Neoribates (Neoribates) cupulatus, Liang & Yang & Tang, 2014

Liang, Wen-Qin, Yang, Mao-Fa & Tang, Qiu-Xiao, 2014, A new species of the genus Neoribates (Neoribates) (Acari: Oribatida: Parakalummidae) from China, Zoological Systematics 39 (2), pp. 259-262 : 261-262

Neoribates (Neoribates) cupulatus sp. nov. ( Figs 1–9 )

Diagnosis. Body size 480−490 × 290−295. Body surface smooth. Rostral setae setiform, with slightly barbed at high magnification. Lamellar and interlamellar setae setiform, smooth or indistinctly barbed. Sensilli cupped, with short stalk and rounded clavated head distinct, bothridium lamellate. Five pairs of genital setae. Leg tarsi with three claws.

Measurements. Body length 480 (holotype, female), 480−490 (two paratypes, female); width 290 (holotype), 290−295 (two paratypes, female).

Integument. Body colour light brown. Body surface smooth. Pteromorphs with thin wrinkles.

Prodorsum ( Figs 1, 3−4 ). Rostrum rounded in dorsal view. Rostral (ro, 68) setae setiform, with slightly barbed at high magnification. Lamellar (le, 106) and interlamellar (in, 117) setae setiform, long, smooth or slightly barbed. Exobothridial setae not evident. Sensilli (ss, 34) slightly cupped, with a short stalk and rounded clavated head. Bothridium lamellate. Lamellae (Lam) thin, extending forwards from bothridia for a short distance, relative lengths and distances: in> le> ro> ss; (le −le)> (ro −ro)> (in −in).

Notogaster ( Figs 1, 7, 9 ). Dorsosejugal furrow convex, conspicuous. Notogaster oval, longer than wide distinctly. Ten pairs of notogastral setae smooth. Four pairs of sacculi (Sa, S 1 – S 3), lyrifissures and opisthonotal gland openings (gla) located typical for genus.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 2, 5 ). Morphology typical for Neoribates (e.g. Travé, 1972; Grishina & Vladimirova, 2009; Nakamura, 2009).

Epimeral region ( Fig. 2 ). Epimeral setal formula: 3–1–3–3. All setae setiform, smooth. The distance of setae 3 a –3 a shorter than 2 a –2 a, distinctly shorter than the half of genital pore.

Anogenital region ( Figs 2, 6, 8 ). Five pairs of genital (g 1 – g 5, 4–8), one pair of aggenital (ag, 6–8), three pairs of adanal (ad 1 – ad 3, 8–10) and two pairs of anal (an 1, an 2, 6–8) setae thin and smooth. Lyrifissures iad located in paraanal position. Adanal setae ad 3 inserted laterally to the anal plates, positioned from iad at a large distance, and in a line with an 2.

Legs. Morphology of leg segments, setae and solenidia typical for Neoribates (e.g. Travé, 1972; Grishina & Vladimirova, 2009; Nakamura, 2009). All legs tridactylous with strong median and slender lateral claws. Formulae of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–5–3–4–20) [1–2–2], II (1–5–3–4–15) [1–1–2], III (2–3–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–4–12) [0–0–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1.

Holotype ♀, China, Cangshan (25°37'N, 100°08'E; elev. 2 300 m), Dali, Yunnan, 8 July 2009, coll. Guan-Xu Ma and Zi-Zhong Yang . Paratypes 2♀, same data as holotype .

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Latin “ cupulatus ”, meaning cupped, referring to the cupped sensilli.

Remarks. The new species is similar to Neoribates (N.) flagellum ( Balogh, 1970) from Nueva Guinea, but the latter has extraordinarily longer interlamellar setae (versus medium long in new species), sensilli fusiform, apex rounded, with a long stalk (versus cupped, with short stalk and rounded clavated head distinct in new species), adanal setae ad 3 located in the anterior of anal (adanal setae ad 3 inserted laterally to the anal plates, positioned from iad at a large distance, and in a line with an 2 in new species).

The morphology of pteromorpha of the new species is also similar to N. (N.) erecta (Balogh & Mahunka, 1969) from Brazil, N. (N.) jacoti (Balogh & Mahunka, 1967) from Vietnam, N. (N.) punctulatus ( Balogh, 1970) and N. (N.) szabadosi

© Zoological Systematics, 39 (2): 259–262 ( Balogh, 1970) from Nueva Guinea. However, N. (N.) erecta is smaller in body size (363−382 × 270−294 vs 480−490 × 290−295 in new species), sensilli slightly fusiform, with long stalk; N. (N.) jacoti much bigger in body size (641.9 × 431.2), sensilli short, fusiform, with acute apex; N. (N.) punctulatus biggest in body size (725 × 549), sensilli slightly fusiform, rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae very short, lamellae well developed with a projecting cuspis and a medially interrupted translamelloid crest; N. (N.) szabadosi also bigger in body size (573 × 402), sensilli slightly fusiform, interlamellar setae short, rostral and lamellar setae elongate, setiform, longer than interlamellar setae (versus interlamellar setae distinctly longer than rostral and lamellar setae in new species).

Acknowledgements We would like to express our grateful acknowledge to the collectors, Guan-Xu Ma and Prof. Zi-Zhong Yang (Dali University, Yunnan, China) for their kind help and eager cooperation. We also cordially thank Dr. Y. N. Nakamura (National Agricultural Research Center for Kyushu Okinawa Region (KONARC) NARO) for his help with document delivery.

Figures

Figs 1–9. Neoribates(Neoribates) cupulatus sp. nov. 1. Dorsal view. 2. Ventral view. 3. Sensillus. 4. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae. 5. Subcapitulum. 6. Genital plate. 7. Notogastral saccules. 8. Anal plates and adanal setae ad1, ad2, ad3 and lyrifissure iad. 9. Pteromorpha. Scale bars: 1–2= 100µm, 3–8= 25µm, 9= 50µm.