Notophthiracarus obliquus, Niedbała & Starý, 2015

Niedbała, Wojciech & Starý, Josef, 2015, The next new species of Notophthiracarus Ramsay, 1966 (Acari, Oribatida, Phthiracaroidea) from Madagascar, African Invertebrates 56 (1), pp. 63-63 : 68-73

Notophthiracarus obliquus sp. n.

Fig. 4

Etymology: The specific name of the new species is Latin obliquus (slanting or sideways) and alludes to the oblique location of genital setae g 6–9.

Description:

Measurements (holotype). Prodorsum: length 333, width 212, height 126; setae: ss 61, in 123, le 18, ro 45, ex 20; notogaster: length 555, width 404, height 399; length of notogastral setae: setae c 1 124, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =1.0, genitoaggenital region 139×96, anoadanal region 134×76.

Integument. Colour yellow, surface of body punctated.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 4A, B ). Lateral carinae short. Sigillar fields well developed, median slightly longer than lateral ones. Sensilli short, club-liKe, smooth. Prodorsal setae filiform, attenuate, procumbent, in> le> ro> ex.

Notogaster ( Fig. 4C ). Fifteen pairs of filiform, attenuate notogastral setae, majority of them long (c 1> c 1 - d 1), with exception minute setae c 3, cp, ps 4. Setae c 1 and c 2 remote from anterior margin of notogaster, setae c 3 near notogastral margin. Vestigial setae f 1 situated posterior of setae h 1. All lyrifissures ia, im, ip and ips present.

Ventral region ( Fig. 4D, E ). Setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them. Formula of genital setae: 5:4, five pairs of setae in longitudinal row in progenital position, genital setae g 6–9 located slightly obliquely. Anoadanal plates each with five setae, anal setae distanced from each other, adanal setae ad 1 situated antero-laterally to anal setae an 1, adanal setae ad 2 antero-laterally to anal setae an 2; only adanal setae ad 1 long, filiform and attenuate, other setae minute.

Legs ( Fig. 4F, G ). Leg formulae of setae and solenidia of “complete type ”. Setae d on femora I long, ciliate and situated at distal end of article.

Holotype: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park , Vatoharanana, 4.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°17'33.6"S 47°25'57.6"E, 1163 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-209 ( DATE).

Remarks: The new species is extraordinary among congeners by the presence of an unusual arrangement of genital setae in two rows (one row oblique), heterotrichy of notogastral setae, setae c 3, cp, and p 4 minute, other setae long, filiform and attenuate, and ciliate setae d of femora of legs I.

Notophthiracarus quasisimilis sp. n.

Fig. 5

Etymology. The prefix quasi (near) is Latin and refers to the similarity of the new species to Notophthiracarus similis Niedbała, 2001 .

Description:

Measurements (holotype). Prodorsum: length 333, width 212, height 126, setae: ss 61, in 123, le 18, ro 45, ex 20; notogaster: length 555, width 404, height 399; length of notogastral setae: c 1 124, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =1.0, genitoaggenital region 139×96, anoadanal region 134×76.

Integument. Colour yellow. Surface of body covered with strong sculpture of irregular, deep foveoles.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 5A, B ). Prominent median crista present. Lateral carinae and posterior furrows absent. Median sigillar field broad anteriorly and longer than lateral fields. Sensilli long with thin pedicel and club-like head covered with small spines. Interlamellar setae long, robust, covered with dense spines in distal half. Lamellar and exobothridial setae minute. Rostral setae spiniform, rough, directed inward.

Notogaster ( Fig. 5C ). Median, well-framed flat field present, 15 pairs of medium-size notogastral setae robust, similar to interlamellar setae, covered with spines in distal half, all dorsal setae situated below median flat field. Setae c 1 slightly remote from anterior margin of notogaster, setae c 3 situated almost at notogastral border, setae c 2 far from notogastral border. Two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present. Vestigial setae not visible because of strong sculpture.

Ventral region ( Fig. 5D–G ). Formula of minute, genital setae: 5:4. Anoadanal plates with five pairs of rough setae, adanal setae ad 2 longest and thickest, obtuse and bent distally, adanal setae ad 1 longer than anal setae, adanal setae ad 3 minute.

Legs ( Fig. 5H ). Chaetome of complete type; setae d on femora I slightly remote from distal end of article.

Holotype: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park , Vatoharanana, 4.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°17'33.6"S 47°25'57.6"E, 1163 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-209 ( DATE).

Paratypes: 19 specimens, same data as holotype, MAG-209 ( DATE) ; 14 specimens: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park , 1.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°15'10.3"S 47°25'01.2"E, 1077 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-207 (8 ISB & 6 NHMG) ; 1 specimen: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park , Vatoharanana, 3.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°16'42.2"S 47°26'18.2"E, 1000 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-208 ( NHMG) .

Remarks: The characters of the new species are the same as those of Notophthiracarus similis Niedbała, 2001 described from Madagascar, with the exception of a prominent prodorsal crista, irregular deep foveoles on the body and setae h of the mentum longer than the distance between them in N. quasisimilis (Niedbała 2001) .

Figures

Fig.4.Notophthiracarusobliquus sp.n. (holotype):(A) prodorsum,dorsal view;(B) prodorsum, lateralview; (C) opisthosoma, lateral view; (D) mentum of infracapitulum; (E) genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates; (F) trochanter and femur of leg I; (G) tibia of leg IV.

Fig.5. Notophthiracarus quasisimilis sp. n. (holotype): (A) prodorsum, dorsal view; (B) prodorsum, lateral view; (C) notogaster, lateral view; (D) anoadanal plate, lateral view; (E) mentum of infracapitulum; (F) genitoaggenital plate; (G) anoadanal plate; (H) trochanter and femur of leg I.