Arphthicarus andamanesis, Niedbała, 2011

Niedbała, Wojciech, 2011, Arphthicarus andamanensis sp. nov., a new species of ptyctimous mite (Acari, Oribatida) from the Andamans, Journal of Natural History 45 (5 - 6), pp. 357-360 : 357-360

Arphthicarus andamanesis sp. nov.

( Figure 1 )

Material examined

Holotype and 15 paratypes (adults, sex undetermined): ANDAMANS, Northern Island, near locality Kalipur, Saddle Peak NP, seashore, primary rain forest, litter under Podocarpus , Ficus , Magnolia at sea level and under bamboo at 400 m a.s.l., 10.02.2008, leg. W. Niedbała; 5 paratypes: ANDAMANS, Southern Island, 30 km S from Port Blair, near locality Chidya Tapu, litter from seashore, secondary rain forest, 05.02.2008, leg. W. Niedbała.

Measurements of holotype (µ m)

Prodorsum: length 288, width 197, height 131, sensillus 40, setae: interlamellar 109, rostral 35, notogaster: length 576, width 389, height 364, c 1, h 1 and p 1 94; genitoaggenital plate 156 × 106, anoadanal plate 177 × 121.

All types are deposited in the Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Poznań, Poland.

Description

Colour light to dark brown. Cuticle well sculptured, covered with distinct polygonal fields, like a mosaic, with light central part of field.

Prodorsum without lateral carinae. Posterior furrows distinct but sigillar fields not visible. Sensilli with long, narrow pedicel and short fusiform head covered with cilia. Interlamellar setae rigid, erect, covered with small spines in distal half. Lamellar and exobothridial setae vestigial. Rostral setae short, rigid, rough.

Notogaster with setae rather short (c 1 <c 1 -d 1), rigid, covered with small spines in distal half. Setae c 1 and c 3 slightly remote from the anterior border, setae c 2 located far from the border. Vestigial setae f 1 placed anteriorly to h 1 setae. Two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present.

Ventral region. Setae h of mentum as long as distance between them. Genitoaggenital plates with nine pairs of minute genital setae with arrangement 4 + 3: 2; setae g 6-9 in shape of small leaves. Anoadanal plates each with five pairs of rough setae, setae ad 1 and ad 2 distinctly longer than other setae.

Legs. Formula of setae and solenidia of complete type. Setae d of femora I remote from distal end of segment.

Etymology

The species is named after the Andaman archipelago.

Comparison

The new species is easily distinguishable from congeners by the presence of a cuticle covered with distinct polygonal fields, like a mosaic, with a light central part of the field and very small genital setae, of which setae g 6-9 are in the shape of small leaves.

Remarks

I have found some other, known, rather broadly distributed species of ptyctimous mites in both samples from the Andamans. From North Andaman: pantropical Aedoplophora glomerata Grandjean, 1932 – (3 specimens), oriental Apoplophora pantotrema (Berlese, 1913) – (2), oriental Oribotritia bulbifer (Mahunka, 1987) – (6), pantropical Austrotritia lebronneci (Jacot, 1934) – (1), semicosmopolitan Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) cucullatus (Ewing, 1909) – (1), semicosmopolitan Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) vitrinus (Berlese, 1913) – (1). From South Andaman: Aedoplophora glomerata – (2), Apoplophora pantotrema – (1), pantropical Plonaphacarus kugohi (Aoki, 1959) – (1).

In the course of the same research trip some other localities in continental eastern India were investigated. In a sample from the Eastern Ghat mountains (near Araku, c. 1000 m a.s.l., litter under shrubs, 30.01.2008, leg. W. Niedbała). I have found some known, broadly distributed species of ptyctimous mites: pantropical Indotritia krakatauensis (Sellnick, 1923) – (1 specimen), semicosmopolitan Acrotritia ardua (C.L. Koch, 1841) – (13), pantropical A. comteae (Mahunka, 1983) – (11), pantropical Plonaphacarus kugohi (Aoki, 1959) – (4), semicosmopolitan Atropacarus (Hoplophorella) vitrinus (Berlese, 1913) – (12).

Figures

Figure 1. Arphthicarus andamanesis sp. nov., holotype: (A) prodorsum, dorsal view; (B) prodorsum, lateral view; (C) genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates; (D) mentum of infracapitulum; (E) opisthosoma, lateral view; (F) trochanter and femur of leg I.