Tectodamaeus longus, Xie & Yang, 2009

Xie, Lixia & Yang, Maofa, 2009, A taxonomic study on the genus Tectodamaeus Aoki (Acari, Oribatida, Damaeidae), with description of two new species from China, ZooKeys 21 (2), pp. 73-82 : 78-81

Tectodamaeus longus sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:180745CA-5979-40F3-8419-A389CD2B1D8A

Figs 18–23

Measurements. Mean ventral length: 686 µm (range 656–721); Mean notogastral width: 490 µm (range 465–514).

2Ι

I00 ΜM 22 23

Figures Ι8–23. Tectodamaeus longus sp. n. Ι 8 adult, dorsal view Ι 9 adult, ventral view 20 femur and genu of leg I 2Ι tibia and tarsus of leg I 22 femur and genu of leg IV 23 tibia and tarsus of leg IV.

Integument. Yellowish-brown to reddish- brown in colour. Surface of body and basal part of leg segments except distal half of tarsi with rather thick cerotegument. Notogaster with triangular spinae adnatae and exuviae. Microtuberculate on all enantiophyses and apophyses, rostrum, lateral prodorsum and around leg acetabula. Noto- gaster and leg segments with adherent debris. Distal parts of all tarsi, and bulb of tarsi III, IV smooth.

Prodorsum. Three pairs tubercles (Da, Ba and Bp) well developed. Propodolateral apophysis (P) strongly developed. Rostral seta (about 117µm) thin. Lamellar seta long (about 196µm), both setae attenuate, smooth, mutual distance of le slightly less than that of ro. Interlamerllar setae (about 156µm) very long, smooth, flagellate, curling. Exobothridial setae short, undulating attenuate. Sensillus (about 392µm) long, smooth, flagellate, directed dorsolaterad.

Notogaster. Slightly ovate viewed perpendicular to circumgastric scissure, about 1.1 times as long as wide. Spinae adnatae medium in size (about 98µm), curved ventrad, distance between their bases almost equal to that between insertions of interlamellar setae. Notogastral setae very long (mostly 58–137µm), smooth, flagellate, curling. c 1 (about 117µm) directed anterodorsad, relatively thick, curling. c 2 (about 78µm) directed dorsolaterad. l and h series (mostly 68–137µm), curved posterolaterad. Mutual distance of setae c 2 3 times that of c 1. Pseudanal setae undulating attenuate, ps 1 curved posterolaterad, ps 2 and ps 3 curved laterad. Order in length of the setae: la = lm <lp <h 3 <c 2 <h 2 <c 1 <h 1. Lyrifissures ia, im, ih, ips and ip and lateroopisthosomal gland opening gla well developed.

Ventral region. Coxisterna I with medial pit but without groove leading anteriad from it. Enatiophyses E2 and V present, broadly curved tubercle, represented by low, broadly curved ridge. Enantiophysis V positioned laterally, seta 3 b not carried on tubercle Vp. Tubercle Sa broadly triangular with tip directed anterolaterad. Sp subquadrangular, in lateral aspect Sp twice as broad as Sa. Discidium smaller than Sp, directed posterolaterad. Ventral setae smooth. Coxisternal setation: 3–1–3–4. Anogenital region normal, seta ad 3 close to anal valves. Raised medial band of anal valve distinct, with undercut lateral margin, fissure ian minute, represented by small, inconspicuous pore in anterolateral corner of valve. Anal aperture appreciably narrower than genital one.

Legs. Relative lengths (I-IV) 1: 0.63: 0.88: 1.41. Leg IV is very long, about 3.21 times ventral body length. Leg chaetotaxy (famulus included, solenidia in parentheses) – I: 1–9–4(1)–5(2)–20(2); II: 1–7–4(1)–4(1)–18(2); III: 2–5–3(1)– 4(1)–18; IV: 1–4–2–5(1)–15. solenidion δ of genu on legs I-III are shorter than respectively coupled protecting seta d. Tibia solenidia φ of leg IV is long, tibial solenidion φ 1 on leg I about 3 times as long as φ 2. Femur I 12 times length of trochanter I and tibia I is equal to tarsus I. Femur IV 7 times length of trochanter IV, proximal stalk 6 times length of bulb.

Type Material. 1 Holotype and 3 Paratypes, leaf litter, Mt.Huang (30°16'22.26"N, 118°08'32.09"E), Anhui province, China. 25 May 2008, coll. Zhanyu Hu ( IEGU).

Remarks. This new species is similar to Damaeus flagellatus (Wang) , but is easily distinguished from the latter mainly by the length and chaetotaxy of legs. The present of tubercle (Da, Dp) and the shape of seta in are also different.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the latin word longus , indicating that legs are very long.

Dicussion

Tectodamaeus has many characters in common with Damaeus , but there are two differences by which these can be distinguished from each other (see Table 1). During our ongoing study of the Chinese Damaeidae and our examination of additional material, we discovered that there are many species that have only 2 setae on genu IV. Therefore it is reasonable, to reestablish the subgenus Damaeus (Tectodamaeus) as a genus in the family Damaeidae .