Scheloribates (Scheloribates) curviprolamellatus, Ermilov & Hugo-Coetzee & Khaustov, 2021

Ermilov, Sergey G., Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Khaustov, Alexander A., 2021, A new species of Scheloribates (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) from South Africa, Ecologica Montenegrina 39, pp. 86-91 : 87-90

Scheloribates (Scheloribates) curviprolamellatus sp. nov.

( Figs 1–10 )

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7A1B1C9D-FD4A-4540-8FB9-9BD857A1BDFA

Material examined. Holotype (female) and 11 paratypes (seven males and four females): South Africa, Amathole mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, Hogsback State Forest at the village of Hogsback, 32°35’21.6”S, 26°57’38.5’’E, indigenous Afromontane mixed forest ( Mucina & Geldenhuys 2006), consisting of tall trees (dominant species Afrocarpus falcatus (yellowwood), Celtis africana (white stinkwood), Calodendrum capense (Cape chestnut) and Vepris lanceolata (white ironwood)) and a dense understorey of shrubs, herbs and moss, in soil, 14.IX.2019, collected by V.A. Khaustov, S.G. Ermilov, E.A. Hugo-Coetzee, and A.A. Khaustov.

Type deposition. The holotype and one paratype are deposited in NMB ; one paratype is deposited in SMG; nine paratypes are deposited in TSUMZ . All specimens are preserved in ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Diagnosis. Body size 464–548 × 315–364. Lateral side of prodorsum with several ridges between insertion of rostral seta and acetabulum I. Prolamella thick, specifically curved (concave). Translamella absent, only two short ridges developed near lamellae. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae long, setiform, barbed; ro shortest, inserted before prolamella, in longest. Bothridial seta of medium length, with long stalk and small, rounded, slightly barbed head. All notogastral setae minute, simple. Four pairs of sacculi drop-like. Epimeral and anogenital setae short, setiform, thin, slightly barbed; g 1 distinctly longer than other genital setae. Circumpedal carina short. Leg tarsus I with 19 setae (l” absent), genu II with two setae (v’ absent).

Description of adult. Measurements. Body length 514 (holotype), 464–548 (11 paratypes); body width 332 (holotype), 315–364 (11 paratypes). No difference between males and females.

Integument. Body color brown. Cuticle microporose (visible under high magnification, ×1000). Lateral side of body with microgranulate cerotegument between bothridium and acetabula I–III. Lateral side of prodorsum with several strong ridges between insertion of rostral seta and acetabulum I; and with dense stria lateral to lamella. Ventrolateral side of pedotectum I slightly striate.

Prodorsum ( Figs 1, 3 ). Rostrum rounded. Lamella about 1/2 length of prodorsum. Prolamella thick, specifically curved backward. Sublamella linear, similar to lamella in length. Sublamellar porose area (12 × 8) oval. Translamella absent, only two short ridges developed near lamellae. Lateral keel-shaped ridge distinct. Rostral (82–86), lamellar (98–106) and interlamellar (131–139) setae setiform, barbed; ro inserted anterior to prolamella. Exobothridial seta (10–12) setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Bothridial seta (65–69) with long, smooth stalk and short, rounded, barbed head. Bothridium with lateral scale. Dorsosejugal porose area (18–20 × 8–10) elongate oval. Dorsophragma slightly elongate.

Notogaster ( Figs 1, 3 ). Ten pairs of notogastral setae (6) setiform, thin, smooth. Four pairs of sacculi drop-like. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures distinct.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 4–6 ). Subcapitulum longer than wide (114–118 × 77–82). All subcapitular (20) and adoral (10–12) setae setiform, barbed. Palp (69–73) with typical setation 0-2-1-3-9 (+ω). Postpalpal seta (4) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera (118–123) with two setiform, barbed setae (cha 36; chb 24).

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs 2, 3 ). Epimeral formula 3-1-3-3. All setae (1b, 3b, 3c, 4c 20–24; others 12–16) setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Humeral porose areas not observed. Pedotecta I and II represented by small lamina. Discidium triangular, rounded apically. Circumpedal carina comparatively short, anteriorly not reaching pedotectum II, posteriorly not reaching margin of ventral plate.

Anogenital region ( Figs 2, 3 ). Genital (g 1 24–28; others 12–16), aggenital (12–16), anal (20–24), and adanal (20–24) setae setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Adanal lyrifissure distinct. Marginal porose area bandlike, complete.

Legs ( Figs 7–10 ). Median claw distinctly thicker than lateral claws, all barbed on dorsal side. Lateral claws with minute tubercle ventrodistally. Typical porose area on all femora, tarsi and tibiae, and on trochanters III, IV well visible. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-3-4-19) [1-2-2], II (1-5-2-4-15) [1-1-2], III (2-3-1-3-15) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-2-3-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Famulus of tarsus I short, erect, slightly swollen distally, inserted posterior to solenidion ω 2. Solenidion ω 1 on tarsus I, ω 1 and ω 2 on tarsus II and σ on genu III slightly bacilliform, other solenidia setiform.

Etymology. The species name curviprolamellatus refer to the specifically curved prolamella. Remarks. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) curviprolamellatus sp. n. differs from all species of the subgenus by the thick, specifically curved (backward) prolamella (versus prolamella simple, straight).

Figures

Figures 1–3. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) curviprolamellatus sp. nov., adult: 1 – dorsal view; 2 – ventral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown); 3 – lateral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown). Scale bar 100 μm.

Figures 4–10. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) curviprolamellatus sp. nov., adult: 4 – subcapitulum, ventral view; 5 – palp, left, paraxial view; 6 – chelicera, left, paraxial view; 7 – leg I, without trochanter, right, antiaxial view; 8 – leg II, without trochanter and tarsus, right, antiaxial view; 9 – leg III, without trochanter and tarsus, left, antiaxial view; 10 – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 20 μm (4, 6–10), scale bar 10 μm (5).