Novonothrus barringtonensis, Colloff, Matthew J., 2011

Colloff, Matthew J., 2011, A review of the oribatid mite family Nothridae in Australia, with new species of Novonothrus and Trichonothrus from rain forest and their Gondwanan biogeographical affinities (Acari: Oribatida), Zootaxa 3005, pp. 1-44 : 5-8

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.204042
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:78FD5D82-FABD-412C-9D4A-125B0F2FFBBB
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6194597
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/210C87C8-E877-FFCF-89AF-58B563195BE2
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Novonothrus barringtonensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Novonothrus barringtonensis View in CoL sp. nov.

(Figs. 1, 2, 12d, 17a, 18a, 19c)

Dimensions. Holotype female length 975 μm, breadth 576 μm. Paratype females (n = 19) mean length 993 μm (range 956–1043 μm), mean breadth 568 μm (range 545–608 μm); paratype males (n = 19) mean length 912 μm (range 877–944 μm), mean breadth 501 μm (range 474–521 μm). Ratio of prodorsum to total length: 0.26 (holotype).

Female. Prodorsum: Median light oval region 15 μm long 27 μm broad, with ridges running medial of lateral light oval regions (27 μm long, 18 μm broad) anterior of lamellar setae. Rostral setae (ro) straight, smooth, spiniform, 31 μm long (Fig. 1a). Lamellar seta (le) 40 μm long, smooth, straight, spiniform, on squat tubercle positioned laterally. Prodorsum expanded into prominent bulges posterior of le. Interlamellar seta (in) 47 μm long, straight, smooth, spiniform, pointed. Bothridium with anterior ridge extending towards lamellar seta. Bothridial rim rounded. Exobothridial seta ex 1 23 μm long, projecting beyond posteriolateral margin of bothridium. Bothridial seta (bs) flagelliform apically, smooth, 290 μm long, apex reflexed. Interbothridial region with paired convex regions and flat medial region. Prodorsum alveolate.

Notogaster: Ratio of length to breadth 1.27; broad, sub-rectangular (Fig. 1a). Notogastral cuticle with minute alveoli (2–4 μm diameter), sparsely-distributed (7–15 μm apart), each surrounded by light cuticle ( Fig. 17 View FIGURE 17 a). Setae of c -f series, h 3 and p 2-3 slightly curved, pointed, smooth, broadened basally, 55–77 μm long. Distance between setae c 1 twice that between c 1 and c 2; distance between setae c 1 1.3 × that between d 1; distance between d 2 2.1 × that between d 1; distance between e 1 0.8 × that between f 1. Setae h 1, h 2 and p 1 barbed, covered in narrow, phylliform cerotegument (Fig. 1c). Caudal margin rounded with median and lateral crenellations between setae p 1 and setae h 2 and h 3. Longitudinal ridge on either side of notogaster extending from lateral of seta h 3 to dorsosejugal suture adjacent to c 3.

Subcapitulum: Palp setal formula 0-1-1-3-9(1). With two adoral setae ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 d); or 1 straight, setiform, pointed; or 2 curved, bacilliform. Mentum foveolate. Gena with four setae: a and m 1-3, a longer than others; coxal spine (e) present.

Coxisternum: Epimeral plates I and II adjacent, epimeral plates III and IV separated along sternal line (Fig. 1b). Epimeral setal formula variable: most frequently 6-4-6-5 (24 % of paratypes [n = 38]), 5-4-6-5 (24 %) or 6-5-6-5 (16 %); 5-5-6-5 on holotype; frequently asymmetric (32 % of paratypes): range of variation: (5-7)-(4,5)-(5-7)-(5- 7). Epimeral setae smooth, setiform, 23–32 μm long except seta 3f (58 μm). Epimeral plate II with setae on medial part; setae of plate I mostly on anterior part; those of plate III and IV mainly on posterior part. Epimeral plates IV broadly triangular, with blunt posteriomedian spur adjacent to genital plate.

Anogenital Region: Each genital plate 172 μm long, 86 μm broad, divided transversely, with nine smooth, setiform setae 27–39 μm long: six setae in median file (four on anterior part of plate) and three in lateral file (one on anterior part of plate; Fig. 1b). Pre-anal plate narrow, rectangular, 128 μm broad. Each anal plate 261 μm long, 55 μm broad, with two smooth, spiniform setae, 39 μm long; one on anterior, one on posterior part of plate. Adanal setae subequal in length and shape to anal setae. Ventral margin of notogaster posterior of anal plates entire, rounded.

Lateral View: Anterior prodorsal margin curved almost vertically; inflated prodorsal region extending to mentum (Fig. 1d). Seta le projecting as far as base of ro. Seta ex 2 present as alveolus. Interbothridial region convex. Lyrifissure ia short (20 μm). Notogastral shield convex, elongated, relatively flat between setae c 1 and f 1; ratio of notogastral height to length 0.62. Opening of opisthonotal gland positioned posteriolateral of seta f 2, prominent, slit-like, surrounded by circular ridge of cuticle.

Legs: Pre-tarsus monodactylous; dorsal edge of claw with single median tooth. Tarsus I 195 μm long ( Fig. 19 View FIGURE 19 c). Femur I 205 μm long in dorsal view; setae l ', d, l "1 and l "2 sparingly barbed ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 a), sub-equal in length (41–53 μm). Setal formulae (solenidia in brackets): Leg I 1-7 -5(1)-6(2)-34(3); Leg II 1-9 -5(1)-5(1)-24(1); Leg III 3-7 -5(1)-5(1)-22; Leg IV 1-5 -5(1)-5(1)-22.

Deutonymph. Length 576 μm, breadth 303 μm. Prodorsum: Length 222 μm; median light oval region 9 μm long 15 μm broad; lateral light oval regions 29 μm long, 18 μm broad (Fig. 2a). All prodorsal setae covered in bacilliform cerotegument. Rostral seta (ro) straight, smooth, 19 μm long. Lamellar seta (le) 15 μm long, straight, smooth, on squat tubercle midway between lateral margin and midline of prodorsum. Interlamellar seta (in) smooth, straight, 29 μm long. Bothridium with anterior ridge extending towards lamellar seta. Bothridial seta (bs) elongate, flagelliform, 237 μm long. Exobothridial seta (ex) spiniform, short (7 μm) protruding from posteriolateral margin of bothridium. Prodorsum reticulate.

Gastronotic Region: Length 354 μm. Gastronotic region rectangular (Fig. 2a). Cuticle slightly tuberculate with cerotegument of crenellated plaques. With lateral setae cp, e 2 and f 2 each borne on bulbous projection; with large posteriolateral apophyses each bearing seta h 1 dorsally and h 2 apically; caudal margin between apophyses transverse. Gastronotic setae covered with broad, phylliform cerotegument, those of c series slightly shorter (22–27 μm) than others (31–38 μm); setae of h series and p 1 densely barbed apically; e and f series sparingly barbed. Seta h 2 longer than others (44 μm), with almost circular cerotegument. Distance between bases of setae c 1, d 1 and e 1 subequal; distance between bases of setae d 2, f 1 and p 1 sub-equal, 1.6 × distance between c 1.

FIGURE 1. Novonothrus barringtonensis sp. nov., holotype female; a) dorsal; b) ventral; c) detail of seta h 1; d) lateral view.

FIGURE 2. Novonothrus barringtonensis sp. nov., deutonymph; a) dorsal; b) ventral; c) detail of cerotegument in region of seta f 2.

Subcapitulum: Mentum foveolate. Gena with setae a and m 1-2 (Fig. 2b).

Coxisternum: Epimeral plates separated along sternal line by unsclerotised longitudinally striate cuticle (Fig. 2b). Epimeral setal formula 4-3-4-2. Epimeral setae smooth, setiform, 15–22 μm long. Epimeral plates I–III with setae on medial part; setae of plate IV near posterior margin.

Anogenital Region: Each genital plate 48 μm long, 18 μm broad, not divided transversely (Fig. 2b), with four smooth, setiform setae, sub-equal in length (15–22 μm). Genital plates surrounded by striate cuticle. Each anal plate 150 μm long, 31 μm broad, smooth. Adanal setae spiniform, smooth, 20–26 μm long. Setae p 1-2 with phylliform cerotegument, 20–22 μm long, p 3 setiform, smooth, 24 μm long.

Material examined. Holotype female, paratypes: ten females, 11 males, ANIC 758, leaf litter and ferns, Nothofagus moorei rain forest, 3 km west. of Moppy Lookout, Barrington Tops State Forest, New South Wales, 31°54'S 151°31'E, coll T. Weir & A. Calder, 18.xi.1981. Paratypes: ten females, four males, ANIC 755, leaf litter, Nothofagus moorei rain forest, Moppy Lookout, Barrington Tops State Forest, New South Wales, 31°54'S 151°33'E, coll T. Weir & A. Calder, 18.xi.1981. Four paratype males, FM (HD) 78–118, Nothofagus moorei litter, Burraga Track, Mount Allyn, Barrington Tops, New South Wales, 32° 8'S 151°26'E, 1000 m., coll. S. & J. Peck, 16.vii.1978. Non-type material: two deutonymphs, ANIC 755. Holotype and paratypes from ANIC samples deposited in the Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Canberra. Two paratypes from ANIC samples in Roy A. Norton Collection, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse. Other paratypes in Field Museum, Chicago.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the type locality, Barrington Tops State Forest, New South Wales.

Remarks. Novonothrus barringtonensis differs from other members of the genus by the following combination of characters: 1) prodorsum expanded laterally into prominent bulges posterior of lamellar setae; 2) interlamellar setae smooth, spiniform; 3) notogastral cuticle with small, rounded, sparsely-distributed alveoli; 4) notogastral setae of c -f series and p 2-3 smooth, thin, spiniform; 5) notogastral setae h 1, h 2 and p 1 barbed, covered in narrow, phylliform cerotegument; 6) considerably greater distance between setae d 2 than between d 1 and between h 1 than f 1; 7) caudal margin rounded with median and lateral crenellations between setae p 1 and setae h 2 and h 3; 8) range of variation of epimeral setation (5-7)-(4,5)-(5-7)-(5-7); 9) setae on epimeral plates II positioned along medial part of plate; 9) Tarsus I with 34 setae.

The association of the deutonymph with the adult is based on their presence in the same sample; the barbed posterior notogastral setae and smooth anterior ones, the smooth interlamellar setae and the large size of the deutonymph, in proportion with the dimensions of the adult female.

Novonothrus barringtonensis is morphologically most similar to N. silvanus sp. nov. Both species have setae of the c -f series and p 2-3 smooth, thin, spiniform and those of the h series and p 1 barbed and covered in cerotegument, prominent convex lateral bulges on the prodorsum, setae on epimeral plates II positioned along medial part of plate and considerably greater distance between setae d 2 than between d 1 and between h 1 than f 1. Both species also have the notogastral cuticle patterned with small, sparsely-distributed alveoli, though those of N. barringtonensis are round whereas those of N. silvanus are angular. Also, the caudal margin of N. silvanus is not crenellated as in N. barringtonensis , it has 34 setae on Tarsus I rather than 39, and lacks the lateral notogastral ridges present on the latter species.