Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis, Ermilov, Sergey G. & Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2012

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2012, Two new species from South Africa, with remarks on generic diagnosis of Licnodamaeolus Covarrubias, 1998 and taxonomic status of Nacunansella Fernandez & Cleva, 1998 (Acari: Oribatida: Licnodamaeidae), Zootaxa 3167, pp. 32-44 : 38-42

Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis sp. nov.

( Figs 18–31 )

Diagnosis. Body length 340–360 × 168–190; body and legs covered with small granules, with concave margins; rostrum truncate; sensilli blunt-ended, smooth, distally weakly dilated unilaterally, notogaster with weakly developed rectangular ledge posteriorly and anterior margin extending medially, reaching level of bothridia; five pairs notogastral setae present, alveoli of setae h 1 and p 1, also p 2 and p 3 positioned near each other; h 2 located posterior to lyrifissures ip; lyrifissures ia positioned vertically, im positioned horizontally; adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 present; hypostomal setae h inserted near anterior margin of mentum; palps with setation 0–1–1–2–8(+1ω); chelicerae modified, legs tridactylous; tibiae I with one solenidion.

Description. Measurements. Body length 340 (holotype, male), 340–360 (mean 346; six paratypes: three males and three females); body width 180 (holotype), 168–190 (mean 181; six paratypes).

Integument. Body color yellow-brown. Idiosoma and legs covered with granules of light color (diameter up to 3 µm). Granules with concave margins, oval or rarely oblong ( Fig. 22 ). Body and leg setae often covered with vermicular cerotegument.

Prodorsum ( Figs 18, 20 , 23, 24 ). Rostrum truncate in dorsal view. Lateral area with weakly sclerotized lines in dorsal view. Rostral (8–12) and lamellar (8–12) setae thin and smooth. Interlamellar setae minute (4). Sensilli (41– 49), blunt-ended, smooth, weakly dilated unilaterally in distal part.

Notogaster ( Figs 18, 20–22 ). More or less oval in dorsal view and flattened in lateral view. Posterior margin with weakly developed rectangular ledge. Anterior margin extending medially, reaching level of bothridia. Dorsal part with one pair well-developed longitudinal ridges with depression between them ( Fig. 21 ). These ridges weakly visible in dorsal view and clearly visible in posterior view. Circummarginal furrow clearly visible in dorso-lateral and dorso- posterior views. Dorso-lateral and postero-lateral parts with thin, light marginal furrow. Five pairs of very short (6–10), thin, smooth notogastral setae. Alveoli of setae h 1 and p 1, also p 2 and p 3 positioned near each other. Setae h 2 located posterior to lyrifissures ip. Lyrifissures ia, im and ip long and thin; ia located vertically, im – horizontally. Small opisthonotal gland opening located posterior to im.

Lateral part of body ( Fig. 20 ). Anterior part of notogaster located over basal part of prodorsum. Exobothridial setae and their alveoli absent. Lyrifissures ih and ips long, thin.

Anogenital region ( Figs 19 , 21, 25, 26 ). All setae setiform, short (4–8, only g 1 little longer, 6–10) and smooth. Adanal setae ad 1 and ad 2 present; setae ad 3 present only in one specimen. Lyrifissures iad not evident.

Epimeral region ( Fig. 19 ). Epimeral setae setiform, short (6–10) and smooth, located in light cuticular regions.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 28–30 ). Subcapitulum nearly as long as wide (69–73 × 69–73). Rutellum considerably shorter than gena. Hypostomal setae setiform, short (8–10) and smooth. Setae h inserted near to anterior margin of mentum. Two pairs of adoral setae (8–12) setiform, slightly barbed, curved in mediodistal part. Palps (61–69) with setation 0–1–1–2–8(+1ω). Solenidion long, setiform, straight, not fused with acm. Chelicerae (61–65) with dilated posterior part. Fixed digit with two posterior teeth; movable digit without teeth. Cheliceral setae not evident. Trägårdh’s organ indistinct.

Legs ( Figs 31–34 ). Tarsi with three smooth claws; median claw thickest. All femora and trochanters III and IV with oblong dorsal porose area. Formulae of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–3–4–18) [1–1–2], II (1–4–4–4–13) [1–1–2], III (2–2–3–4–11) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–3–4–8) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 2. All setae setiform, smooth or with indistinct barbs. Famulus short, weakly thickened, blunt-ended. Solenidia ω1 and ω2 on tarsi I and II rod-like, blunt-ended. Tibia I with strong dorso-distal projection bearing long, setiform solenidion (φ). Other solenidia short, setiform or weakly thickened. Setae p absent on tarsi III and IV. Setae a absent on tarsi II, III and IV.

Leg Trochanter Femur Genu Tibia Tarsus

I v' d, l'', bv'', v'' d, l', v', σ (l), (v), φ (ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), (pl), e,

ω1, ω2

II v' d, l'', bv'', v'' d, (l), v', σ d, l', (v), φ (ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), s, (pv), ω1, ω 2 III l', v' d, ev' d, l', v', σ d, l', (v), φ (ft), (tc), (it), (u), s,(pv) IV v' d, ev' d, l', v' d, l', (v), φ ft'', (tc), (u), s, (pv)

See Table 1 for explanation.

Material examined. Holotype and six paratypes (three males and three females): central South Africa, Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve, 28º 30'S, 26º 48'E, in clay soil of grassland vegetation, collected by E.A. Hugo-Coetzee in 2006 and 2008.

Type deposition. The holotype and four paratypes are deposited in the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Two paratypes are deposited in the collection of Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Etymology. The new species is named after the Erfenis Dam Nature Reserve (central South Africa).

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 20. Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis sp. nov., adult: 18 — dorsal view, legs partly shown; 19 — ventral view, gnathosoma and legs partly shown; 20 — lateral view, gnathosoma partly shown, epimeral region and legs not shown. Scale bar 100 μm.

FIGURES 21 – 27. Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis sp. nov., adult: 21 — caudal view, legs not shown; 22 — notogastral cerotegument; 23 — rostral and lamellar setae; 24 — sensillus; 25 — genital plate, right; 26 — anal plate, right; 27 — epimeral seta 1 b. Scale bars (21) 50 μm, (22 – 24, 27) 10 μm, (25, 26) 20 μm.

FIGURES 28 – 30. Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis sp. nov., adult: 28 — subcapitulum; 29 — palp; 30 — chelicera. Scale bar 20 μm.

FIGURES 31 – 34. Legs of Licnodamaeolus erfenisdamensis sp. nov., adult: 31 — leg I, without trochanter, left, paraxial view; 32 — leg II, without trochanter, left, paraxial view; 33 — leg III, right, antiaxial view; 34 — leg IV, left, paraxial view. Scale bars 10 μm.