Plonaphacarus foveolatus, Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011

Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011, Review of Plonaphacarus (Acari: Oribatida: Steganacaridae), with descriptions of eight new species from China, Zootaxa 2739, pp. 1-26 : 11-13

Plonaphacarus foveolatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 27–33 )

Material examined. Holotype: adult (in alcohol, L-0140), China: Anhui Province, Tiandu Peak of Mountain Huangshan (29º42'52.91"N, 118º20'14.91"E), from litter, 27 Oct., 1995, leg. Qing-Tian Li. Paratypes: two adults (in alcohol, L-0077), China: Anhui Province, Mountain Huangshan, Yungu Temple (30° 7'11.04"N, 118°11'34.97"E), from litter, 27 Oct., 1995, leg. Yan-Xuan Zhang; two adults (in alcohol, LD-07-152), China: Guangdong Province, Mountain Nankunshan (23°36'47.37"N, 113°51'13.85"E), from litter, 6 May, 2002, leg. Zhi- Wei Li; three adults (in alcohol, CG078), China: Guangxi Province, Jinxiu, Mountain Shengtangshan (23°58'24.71"N, 110° 5'35.44"E), from moss, 1900M, 29 Jun., 2000, leg. Jun Chen.

Etymology. The new specific name “ foveolatus ” is from Latin, and refers to the foveolate surface of body.

Measurements: Holotype: Prodorsum: length 280, width 175, height 120, setae: ss 35, ro 29, in 107, le 20, ex 17, distance between setae: ro -ro 48, in -in 75, le -le 115; notogaster: length 532, width 345, height 325; setae: c1 100, c2 95, c3 90, c p 100, d1 85, d2 80, e1 100, e2 105, h1 105, h2 95, h3 85, ps1 100, ps2 100, ps3 85, ps4 70; distance between setae: c1-d1 95, d1-e1 186, e1-h1 95, h1-ps1 100; ventral region: ad1 85, ad2 115, ad3 40, an1 55, an2 55; genitoaggenital plate 145×120, anoadanal plate 202×110.

Colour brown. Surface of body foveolate.

Prodorsum with one pair of short lateral carinae, weakly developed, not reaching sinus; dorsal and lateral region distinct; posterior furrows present; sensilli short and smooth, with narrow pedicel and rounded head; interlamellar setae long, robust, erect, covered with small spines in distal half; lamellar setae thin, short, semi-erect and smooth; rostral setae thin, smooth and procumbent; exobothridial setae short and fine; comparative length: in>ss> ro>le> ex.

Notogaster with 15 pairs of setae, relatively long (c1> c1-d1), robust, covered with small spines in distal half, setae e2 and h1 longest, setae ps4 shortest; setae c1-3 slightly remote from anterior border, setae c2 more so than c1 and c3; vestigial setae f1 not observed; two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present.

Nine pairs of genital setae present, arranged in two rows with formula: 7(4+3): 2; one pair of aggenital setae present; anoadanal plates each with five well-developed setae, setae ad2 longest, setae ad3 shortest, shorter than anal setae.

Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; chaetotaxy of legs (without tarsi): I: 1-4-2(2)-5(1); II: 1-3-2(1)-3(1), III: 2-2-1(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1-2(1); v’’ / v’ (femora I)=3; setae d on femora I situated near distal end of article; setae a’’ on tarsi I, setae a’’ and ft’’ on tarsi II straight distally; setae s and pv’ on tarsi IV and setae s on tarsi I and II present; setae l’ on genua IV reduced; setae d on tibiae IV long, independent of solenidions; all legs monodactylous.

Distribution. China (Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi).

Remark. This new species is similar to P. rotundus sp. nov., but differs by the following characters: In P. rotundus , prodorsum with two pairs of distinct dorsal carinae; lateral carina absent; genital setae with formula: 6(4+2): 3. In P. foveolatus , prodorsum without dorsal carina; lateral carinae present; genital setae with formula: 7(4+3): 2. In addition, these two species differ from each other by different shape of sensilli.

This new species is also similar to P. kugohi ( Aoki, 1959) , but can be easily distinguished by the following characters: In P. kugohi , lateral carinae strong and long, extend beyond sinus and reach end of rostrum; sensilli long with narrow pedicel and sickle-like head, covered with short spines; rostral setae semi-erect; genital setae with formula: 6(4+2): 3; setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them. In P. foveolatus , lateral carinae short, weakly developed, not reaching sinus; sensilli short and smooth, with narrow pedicel and rounded head; rostral setae procumbent; genital setae with formula: 7(4+3): 2; setae h of mentum longer than distance between them.

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 33. Plonaphacarus foveolatus sp. nov.: 27, lateral view of body (legs removed); 28, prodorsum, dorsal view; 29, left side of ventral plate; 30 – 33, trochanter, femur, genu and tibia: 30, leg I; 31, leg II; 32, leg III; 33, leg IV. Scale bars = 100 μm.