Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis, Hugo, Elizabeth A., 2008

Hugo, Elizabeth A., 2008, Three new species of Austrocarabodes (Oribatida: Carabodidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 1844, pp. 25-36 : 30-32

Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis sp. nov.

Figs 4–5

Specific diagnosis. Small, light brown to yellowish species; sensillus with long, slender peduncle, head strongly recurving, surface distinctly spinose; notogastral and prodorsal setae long, narrow, phylliform, strongly serrated; surface of prodorsum and notogaster finely foveate, punctate between foveae; setae 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a short, smooth, setae 1b, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c long, smooth.

Dimensions. Length: Females (n = 13) 627 µm (range 560–710), males (n = 16) 549 µm (range 510–630). Width: Females 346 µm (range 300–400), males 306 µm (range 270–360). Holotype (male): Length 530 µm, width 300 µm.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 4 A). Surface finely foveate, punctate between foveae, foveae not clearly visible; surface of lamellae smooth; rostrum rounded, ro curving slightly medially, inserted on tubercle on translamella, with strong midrib and minute barbs, apex pointed, same length as le; le with midrib, apex pointed, its anterior margin serrated; in with strong midrib, edges strongly serrated, directed outwards, longest of prodorsal setae, shorter than mutual distance; ss with long, slender peduncle, head strongly recurving back to peduncle, surface distinctly spinose; bothridium internally with strong vertical ribs.

Notogaster ( Figs 4 A, 4B). Surface finely foveate, punctate between foveae, similar to structure on prodorsum; humeral region strongly developed; notogastral setae long, narrow with midrib, strongly serrated, tips pointed ( Fig. 4 B); seta c1 almost reaching alveolus of da, seta da and dm far apart, distance c1-c1 shorter than c1-c2.

Coxisternal region ( Fig. 4 C). Epimeral surface and mentum finely punctate; punctation on mentum finer than on epimeres; setae 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a short, smooth; setae 1b, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c smooth, long; seta 1b longest, 4a shortest.

Anogenital region ( Fig. 4 C). Surface foveate, finely punctate between foveae, similar to structure on notogaster, although foveae more clearly visible; genital and anal plates very finely punctate; genital and anal setae short, spiniform; aggenital seta slender, long, smooth; adanal setae thin phylliform, finely serrated, similar to notogastral setae, but much smaller.

Legs ( Fig. 5 ). Setation of legs I–IV (solenidia in parentheses) (including famulus): trochanters 1-1-2-1, femora 4-4-3-2, genua 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2, tibiae 4(2)-3(1)-2(1)-2(1), tarsi 16(2)-15(2)-15-11 (see Table 1 for setation detail); setae (u) proximally dilated, tapering abruptly into short, slender tip; seta d on genu of legs I- IV bladelike, strongly serrated; seta l” on femur of legs I-III bladelike, strongly serrated.

Material. The holotype (3480.11.1) and paratypes are deposited in the National Museum, Bloemfontein. The holotype and paratypes were sampled in the Savanna biome ( Rutherford et al. 2006), at Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in soil and leaf debris under shrubs (30º22’S, 30º35’E).

Collection data. Savanna biome: Greytown (29º03’S, 30º55’E, moss under trees next to the road), Kranskop/Stanger (29º05’S, 31º06E; 29º24’S, 31º06’E; 29º24’S, 31º17’E, soil with decomposed grass and leaves), Inchanga (29º34’S, 30º34’E, soil with ferns under trees), Hillcrest (29º39’S, 30º37’E, soil with ferns). Grassland biome: The Downs (24º06’S, 30º08’E, soil with decomposed leaves in indigenous forest), Ladysmith (33º22’S, 21º36’E, decomposed leaves under shrubs), Sabie (25º06’S, 30º53’E, soil in dense indigenous forest), Mtubatuba (28º24’S, 32º09’E, soil underneath Acacia karoo trees). Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome: Penicvik (28º35’S, 32º08’E, soil of coastal forest) Lower Umfolosi flats (28º31’S, 32º19’E, soil of coastal forest), Port Shepstone (30º42’S, 30º14’E, soil with plant debris). Fynbos biome: Betty’s Bay (34º21’S, 18º55’E, decomposed plant debris under shrubs). For distribution see map ( Fig. 8 ).

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality – Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Remarks. Other species with similar ornamentation on the prodorsum and notogaster as A. vernoncrookensis , as well as phylliform setae include A. maculatus Hammer, 1966 ( New Zealand), A. nodosus Hammer, 1966 ( New Zealand); A. obscurus Aoki, 2006 ( Japan) ; A. curvisetiger Aoki, 1982 ( Japan) and A. schauenbergi Mahunka, 1978 ( Reunion) . However, none of these species have the strongly serrated phylliform notogastral and prodorsal setae as seen in A. vernoncrookensis .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis sp. nov. A—Dorsal view with magnifications of lamellar seta (le) and sensillus (ss). B—detail of notogastral seta (dm) and ornamentation on notogaster. C—Ventral view. Scale bar 100 µm.

FIGURE 5. Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis sp. nov. Leg I, right, antiaxial view. Scale bar 100 µm.

FIGURE 8. Map of South Africa showing the distribution of A. hendriksi (filled squares), A. vernoncrookensis (filled circles) and A. luciensis (filled triangles).