Afroleius valerieae, Coetzee, Louise, 2014

Coetzee, Louise, 2014, Afroleius floridus (Mahunka, 1985) comb. nov. and three new Afroleius Mahunka, 1984 species (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 3889 (4), pp. 553-573 : 568-571

Afroleius valerieae sp. nov.

( Figs 9 , 10 , 11 )

Species diagnosis. Notogastral and epimeral surfaces with small round foveae; surfaces of prodorsum and pteromorph reticulate; octotaxic system consisting of porose areas; opening of bothridium directed ventrally; bothridial seta clavate, head smooth, stalk short, directed dorsally; rostral seta long, thickly barbed; lamellar seta long, minutely barbed, robust, directed medially; notogaster with large depressions antero-medially to im; postanal porose area present; dorsal dens on tarsus I conical, dens on tarsus II spur-like; genu I distally with dorsal and ventral cusps antiaxially; genu II distally with lateral cusp.

Dimensions. Holotype: (female) length 333, width 218. Paratypes: males (n=18): length 304 (283–321), width 186 (158–203); females (n=16): length 326 (314–337); width 208 (192–216).

Prodorsum ( Figs 9 A, C, 10A, B, D–E). Rostral margin rounded, transparent anterior tegument forming two to three ridges; prodorsal surface reticulate; lamella wide, extending over lateral margin of prodorsum; steep decline of prodorsum anterior to lamellar apices with band of small granules; thick layer of cerotegument sometimes present on prodorsum, forming elongate hexagonal cells, easily detachable ( Fig. 10 B); rostral seta long (~35), thickly barbed, inserted at anterior apex of tutorium; lamellar seta long (~36), minutely barbed, robust, curved medially, apices touching; interlamellar seta minute (~6); bothridial opening directed ventrally; bothridial seta clavate, head mostly smooth, minutely barbed in some specimens, directed dorsally; length of bothridial seta from point of emerging from bothridium to tip of seta ~53 (51–56).

Notogaster ( Figs 9 A, C, 10A, C). Surface of notogaster with small, round foveae, inner surface of foveae minutely granulate; octotaxic system consisting of small, round porose areas ( Fig. 10 C); notogastral setae minute (~6); orifice of opisthosomal gland very small, situated medially to A1; large depressions antero-medially to im present; surface of pteromorph reticulate.

Podosoma and gnathosoma ( Figs 9 B, C, 10D). Surface of mentum and epimeral region with small round foveae; subcapitular seta a short (~7), smooth, m slightly longer (~12), finely barbed, h short (~5), smooth; genal notch present, genal tooth short, broad; epimeral setae very short; epimeral setation (epimeres I–IV) 2-1-2-2.

Ventral plate ( Fig. 9 B). Surface of genital plate slightly uneven; surface of anal plate foveate; ventral plate with large foveae; postanal porose area small, round, situated more or less at level of border of posterior notogastral tectum.

Legs ( Fig. 10 F). Setation similar to A. floridus comb. nov.; dorsal integument of tarsi I, II and IV and tibiae I, II and IV thick; large, conical dorsal dens on tarsus I; pointed dens on tarsus II; genu I distally with large ventral and slightly smaller dorsal cusp antiaxially; genu II with large lateral cusp antiaxially; tarsus IV antiaxially with well developed diagonal tectum running from insertion of ft towards proximo-lateral base of segment; femur IV ventrally with wide tectum; femora I–IV, trochanters III–IV antiaxially with fine striae.

Material examined. Holotype: Database no. 2127.8.1, Makhado 23°02’S, 30°06’E, litter underneath dense shrubs, 3.viii.1982 leg. C.M. Engelbrecht. Paratypes: from the same sample; 16 males and 14 females deposited in the Acarology Collection of the National Museum (Database no 2127.8.2); 2 males and 2 females deposited in the KwaZulu-Natal Museum (Database no: NMSA-Aca 20010, Type 4032).

Additional material: Litter from various biomes of the eastern, northern and central parts of South Africa (habitat types according to Mucina & Rutherford 2006). Grassland: Bergville 28°47'S, 29°29'E 26.i.1982 CME; Frankfort 27°17'S, 28°21'E 18.i.1982 CME; Heilbron 27°15'S, 27°56'E 19.i.1982 CME; Lindley 27°52'S, 27°55'E 6.iv.1964 DJK; Middelburg 25°45'S, 29°28'E 30.viii.1982 CME; Parys 26°53'S, 27°26'E 20.x.1981 JJBD; Reitz 27°43'S, 28°13'E 18.i.1982 CME; Sasolburg 26°53'S, 27°46'E 19.i.1982 CME; Settlers 24°51'S, 28°32'E 30.viii.1982 CME; Vrede 27°55'S, 29°09'E 6.iv.1964 DJK; Winterton 28°50'S, 29°35'E 26.i.1982 CME. Indian Ocean Coastal Belt: Kingsburgh 30°03'S, 30°52'E 1963 AJE; Mtunzini 28°57'S, 31°45'E 19.iv.1965 GN; Scottburgh 30°16'S, 30°30'E 9.ii.1982 CME; Stanger 29°21'S, 31°16'E 8.ii.1982 CME; Savanna: Aventura, Blydepoort 24°35'S, 30°46'E 26.viii.1982 LC; Gilead 23°41'S, 28°52'E 8.iii.1983 CME; Greytown 28°51'S, 30°28'E 27.i.1982 CME; Izingolweni 30°46'S, 30°10'E 10.ii.1982 CME; Komatiepoort 25°26'S, 31°56'E 2.ix.1982 CME; Levubu 23°03'S, 30°18'E 3.viii.1982 CME; Mabula Game Lodge 24°44'S, 27°55'E 9.iii.1983 CME; Makhado 23°02'S, 30°06'E 3.viii.1982 CME; Makhado District 23°02'S, 29°54'E 5.viii.1982 CME; Mbombela 25°28'S, 30°58'E 28.ii.1987 RE; Mokopane 24°10'S, 29°00'E 8.iii.1983 CME; Pietermaritzburg 29°55'S, 30°38'E 9.ii.1982 CME; Punda Maria 22°47'S, 30°54'E 3.viii.1982 CME; Rustenburg 25°42'S, 27°15'E 21.iv.1962 AJE; Soutpansberg area 23°03'S, 30°03'E 4.viii.1982 CME; Thabazimbi 24°37'S, 27°23'E 9.iii.1983 CME; Thohoyandou 22°58'S, 30°29'E 3.viii.1982 CME; Vaalwater 24°17'S, 28°06'E 8.iii.1983 CME.

Remarks. The octotaxic system consisting of porose areas and the ventrally directed bothridium of A. valerieae sp. nov. are the most easily recognised characters to distinguish it from other Afroleius species. Some specimens display heavily sclerotized borders to all epimeres. Thick cerotegument is also present on the prodorsum and notogaster of some specimens of Afroleius crassus Coetzee, 2013 . This species is widely distributed in grassland and savanna regions of South Africa, and is mostly absent from forests.

Etymology. This species is named for Dr. Valerie Behan-Pelletier in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Oribatology, particularly the Ceratozetoidea.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Afroleius valerieae sp. nov. A) Dorsal view. B) Ventral view. C) Lateral view. Scale bar 100 µm.

FIGURE 10. Afroleius valerieae sp. nov. A SEM image. B – F Light microscope images. A) Dorsal view. B) Prodorsum with cerotegument. C) Notogaster, lateral view, arrow to porose area Aa. D) Bothridium and bothridial seta. E) Prodorsum, lateral view. F) Leg II, tarsus and tibia, showing thick integument on tarsus and tibia and conical dens on tarsus (arrow).

FIGURE 11. Distribution of Afroleius floridus comb. nov. (circles), A. amieae sp. nov. (triangles) and A. inae sp. nov. (squares) and A. valerieae sp. nov. (crosses) in South Africa.