ≈ τ 1 (20) setiform, ψ 2 ≈ τa ≈ τb ≈ τc (12) thorn-like. All coronal setae not observed.

Leg ( Figs 3A, B, 4A, B). Leg claw slightly barbed on dorsal side. Trochanter III with one or two small teeth posteriorly. Porose area on all femora well visible, but not observed on trochanters. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-2-4-20) [1-2-2], II (1-5-2-4-16) [1-1-2], III (2-3-1-3-15) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-2-3-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Setae p setiform on tarsi I, and very short, conical on tarsi II-IV. Famulus of tarsus I minute, erect, slightly swollen apically, inserted posterior to ω 1. Solenidia ω 1 on tarsi I, ω 1 and ω 2 on tarsi II and σ on genua III slightly bacilliform, other solenidia setiform, slightly swollen apically.

Material examined. Holotype (male) and seven paratypes (three males and four fe- males): South Africa, Amathole mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, Hogsback State Forest at the village of Hogsback, 32°35’21.6”S, 26°57’38.5’’E, indigenous Afromontane mixed forest ( MUCINA & GELDENHUYS 2006), consisting of tall trees (dominant species, e.g. Afrocarpus falcatus (yellowwood), Celtis africana (white stinkwood), Calodendrum capense (Cape chestnut) and Vepris lanceolata (white ironwood)) and a dense understorey of shrubs, herbs and moss, in moss on unknown tree, 14.IX.2019 (collected by V. A. Khaustov, S. G. Ermilov, E. A. Hugo-Coetzee, and A. A. Khaustov).

Type deposition. The holotype (male) is deposited in the collection of the National Museum Bloemfontein, South Africa ( NMB); seven paratypes (three males and four fe- males) are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia ( TSUMZ). All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol .

Etymology. The specific name amatholensis refers to the Amathole mountains, where the new species was collected. notogastral seta lm; D = part of lateral side of notogaster; E = gnathosoma, lateral view; F =

part of epimeral region; G = genital plates; H = part of anoadanal region

Remarks. Distinctive characters of the new species with the other species of the genus Geminoppia can be found in the identification key below.