Paralamellobates misella ( Berlese, 1910 )

Behan-Pelletier, V. M., Li, D. & Fan, Q. H., 2016, Phylogenetic relationships of Paralamellobates: immature characters of P. misella (Berlese) place the genus in Punctoribatidae (Acari, Oribatida), Acarologia 56 (2), pp. 141-165 : 145-154

Redescription of Paralamellobates misella ( Berlese, 1910) ( Figs. 1-7 )

Oribatella misella Berlese, 1910

Paralamellobates misella ( Berlese, 1910) ; Subías (2004) Oribatella ceylanicus Oudemans, 1915 ; Mahunka (1977)

Paralamellobates ceylanicus ( Oudemans, 1915) ; Mahunka (1977)

Oribatella schoutedeni Balogh, 1959

Paralamellobates schoutedeni ( Balogh, 1959) ; Mahunka (1977)

Paralamellobates striatus Behan-Pelletier, 1998 ; new synonymy

Material Examined — Specimens of Paralamellobates misella (details below) were reared from four adults intercepted in New Zealand from banana imported from the Philippines on 26 July 2014. These are housed in the Canadian National Collection of Insects , Arachnids and Nematodes , Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , Ottawa, Ontario, Canada .

Diagnosis — Adult. Total length 254 – 278; longitudinal striae on lateral region of epimeres I, present or not on epimeres II; medial margin of lamellar cusps parallel and contiguous, with medial and lateral teeth about 21 long; tutorium 64 – 71 long, of which cusp about 19; pedotectum I with 4 short, strong ridges on dorsal margin; notogastral setae thin, smooth 13 – 23 long, with c2 longest.

Adult Measurements — Males unknown. Mean total length: female (n = 10) 266 (range 254 – 278). Mean notogastral width (n = 8): female 185 (range 168 – 192).

Integument — Microtuberculate over entire body and leg segments. Longitudinal striae, about 20, on lateral region of epimere I ( Figs 3D , 7D ), on dorsal surface of pedotectum I, on tutorium and on paraxial surface of femora III and IV. Cerotegument granular, present between pteromorph, pedotectum I, tutorium, and lateral body wall, extending medially on prodorsum to interlamellar region.

Prodorsum — Rostrum flattened to rounded medially, with pair of strongly developed teeth ( Figs 1 , 3C , 7C ). Seta ro directed anteriorly, barbed, acuminate, 52 – 56 long, mutual distance at their base about 44. Lamellae broad, converging, about 59, of which cusps 21 long and 20 wide, with medial and lateral teeth subequal in length, about 16. Medial margins of cusps parallel and contiguous. Seta le thick, with few barbs, 53 – 58 long, arising anterolaterally on lamellar cusp, medial to lateral tooth ( Figs 1 , 3C ). Seta in thick, barbed, 79 – 85 long, extending beyond tip of tutorium; borne on small tubercles. Mutual distance of setal pairs le and in approximately 21 – 23 and 46, respectively. Bothridial seta barbed, clavate, 56 – 59 long from base of bend in bothridium to tip, directed anteriorly. Seta ex about 3 long, easily overlooked. Bothridium with welldeveloped medial and lateral scales ( Figs 1 , 3B ).

Lateral Aspect of Podosoma — Genal tooth long, subtriangular, with carina extending along length ( Fig. 7C ). Tutorium 64 – 71 long, of which pointed cusp about 19; tutorium with striae along length ( Figs 3C , 7C ). Pedotectum I convex dorsally, with 4 short, strong ridges on dorsal margin. Dorsal margin of pedotectum I ventral to insertion of seta ex. Custodium triangular, 16 – 19 long ( Figs 3D , 7D ). Discidium triangular between acetabula III and IV. Sublamellar porose area Al not evident.

Notogaster — Slightly longer than wide, ratio of 1.15:1. Nine pairs of smooth, acuminate notogastral setae, c2 20 – 24, l series 13 – 19, h series about 17, and p1, p2 about 14 long ( Fig. 1 ). Anterior tectum strongly convex medially between bothridia. Length of filiform tubules Sa, S2 and S3 not determined, S1 elongated saccule, about 6.

Ventral Region — Epimeral seta 1c barbed, longest and thickest epimeral seta, about 29, other epimeral seta 14 – 17 long, thin, smooth. Genital setae with few barbs, about 13 long. Aggenital pair and single pair each of anal and adanal setae smooth, about 9 long. Postanal porose area oval, about 8 wide.

Gnathosoma — Axillary saccule of subcapitulum about 3 ( Fig. 3A ).

Legs ( Figs 2 A-D) — Setation (I to IV): trochanters 1-1-2-1; femora 5-5-3-2; genua 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)-3; tarsi 18(2)-15(1)-15-12. Solenidia and famulus on tarsus I inserted proximally, famulus distal to solenidia ( Fig. 2A ). Solenidion ω2 absent from tarsus II ( Fig. 2B ). Genua I, II and IV and femur II with ventral spur. Seta l" on genua I and II spinous, and distinctly thicker than other setae on segment, about 17 and 23 long, respectively ( Figs 2A, B ). Short, transverse ridge, about 6 long, present distally on tibia IV ( Fig. 2D , arrow).

Description: Immatures: Dimensions — Total length: larva (n = 3) 153 (range 151 – 156); protonymph (n = 3) 204 (range 192 – 216); deutonymph (n = 2) 220 (200, 240); tritonymph (n = 3) 253 (range 232 – 288).

Integument — Integument weakly microtuberculate, without evidence of sclerotization or porose regions. Globular cerotegument well-developed ( Fig. 6E ).

Larva ( Figs 4 , 6A ) Prodorsum — Setae ro, le, in long, barbed, tapered, about 17, 20, and 37 long, respectively. Seta ex short, barbed, isodiametric along length, about 6 long. Mutual distance of pair ro about 7, of pair le about 9 and of pair in about 28. Bothridial seta clavate, heavily barbed, about 49 long, tapered distally ( Fig. 4 ).

Gastronotic region — Margin rounded, shape oval, weak swelling around setal insertions. Eleven pairs of setae, long, barbed, setiform, subequal in shape, borne on short tubercles. Setal lengths approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c1 (47), c2 (23 – 26), c3 (31 – 35), da (60), dm (54), dp (31 – 33), la (48), lm (54), lp (29 – 36), h1 (15), h2 (29); setae c3 and l series flagellate. Mutual distance of pair da about 21, pair dm about 26 and pair dp about 27.

Protonymph Prodorsum — Setae ro, le, in long, barbed, tapered, about 18, 28, 48 long, respectively. Seta ex short, barbed, isodiametric along length, about 7 long. Mutual distance of pair ro about 7, of pair le about 16 and of pair in about 25. Bothridial seta clavate, heavily barbed, about 60 long, tapered distally.

Gastronotic region — Margin rounded, shape oval, weak swelling around setal insertions. Fourteen pairs of setae, long, barbed, setiform, subequal in shape. Setal lengths approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c1 (70), c2 (27), c3 (49), da (53), dm (45), dp (32), la (60), lm (61), lp (105), h1 (10), h2 (23), h3 (58), p1 (7), p2 (8); setae c1 and l series and h3 flagellate. Mutual distance of pair da about 25, pair dm about 21 and pair dp about 19.

Deutonymph ( Fig. 6B ) Prodorsum — Setae ro, le, in long, barbed, tapered, except in flagellate distally, about 21, 37, and 75 long, respectively. Seta ex short, barbed, isodiametric along length, about 7 long. Mutual distance of pair ro about 9, of pair le about 12 and of pair in about 27. Bothridial seta clavate, heavily barbed, about 82 long, tapered distally.

Gastronotic region — Margin rounded, shape oval, weak swelling around setal insertions. Fourteen pairs of setae, long, barbed, setiform, subequal in shape, except setae c1 and l series and h3 flagellate distally. Setal lengths approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c1 (136), c2 (26), c3 (60), da (71), dm (56), dp (39), la (123), lm (107), lp (184), h1 (39), h2 (29), h3 (139), p1 (17), p2 (18). Mutual distance of pair da about 29, pair dm about 31 and pair dp about 25.

Tritonymph ( Fig. 5 ) Prodorsum — Setae ro, le, in long, barbed, tapered, except in flagellate, 23 – 36, 46 – 54, 92 – 102 long, respectively. Seta ex short, barbed, isodiametric along length, 7 – 11 long. Mutual distance of pair ro about 9, of pair le about 14 and of pair in 28 – 32. Bothridial seta clavate, heavily barbed, 80 – 85 µm long, tapered distally ( Fig. 5 ).

Gastronotic region — Margin rounded, shape oval, weak swelling around setal insertions. Fourteen pairs of setae, long, barbed, setiform, subequal in shape, except setae c1 and l series and h3, h2 flagellate distally. Setal lengths approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c1 (159 – 180), c2 (27 – 53), c3 (51 – 88), da (86 – 112), dm (56 – 74), dp (48), la (171 – 178), lm (134 – 154), lp (215 – 255), h1 (54 – 74), h2 (71 – 82), h3 (186 – 230), p1 (24 – 26), p2 (26 – 33). Mutual distance of pair da about 42, pair dm about 43 and pair dp about 39.

Ventral Region — Epimeral plates not defined by either sclerotization or porose integument. Development of epimeral setae (larva to adult): 3-1- 2, 3-1-2-1, 3-1-2-2, 3-1-2-2, 3-1-2-2. Development of genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae (larva to adult): 0-1-3-5-6, 0-0-1-1-1, 0-0-0-1-1, 0-0-1-1-1, respectively. Epimeral, genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth, acuminate, about 5 – 10 long in tritonymph. Integument surrounding opening of opisthonotal gland not sclerotized or porose.

Gnathosoma — Axillary saccule present from protonymph (possibly too small to see in larva). Palpal eupathidium acm attached to solenidion along distal three-quarters of solenidial length in all immatures.

Legs — Development of setae and solenidia given in Table 2. Solenidion φ 1 on tibia I very long and tapered positioned on anterodorsal tubercle, about 64 – 72 in nymphs. Solenidion φ 2 of tibia I short and weakly tapered, about 4 long in deutonymph, about 6 long in tritonymph, about 20 long in adult. Porose areas present on femora I to IV and trochanters III and IV (easily visible in adult) present but difficult to see in tritonymph because of unsclerotized integument and layer of granular cerotegument; not evident in larva, protonymph or deutonymph.

Figures

FIGURE 1: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese), adult female, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated, except for proximal segments of leg I. Scale bar = 50.

FIGURE 2: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese), adult female, legs I-IV, all antiaxial aspect: A – leg I, trochanter not illustrated; B – leg II,

FIGURE 3: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese). Differential interference contrast microscope images of adults: A – gnathosoma ventral view, with arrow to axillary saccule; B – prodorsum (4 layers combined), with arrow to bothridium; C – detail of prodorsum, with arrow to rostrum; D – lateral region of coxisternum with arrow to lateral ridges; E – posterior region showing single pair of anal setae and overlapping lobes of posterior notogastral tectum (indicated by arrow). Scale bars: A-D = 20.

FIGURE 4: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese), larva, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated. Scale bar = 50.

FIGURE 5: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese), tritonymph, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated. Scale bar = 50.

FIGURE 6: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese): A – Egg and larva photographed live among fungal hyphae in growth medium, surrounded by faecal pellets of adults; B – deutonymph photographed live, showing length of interlamellar seta, usually broken in preserved specimens; C – tritonymph, dorsal showing absence of sclerotization; D,E, Differential interference contrast microscope images of immatures: D – tritonymph, ventral, showing absence of sclerotization; E – larva, part of prodorsum, showing tubercle nature of cerotegument (arrow). Scale bars: A, B = 100, C, D =20, E = 30.

FIGURE 7: Paralamellobates misella (Berlese). Scanning electron micrographs of specimens from Costa Rica: A – Frontal aspect; B – Anterolateral aspect, with arrow to tutorium; C – detail of frontal aspect, with arrow to genal tooth; D – coxisternal region showing ridges on epimeres, with arrow to Custodium. Scale bars: A-D = 20.