Torpacarus eidikoterai, Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Leiva, Sergio & Jordaan, Anine, 2018

Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Leiva, Sergio & Jordaan, Anine, 2018, The family Lohmanniidae (Acari, Oribatida) II: two new Oribatid mites, Meristacarusperikopesis sp. n. from Costa Rica and Torpacaruseidikoterai sp. n. from Kenya, ZooKeys 743, pp. 43-66 : 47-48

Torpacarus eidikoterai sp. n. Figures 29-34, 35-37, 38-41, 42-46, 47-52, 53-54, 55-58

Etymology.

The specific epithet eidikoterai is derived from eidikótera (ειδικότερα in Greek meaning particular in English), due to specimen characteristics.

Type material.

Holotype. ♀ Female KEN 77-42. Tana. River distr. Lac Shakababo près de Ngao. Tamisage broussailles avec des cactées. 28. X. 1977. LEG. V. Mahnert & J.L. Perret". Material deposited in the Collection of the Museum of Natural History, Geneva. Paratypes. same data, 2 ♀♀ deposited in MHNG; preserved in 70 % ethanol.

Diagnosis.

Microsculpture. Areolate: prodorsum, except for CSO zone; entire notogaster lateral to BPAD; near setal insertion p2, p3 extending to acetabulum IV; epimeral zone. Smooth: anterior prodorsal zone of CSO; anterior notogastral zone; anterior epimeral zone; central epimeral zone behind v.sj furrow; internal preanal zone; adanal plate. Colliculate: epimeral zone at level of acetabulum IV; around 4a epimeral setal insertion; lateral adanal zone and BPAD; elevated ridges on genital plate. Prodorsum. Rostrum weakly bilobate with small central structure; elevated smooth longitudinal zone with CSO; externally to exa, exp, le and ro setae, flat elevated margin extending dorsally, terminating near rostrum; ovoid ring-shaped bothridium, lateral opening; internal bothridial ring pronounced on cuticular surface; sensillus bipectinate; postbothridial transverse band sb forming shallow groove, transversal prodorsal band sb present. Notogaster. Sixteen pairs of primary notogastral setae: c1, c2, c3, d1, d2, d3, e1, e2, f1, f2, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3; setae c1,c2 d1, d2,e1 either with few barbs, or nail-shaped. Transversal bands not observed, six paired depressions at, mt; nt, pt, mt1, pt2 present, depressions not crossing medial notogastral plane. Ventral region. Epimeral setal formulae (3-1-4-4).

Description.Measurements.SEM 756 (727-780) × 337 (281-400) μm (n: 8). Light microscopy: 775 (751-811) × 342 (334- 403) μm (n:4).

Shape. Elongate-oval (Figures 29, 36).

Colour. Specimens without cerotegument: brown-light red; slightly shiny when observed in reflected light.

Cerotegument. Not detected.

Integument. Microsculpture varying according to body region: areolate (Figures 39, 53 indicated by diamond symbol): entire prodorsum (Figures 29, 35, 53, 55, indicated by diamond) besides medial anterior zone of CSO (Figures 39, 40, indicated by diamond see below); entire notogaster (Figures 29, 35, 37, 38, 53, 54 indicated by diamond) lateral to BPAD near setal insertion p2, p3 extending to IV acetabulum (Figures 37, 42, 52, 54, indicated by diamond); epimeral zone (Figures 42, 47, 54, 56, 57, 58, indicated by diamond). Smooth on anterior prodorsal zone of CSO (Figures 39, 40, indicated by large dot); anterior notogastral zone (Figures 29, 35, 38 indicated by large dot); anterior epimeral zone (Figure 47, indicated by large dot), central epimeral zone behind v.sj furrow (Figure 47 indicated by large dot); subcapitulum (Figures 45, 46 indicated by large dot); preanal zone and internal zone adanal plate (Figure 52 indicated by large dot); colliculate epimeral zone at level of acetabulum IV (Figure 47, indicated by diamond made up of 4 smaller diamonds); around 4a epimeral setal insertion (Figure 51 indicated by diamond made up of 4 smaller diamonds); lateral adanal zone and BPAD (Figure 52 indicated by diamond made up of 4 smaller diamonds); elevated ridges on genital plate (Figure 51).

Setation (legs not included). Two types of setae: smooth and barbate: subcapitular setae a, adoral setae, or1, or2, or3 (Figures 45, 46). The second type consists of different sub-types: large seta with large barbs: prodorsal setae, notogastral setaec3, d3, e2, f1, f2, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3; adanal setae (Figures 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 48, 52). Small setae with few barbs or nail-shaped: notogastral setae c1, c2, d1, d2, e1 (Figures 32, 33). Small setae with a few long barbs: epimeral setae (Figure 44); genital setae (Figure 50), in some instances genital setae are observed lacking barbs, with feint dentition or smooth (Figure 49). Medium length setae with barbs aligned on either side: subcapitular setae h, m1, m2 (Figure 43), sometimes limited dentition between the two setal alignments.

Prodorsum. Polyhedral in dorsal view, between bng and le setal insertion levels (Figure 29, 36); anterior zone between le setal level and rostrum beak-shaped (Figures 29, 36).Lateral view triangular to polyhedral (Figures 35, 38). Polyhedral in frontal view between bng and le setal insertion level, elongate between le setal insertion level and rostrum (Figure 39), ro setae and CSO observed in elongate zone; typical areolate microsculpture also present; however in the medial anterior apical zone (forward ro setae) an elevated smooth longitudinal zone and CSO are observed (Figures 39, 40 indicated by large dot). Rostrum weakly bilobate with a small central structure (Figures 39, 40 indicated by solid upwards arrow); flat elevated margin extending dorsally, observed laterally up to smooth elevated longitudinal zone, terminating near rostrum (Figures 39, 40 indicated by solid leftwards arrow) on either side of prodorsal area, externally to exa, exp, le, ro setae, derived from margin of lateral depression housing legs; ro setal length 57 (55-59) μm, erect, apically curving backwards (Figures 39, 40); le 92 (90-94) μm, erect, directing upwards (Figures 38, 39); exa 31 (32-34) μm, directing externally and upwards (Figures 38, 39); exp 90 (87-92) μm, externally directed (Figures 38, 39); in 89 (98-79) μm, erect, directing upwards, slightly backwards (Figures 38, 39).

Ovoid, ring-shaped bothridium (bo), slightly elevated from cuticular surface (Figures 30, 35, 38, 39, 41); lateral opening. Internal bothridial ring structure pronounced on cuticular surface (Figures 30, 41). Sensillus (Si) length: 67 (60-86), bipectinate (Figures 30, 35, 36) with 15-21 large pectines on one side and small on the other (Figures 30, 41), sometimes small pectines are difficult to observe on Si stem (Figures 30, 35, 36, 41). Post bothridial transverse band sb forming shallow groove, posterior to bo, setae in situated on groove margin (Figures 29, 35, 36, 38); conspicuous in dorsolateral (Figure 30), frontal (Figure 39) and dorsoposterior view (Figure 53).

Notogaster. Sixteen pairs of primary notogastral setae: c1, c2, c3, d1, d2, d3, e1, e2, f1, f2, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3 clearly discernible (Figures 29, 35, 36, 38, 53). Small notogastral setae, usually barbate c1, c2, d1, d2, e1 length 37 (36.5-38) μm; sometimes seta e modified to nail-shaped: 18 (17-19) μm; large notogastral setae c3, d3, e2, f1, f2, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3: 106 (105-108) μm. Transversal bands of the type described in Meristacarus not observed, however clearly visible depressions in dorsoposterior-anterior view (Figure 53), with similar positioning of band indicated by Grandjean (1950) (see Remarks); depression mt behind d2,d3 setal insertion; oblique depression nt behind f1, h2setal insertion; pt depression behind h1 setal insertion level (Figure 53).

Three other depressions: at situated behind c2, c3setal insertions; mt1 situated parallel to mt; pt2 only visible in ventro posterior-anterior (Figure 54) view, situated between h2, h3 setae (Figure 53). None of these depression crossing medial notogastral plane.

Five pairs of lyrifissures present: ia, ip, im, ip, ih and ips; im behind d2, d3 (Figure 35); ip behind f2 (Figure 37); ia at level of c3setal insertion (Figure 37); ih anterior to h2 setal insertion; ips situated on the adanal fold band (BPDA) (Figure 35).

Posterior anterior view. Dorsoposterior-anterior view (Figure 53). Bulged, distended body shape. All transversal depressions easily observed: bd, b.ng, at, mt, mt1, nt, pt.

Ventral posterior-anterior view (Figure 54). Epimeral depressions: three paired and one unpaired; depression pt2clearly visible (indicated by upwards white bar arrow).

Lateral region. Only transversal prodorsal band sb and notogastral depressions mt1, pt, pt2 (Figure 38) discernible. Flat smooth elevated margin, derived from lateral depression housing legs (Figures 38, 39, 40 indicated by solid leftwards arrow), extending to leg I-III (Figures 38, 55, 56, 57), clearly visible. Large spur present between legs I and II (Figures 38, 55, 56 indicated upwards white bar arrow). Anterior notogastral zone with conspicuous tectum and clearly defined unsclerotized lateral longitudinal line (Figures 35, 38) extending to h3 setal insertion level. Where unsclerotized line absent, notaspis and pleuraspis not delimited (Figures 35, 38) on posterior notogastral zone.

Ventral region. Subcapitulum polyhedral, posterior zone ovoid; spur visible behind subcapitular setae m2 insertion level, in marginal position (Figure 45) in an area with colliculate microsculpture (Figure 45 indicated by large diamond made up of 4 diamonds). Four pairs of subcapitular setae a, m1, m2, h. Length a: 44 (42-46) μm; h: 39 (38-40) μm; m1: 33 (31-35) μm; m2: 42 (38-46) μm.

Adoral setae (Figures 45, 46): or1 large, teardrop-shaped; or2 elongate, wide, terminating in acute end; or3 long and thin, sharply tipped. Length: or1: 30 (29-2) μm; or2: 42 (43-45) μm; or3: 20 (19-22) μm.

Coxisternal region divided into two parts by ventrosejugal groove (Figures 42, 47). Apodemes clearly visible; most of epimeral zone integument smooth (Figures 42, 47 indicated by large dot); areolate microsculpture in marginal zones posterior to acetabulum I-IV, and anterior to v.sj groove (Figure 42, 47 indicated by diamond). Zone posterior to acetabulum III, v.sj groove and some epimeral zones colliculate (Figure 47 indicated by diamond made up of 4 diamonds). Epimeral setal formulae 3-1-4-4) (Figure 47). Length of setae: 26 (23-29) μm; barbs of epimeral setae: 6 (4.3-7.5) μm. Genital plate undivided, rounded; ten pairs of setae, some instances asymmetric with only nine on one side; microsculpture of elevated ridges (Figure 51). Setal length: 32(31-34) μm. Preanal plate smooth, more or less triangular, rounded in central zone (Figure 52 indicated by large dot). Central zone of adanal plate smooth (Figure 52 indicated by large dot); zone near BPAD and BPAD colliculate; adanal setae length: 81(79-91) μm; BPAD band clearly visible; lyrifissure ips present near band margin (Figures 37, 42, 52).

Legs (Figures 55-58). Two types of femora distinguished. Femora legs I and II displaying underdeveloped ventral blade (Figures 55, 56); femora legs III and IV with large ventral blade (Figures 57, 58). Setal formulae I (0-4-3-4-15-1) (2-1-2); II (0-5-3-4-13-1) (1-1-1); III (2-4-2-2-11-1) (1-1-0); IV (2-3-2-2-10-1(1-0-0).

Remarks.

Porose areas were not observed. Shallow depressions indicated by Grandjean (1950) as mt, nt and pt are present, three further depressions were observed: at situated in front of mt; mt1 behind mt; and pt2 behind pt; pt2 is a deep depression, clearly visible with optical microscopy and SEM. In Torpacarus omittens Grandjean (1950), mt and nt cross the medial notogastral plane; however, in T. eidikoterai sp. n. none of the observed depressions observed cross the medial notogastral plane.