Notophthiracarus sidorchukae Niedbała, 2019

Niedbała, Wojciech, Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2019, New Notophthiracarus species (Acarina, Oribatida, Phthiracaridae) and overview of the distribution of the genus in South Africa, Zootaxa 4647 (1), pp. 231-240 : 232-234

Notophthiracarus sidorchukae Niedbała sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Measurements. Species of medium size. Holotype. Prodorsum: length 263, width 202, height 131. Prodorsal setae: ss 60.7, in 60.7, le 53.7, ro 25.9, ex 7.6. Notogaster: length 520, width 379, height 318. Notogastral setae: c 1 88.5, h 1 and ps 1 75.9. Genitoaggenital plate 136 × 111. Anoadanal plate 167 × 121.

Integument. Colour dark brown. Surface of body covered with deep, sparsely distributed foveoles and also very strong cerotegument.

Prodorsum. With strong median crista. Lateral carinae weak reach the sinus. Posterior furrows weak. Sigillar fields not visible due to strong sculpture. Strong hump present above bothridia. Sensilli rather short with fusiform head covered with small scales, not so bristly as notogastral setae. Interlamellar and lamellar setae also thickened, covered with strong bristles. Rostral and exobothridial setae short, setiform. Distance between rostral setae only slightly shorter than distance between interlamellar setae. Relative length of setae: in>le=ss>ro>ex.

Notogaster. With setae thick, distally swollen, short (c 1 <c 1 - d 1), covered with strong spines in distal half. Setae c 3 situated on the anterior margin, c 1 and c 2 remote from margin, c 1 shorter than c 2. Typical vestigial setae and lyrifissures not observed, probably due to strong sculpture.

Ventral region. Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them. Genitoaggenital plates with formula of genital setae: 4: 5 ( Niedbała 1986). Anoadanal plates with anal and ad 3 thick, ciliate, slightly similar to interlamellar and lamellar setae, setae ad 1 and ad 2 vestigial situated posterior of anal setae.

Legs. Formulas of setae and solenidia of “complete type ” ( Niedbała 2000). Setae of femora I equally removed from anterior part of segment, setae d bifurcated distally.

Material examined

Holotype: South Africa, Western Cape, Wilderness, Kaaimansgat estuary, next to a gorge, 33°59.350’S, 22°33.058’E, 4 m a.s.l., coastal forest, soil, sample at base of a tree, 28.IX.2018 (J.A. Neethling).

Type deposition

The holotype (in ethanol with drop of glycerol) is deposited in AMU.

Etymology

The species is named after the late Dr. Ekaterina A. Sidorchuk (Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia), a well-known acarologist.

Remarks

The new species is similar to Notophthiracarus cristatus Niedbała, 2006 from South Africa by the presence of a median crista on the prodorsum, similar shape of sensilli, and similar rostral setae and length and general shape of notogastral setae, but differs from the latter by: the more bristly notogastral setae; arrangement of genital setae 4: 5 (versus 4+1: 4); the presence of thick anal and adanal setae ad 3 similar to interlamellar and lamellar setae (versus these setae minute); and bifurcated setae d of femora I (versus not bifurcate).

Notophthiracarus sidorchukae sp. nov. is slightly similar to another South African species, N. reductus ( Mahunka, 1986) , due to the presence of a median crista on the prodorsum and the general shape of notogastral setae, but differs from the latter by: the different shape of prodorsal setae (especially sensilli); setae c 1-3 situated near or at margin of anterior margin of notogaster (versus distanced from anterior margin of notogaster); different arrange- ment of genital setae 4: 5 (versus 5: 4); adanal setae ad 2 situated posterior of anal setae (versus situated between anal setae); and setae d of femora I situated in almost equal distance of other setae (versus situated posterior of other setae).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Notophthiracarus sidorchukae Niedbała sp. nov. (holotype): A—prodorsum, dorsal view; B—prodorsum, lateral view; C—prodorsum, ventral part, lateral view; D—notogaster, anterior part, lateral view; E—notogaster, posterior part, lateral view; F—mentum of subcapitulum; G—left genitoaggenital plate; H—left anoadanal plate; I—trochanter and femur of leg I; J—anterior part of femur of leg I. Scale bars 100 µm (A, B, D, E), 50 µm (C, F, G, H, I), 25 µm (J).