Gymnobodes schedeli, Ermilov & Friedrich & Georgiev, 2025

Ermilov, Sergey G., Friedrich, Stefan & Georgiev, Dilian, 2025, Two new species of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from the Afrotropical region, Persian Journal of Acarology 14, pp. 345-356 : 346-350

Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. ( Figs. 1 , 3–12 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4892C9E8-75D1-4AD8-956C-B332ABB9CBF0

Type material

Holotype (male) and one paratype (one male): Republic of Zambia, North of Ndole at Lake Tanganyika , Ndole Bay Lodge (garden), 8° 28′ 39.5″ S, 30° 26′ 56.8″ E, 785 m a.s.l., rotten wood and humus at the basis of the trunk of a dead tree ( Fig. 1 ), 04.x.2021 (F.D.B. Schedel).

Type deposition

The holotype and one paratype are deposited in the collection of the University of Tyumen, Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol .

Diagnosis

Body length: 330. Prodorsum and centrodorsal part of notogaster foveolate; humeral, lateral and posterior part of notogaster tuberculate. Rostral margin concave. Basal part of prodorsum with depression. Rostral and lamellar setae short, setiform, roughened; interlamellar seta minute, acicular; bothridial seta medium-sized, clavate, with slightly flattened, barbed head. All notogastral, epimeral, and anogenital setae minute, acicular. Palp tibia with two setae. Aggenital setae present. Leg seta l' absent on tibiae I, II; all tarsal setae u modified.

Description

Measurements – Body length: 330 (holotype), 330 (paratype); body width: 180 (holotype), 173 (paratype).

Integument ( Figs. 3–12 ) – Body color light brown. Body with dense, microgranulate microsculpturing; additionally: prodorsum, subcapitular mentum, anal plate, centrodorsal part of notogaster, anterolateral part of epimere I foveolate (diameter of foveola up to 7); basal part of prodorsum with slight transverse ridges bordering depression; humeral, lateral, and posterior part of notogaster tuberculate (diameter of tubercle up to 7); lateral part of anogenital region partially with slight foveolae and depressions; antiaxial side of leg femora I–IV with some large foveolae and small, dense, simple and elongate tubercles versus trochanters III, IV only with tubercles.

Prodorsum ( Figs. 3, 4, 6 ) – Rostral margin slightly concave medially (visible in anterior aspect). Distal tooth-like process of lamella long, almost reaching rostral margin; translamella present (visible in dorsal aspect). Basal part of prodorsum with distinct depression. Lateral part of prodorsum with thin longitudinal ridge bearing some small teeth. Rostral and lamellar setae (15) setiform, roughened; interlamellar seta (4) acicular; bothridial seta (34–37) clavate, with slightly flattened, barbed head; exobothridial seta absent.

Notogaster ( Figs. 3, 6 , 7 ) – Anterior notogastral margin nearly straight. Humeral process distinctly developed, anteriorly triangular (visible in lateral aspect). All notogastral setae (4) acicular. Opisthonotal gland opening and lyrifissures ia, im, ip distinct; ih, ips not observed.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 8 ) – Generally, similar to Gymnobodes ( Ermilov and Yurtaev 2023) . Subcapitulum size: 79 × 60; subcapitular setae a (11) and m (7) setiform, roughened; h (4) acicular. Palp length: 49; setation: 0–2–1–2–8(+ω); postpalpal seta (7) spiniform, roughened. Chelicera length: 94; setae (cha: 26; chb: 15) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs. 5, 6 ) – Sternal region slightly depressed. Epimeral setal formula: 1–1–3–3; all setae (4) acicular. Discidium tubercle-like.

Anogenital region ( Figs. 5–7 ) – Region between epimere IV and genital aperture depressed.

Anogenital formula:4–1–2–3; all setae (4) acicular. Adanal lyrifissure not observed.

Legs ( Figs. 9–12 ) – Claw of each leg strong, smooth. Femora I–IV with dorsoparaxial porose area. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–3–3–16) [1–2–2], II (1–4–3–2–15) [1–1–2], III (2–3–1–2–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–2–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1; seta l' absent on tibiae I, II; seta s of tarsus I eupathidial; all tarsal setae u modified (with cylindrical mediobasal part, distal spike and ventral tooth).

Comparison

Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus in having of a strong depression in the basal part of the prodorsum (versus depression absent in other species), and the presence of foveolae in centrodorsal part of the notogaster (versus notogaster entirely tuberculate in other species).

Etymology

This species is named in honour of Dr. Frederic D.B. Schedel, the German zoologist and ichthyologist, who collected this new species.

Figures

Figures 1–2. Photos of the locations and habitats of oribatid mites – 1. Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. in Zambia; 2. Galumna (Galumna) luisi sp. nov. in Uganda.

Figures 3–6. Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. (adult) – 3. Dorsal view; 4. Anterior part of prodorsum, anterior view; 5. Ventral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown); 6. Right lateral view (legs not shown).

Figures 7–12. Gymnobodes schedeli sp. nov. (adult) – 7. Posterior view; 8. Subcapitulum, ventral view; 9. Leg I, right, antiaxial view; 10. Leg II (tarsus not shown), right, antiaxial view; 11. Leg III (tarsus not shown), left, antiaxial view; 12. Leg IV, left, antiaxial view.