Jugatala cribelliger

Bayartogtokh, B. & Schatz, H., 2008, Trichoribates and Jugatala (Acari: Oribatida: Ceratozetidae) from the Central and Southern Alps, with notes on their distribution, Zootaxa 1948, pp. 1-35 : 28-32

Jugatala cribelliger (Berlese, 1904)

(Figs. 15-17)

Oribates cribelliger Berlese 1904, p. 28, fig. 46.

Oribates cribelliger . Castanogli & Pegazzano 1985, p. 96.

Ceratozetes cribelliger : Schweizer 1956, p. 313, fig. 258.

Mycobates cribelliger : Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp 1995, p. 84, figs. 155, 156.

Jugatala cribelliger : Subías 2000, p. 23.

Mycobates (Calyptozetes) cribelliger Subías 2004, 183; 2008, p. 344.

Trichoribates oxypterus : Schatz 1989, p. 120.

Diagnosis. Rostrum broadly rounded, without lateral dens, with a nose-like protuberance dorsally; all prodorsal setae finely barbed; lamella relatively wide, with medium long, thin translamella; lamellar cusp with or without minute lateral dens; inner dens absent; sensillus short, with smooth clavate head; tutorium medium in size, its basal part approximately same in width, cusp widened proximally, but pointed distally; 10 pairs of notogastral setae of medium length, thin, smooth, dp absent; porose areas round to oval, outer margin poorly developed; lenticulus absent; all ventral setae thin, smooth.

Measurements. (n = 8) Body length 418-433 (425) µm; length of notogaster 342-369 (358) µm; width of notogaster 266-281 (274) µm.

Integument. Body colour yellowish brown. With thin cerotegument, surface of dorsal and ventral plates nearly smooth.

Prodorsum (Figs. 15A, B, E, 16A-D). Rostrum broadly rounded, smooth, without lateral dens, with a nose-like protuberance dorsally. All prodorsal setae finely barbed, subequal in length; interlamellar seta short, just reaching level of translamella. Lamella relatively wide, with long, but thin translamella; lamellar cusp with or without minute lateral dens; medial dens absent (Fig. 16B-D). Sensillus short, with smooth clavate head (Fig. 15B). Bothridium large, with strongly developed bothridial scale svm, latter not pointed, but rounded distally. Tutorium medium in size, extending to alveolus of rostral seta; width of its basal part approximately same; proximal part of cusp widened, but pointed distally (Fig. 15E).

Notogaster (Figs. 15A, G, 16E). About 1.3 x longer than wide. Surface smooth. Anterior margin of notogaster broadly arched anteriad, lenticulus absent. Pteromorph small, curved ventrally. Ten pairs of notogastral setae thin, smooth, dp absent. Porose areas round to oval, their outer margins poorly developed; Aa and A1 larger than A2 and A3 (Fig. 15C). Lyrifissures ia, im, ih, ips, ip and opisthosomal gland opening small.

Gnathosoma (Figs. 15D, 16F, G). Subcapitular mentum conspicuously wider than long, without microtubercles. Hypostomal setae a, h, m of medium length, thin, smooth. Palp and chelicerae typical for family as shown in Fig. 16F, G.

Epimeral region (Fig. 15D). Apodemes well developed, apo 2 and apo sj long, aligned obliquely, nearly parallel to each other; apo 3 short. Epimeral setae thin, smooth; setae 1c, 3b and 3c slightly longer than others, setal formula 3-1-3-3. Custodium short, just reaching anterior margin of pedotectum II; discidium markedly projecting laterally.

Ano-genital region (Fig. 15D, F, G). Anal aperture slightly larger than genital aperture, anal and genital plates smooth. All ano-genital setae thin, smooth; adanal setae ad3 situated in a relatively posterior position; placement of genital setae somewhat variable as shown in Fig. 15D, F; setal formula same as in the previous species. Adanal lyrifissures lad short, situated at same level as anal seta an2, close to anterolateral margin of anal aperture. Postanal porose area narrowly elongate, slightly shorter than distance between bases of adanal setae ad2 (Fig. 15G).

Legs (Fig. 17). Medial claw much thicker than lateral claws. Formula of leg setation (including famulus): I (1-5-3-4-20); II (1-5-3-4-15); III (2-3-1-3-15); IV (1-2-2-3-12); formula of solenidia: I (1-2-2); II (1-1-2); III (1-1-0); IV (0-1-0). Most leg setae distinctly barbed, except (p) and (u) on tarsi I-IV Setae l" on tibiae and genua I-IV thicker than other setae, heavily barbed.

Material examined. Austria, East Tyrol, Kalser Dorfertal - Daberklamm , in loose gravel with cushion plant Vegetation (1520 m a.s.l., 17 July 1988, leg. H. Schatz, 4 ad.) ; ibid. , (01 September 1988, leg. H. Schatz, 1 ad.), sub Trichoribates oxypterus (Schatz 1989) , Italy, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Plattkofel/Sasso Piatto , calcareous screen with grass, moss and herbs (2200 m a.s.l., 30 June 2007: 4 ad., leg. B. M. Fischer; Fischer and Schatz 2007) .

Remarks. The main characters of the present material agree with those of the type specimen, examined by Mahunka and Mahunka-Papp (1995) and the material from Switzerland studied by Schweizer (1956). Since the original description of this species the generic Status has been changed several times. Schweizer (1956) considered it as a member of Ceratozetes , while Mahunka and Mahunka-Papp (1995) moved it to the genus Mycobates . Recently, Subías (2000) combined it with Jugatala . Later, Subías (2004, 2008) moved this species again to Mycobates (Calyptozetes) .

We consider this species a member of Jugatala (fam. Ceratozetidae ) since it lacks the posterior notogastral tectum, which is one of the main characters of the representatives of adult Mycobatidae (Behan-Pelletier 2000; Behan-Pelletier & Eamer 2008). The setation of legs also confirms this opinion.

Distribution. This species is distributed in the Central and south-western Europe, and has been recorded in Northern Italy, Austria, Switzerland and in the Iberian Peninsula - Portugal and Spain (Schweizer 1956; Subías 2000; Bernini et al. 1995; Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp 1995, and present study).