Laminamichaelia shibai, Uusitalo & Ueckermann & Theron, 2020

Uusitalo, Matti, Ueckermann, Edward A. & Theron, Pieter D., 2020, A review of the family Alycidae (Acari, Acariformes) from South Africa, Zootaxa 4858 (3), pp. 301-340 : 328-331

Laminamichaelia shibai nom. nov.

( Figs. 105–118 )

Bimichaelia ramosus Shiba, 1976: 155 , fig. 45A–G from Malay Peninsula, nom. preocc.; non Bimichaelia ramosa Mihelčič, 1956: 19 , fig. 13 ( Oribatida ), 1958: 277 ( Prostigmata : Pachygnathidae ).

Description. Dorsum ( Figs.105, 106 ). Length 250–300 μm; large lamellae in polygonal rosettes, secondary pattern inside the rosettes formed by small lamellae, arranged transversely on ridges (cf. fig. 133B), all dorsal setae plumose with 10–20 cilia each, neotrichy well developed on both sides; on prodorsum: naso small, roundish, crista evenly sclerotized, strips of large lamellae edging the crista poorly differentiated, holotrichous (i.e. with six pairs of setae), a few long cilia on prodorsal setae vi, sce, exp and in, filamentous sensilla ve densely ciliated by cilia of various lengths from top to bottom.

Venter ( Figs. 107, 111 , 112 ). Genital valves each with 5 genital setae and 5 anal setae per valve.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 108–110 ). Chelicerae straight; subcapitulum with 3 pairs of setae; palpal solenidion in contact with eupathid k’, k’’ free.

Legs ( Figs. 113, 114 ). Solenidial formula for tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora on legs I, II, III and IV, respectively: 2B-1B-0-0, 2B1P-2B1P-2B-1B, 4P-1B2P-1P-1P, 2P-1B-0-0, the distal baculiform solenidion ω1 hook-like, bacu- liform solenidia on tibia II half or more of the segment’s length, most of the piliform solenidia twisted abaxially, knob-like famulus I placed abaxially, near distal end of tarsus I.

Larva (n=2, Figs. 117, 118 )

Dorsum. Length 160 μm; slightly neotrichous

Venter. Sligthly neotrichous; genital valves absent

Legs. Solenidial formula for tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora on legs I, II, and III, respectively: 1B-1B-0, 2B-2B- 2B, 3P-1B1P-1P, 3P-1B-0.

Other life stages:

Protonymph (n=1, Fig. 116 ), Genital setae 1 per valve.

Deutonymph (n=4, Fig. 115 ), Genital setae 3 per valve.

Adult male (n=1, Fig. 112 ), Genital setae 5 per valve, 6 pairs of eugenital setae.

Adult female (n=8, Figs. 107, 111 ), Genital setae 5 per valve, 2 pairs of eugenital setae.

Material examined. Two females and one deutonymph from garden soil, Potchefstroom, NORTH-WEST PROVINCE, 22 August 1967, P.D. Theron; one larva from garden soil, Potchefstroom, 29 February 1968, P.D. Theron; one larva from garden soil, Pothchefstroom, 1 March 1969, P.D. Theron; one female from garden soil, Potchefstroom, 2 March 1968, P.D. Theron; one female from Acacia -biotope, Potchefstroom, 3 March 1969, P.D. Theron; 4 females and 2 deutonymphs from Acacia -biotope, Potchefstroom, 2 December 1968, J. Human; one protonymph from Acacia -biotope, Potchefstroom, 6 February 1969, P.D. Theron; one male from Acacia karroo - biotope, Potchefstroom, February to March 1969, P.D. Theron; one deutonymph from couch grass, Potchefstroom, 21 March 1967, P.F.S. Mulder. Deposited at ARC-Plant Health and Protection, Pretoria, South Africa.

Differential diagnosis. This species belongs to the setigera -group which is defined by its reticulate dorsal pattern, having only one pair of setae on sclerotized in -area, and two baculiform solenidia on tarsi I, the anterior one being modified (hook-like). Sensilla ve are densely ciliated from top to bottom, which segregates it from L. setigera (with simple, filiform sensilla ve) and L. dimixsetosa (with distally branched sensilla ve).

Remarks. Two distinct species with the same name based on the same root (ramos), Bimichaelia ramosa Mihelčič, 1956 and Bimichaelia ramosus Shiba, 1976 , were independently described in the content of the genus Bimichaelia . Unfortunately, the elder homonym, Bimichaelia ramosa , was easily overlooked because Mihelčič referred his B. ramosa to different higher taxa. The species was described amongst species of Oribatida ( Mihelčič 1956) without any special reference to its position, and records of the type locality listed it amongst species of Prostigmata ( Mihelčič 1958) . Uusitalo (2010) recently synonymized B. ramosa with Laminamichaelia arbusculosa (Grandjean, 1942) . Regarding the junior homonym, B. ramosus Shiba, 1976 , it is necessary to add that the specific epithet was given with the erroneous gender suffix, which is obviously masculine, while the gender of the Bimichaelia is feminine. Following the Code (ICZN 1999: Article 53), the specific epithet ramosus / ramosa referred to Shiba (1976) cannot be used in any combinations and is renamed herein.

The holotype and other specimens of B. ramosus , collected by Shiba (1976) in Malay Peninsula , South-East Asia , and possibly deposited at the Shinonome Junior High School, Japan, were not available for examination. The identification of our material is based on the original description .

Etymology. The new specific name (a patronymic genitive) is given in honor of M. Shiba, the collector and original descriptor of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 105−111. Laminamichaelia shibai nom. nov. 105—Prodorsum, holotrichy, ciliated setae vi, sce and in, barbed sensilla ve, button-like naso, reticulated pattern of large lamellae on crista; 106—Dorsal habitus, strong neotrichy; 107—Vental habitus, neotrichy, 4–5 genital setae per valve, 5 anal setae per valve; 108—Straight chelicera; 109—Subcapitulum; 110—Palp tarsus, solenidion supported by 1 eupathid, other one is free; 111—Genital area of female, 5 genital setae per valve, 2 pairs of eugenital setae.

FIGURES 112−116. Laminamichaelia shibai nom. nov. 112—Genital area of male, 5 genital setae per valve, 6 (pairs of) eugenital setae; 113—Tarsus I (2B), famulus I (arrow), Tibia I (2B1P = 2 baculiform solenidia and 1 piliform solenidion), Genu I (4P); 114—Tarsus II (1B), Tibia II (2B1P), Genu II (1B2P); 115—Deutonymph, venter, 3 genital setae per valve, 3 anal setae per valve; 116—Protonymph, venter, 1 genital seta per valve, 3–4 anal setae per valve.

FIGURES 117−118. Laminamichaelia shibai nom. nov. 117—Larva, ventral habitus, slight neotrichy, genital valves absent; 118—Larva, dorsal habitus, slight neotrichy. 105−118 from RSA, near Potchefstroom.