Yoshiobodes camerunensis, Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Leiva, Sergio & Tiedt, Louwrens, 2017

Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Leiva, Sergio & Tiedt, Louwrens, 2017, Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) XII. Yoshiobodescamerunensis sp. n. and Rugocepheuscostaricensis sp. n., ZooKeys 706, pp. 31-50 : 32-34

Yoshiobodes camerunensis sp. n. Figures 1-2, 3-5, 6-13, 14-20, 21-27, 28-35, Table 1

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from Cameroon, country of origin of the type material.

Material examined.

Holotype. Adult female "CAM 73/3. Mt.Kala ( près de Yaoundé). 800-850 m, terreau troncs pourris et litière. IV–V. 1973. Leg. G. TERRON". Material deposited in the collection of MNHG, Switzerland, preserved in 70% ethanol. Paratypes. 2 adult females "CAM 73/3. Mt. Kala ( près de Yaoundé). 800-850 m, terreau troncs pourris et litière. IV–V. 1973. Leg. G. TERRON". Material deposited in the collection of MNHG, Switzerland, preserved in 70% ethanol.

Diagnosis.

Setation. Rostral setae cochleariform, smooth; lamellar setae slightly lanceolate, barbate, covered by cerotegumental layer; notogastral c1, c2, da, dm, dp, lm, lp curved lanceolate-cochleriform; c3 lanceolate, rounded end with longitudinal shallow grooves; subcapitular h, epimeral, genital, anal, adanal setae spiniform. Prodorsum. Shallow lamellar furrow present; lamellae terminate in bridge not lamellar tips. Bothridia cup-shaped, with bothridial ring. Barbed fan-shaped sensillus. Notogaster: fifteen pairs of setae. Genital opening on elevated zone; deep anterior furrow in front of genital opening.

Description.

Measurements. SEM: length: 301 μm (296-312). Width: 130 μm (127-152) (three specimens). Light microscopy: 311 μm (301-323) × 142 μm (138-148) (two specimens) All specimens female.

Colour: Specimens without cerotegument, light brown, slightly shiny when observed in reflected light.

Cerotegument: Entire body, femora and genua of legs covered by thin layer of between 0.1-0.5 μm presenting as a polygonal network (Figures 7, 17, 19, 26, 30, 31 indicated by arrow).

Cuticular microsculpture. Prodorsum. Posterior zone of e.i.p and p.p.d round to ovoid depressions (Figure 2). Polyhedral depressions (Figs 6, 15) on anterior zone e.i.p near in setae, extending to near ro setae. Remainder of prodorsum with small protuberances (Figures 12, 18). Bothridial zone with large protuberances (Figure 9). Ovoid to irregular depressions of varying size (Figures 6, 15) on lateral zone Tu, s.tu.d and Pd I. Notogaster. Aligned, rectangular to polyhedral protuberances (Figures 6, 16, 20): anterior zone between c1, c2 setae and d.sj; behind c1, c2 setae and laterally towards s.c, ovoid protuberances forming a polyhedral network with 5-7 protuberances (Figures 2, 6, 14, 20, 28). Aligned ridges with small protruberances (Figures 2, 28) in zone between s.c and b.ng. Ventral zone. Subcapitular zone between a and h setae with small protuberances similar to Figure 18 (Figures 21, 27, 32). Round depressions (Figure 19). on posterior zone of subcapitulum (Figure 27). Irregular depressions (Figure 25) on epimeral zone (Figure 27). Posterior to genital opening and aggenital, anal and adanal zones, ovoid protuberances forming a polyhedral network (Figure 21). Legs. Large ovoid to round depressions present on basal zone of all femora.

Setation. Seta in lanceolate, barbate, slightly curving (Figure 8), length 26 μm (22-31); ro setae cochleariform, smooth (Figures 12, 15, 35), 10 μm (8-13); le setae slightly lanceolate, barbate, covered by cerotegumental layer (Figures 10, 11, 13), 16 μm (11-21). Notogastral setae c1, c2, da, dm, dp, lm, lp, lanceolate-cochleariform, curved, more or less same length (Figures 1, 2, 17, 20, 28), 15 μm (17-22); c3 setae lanceolate, round end with longitudinal shallow grooves (Figures 1, 7), 5.30 μm (4-7); la, h3, p1, p2, p3, h1, h2 lanceolate, round end with longitudinal shallow grooves (Figure 1), 11 μm (10-13). Subcapitular setae (Figures 21, 27, 31, 32) a sigmoid, 9.5 μm (11-8); m inclined L-shaped, 20 μm (23-17); spiniform: h 2.5 μm (1.8-3.5); epimeral setae (Figures 25, 34), 0.7 μm (0.4-1.7); ge (Figures 21, 23, 26), 7 μm (10-6); ag (Figure 21), 7 μm (5-10); an (Figure 22), 7 μm (12-4). Adanal setae curved lanceolate-cochleariform (Figure 21) ad1, ad2, ad3 15 μm (17-13).

Prodorsum. Very complex, described from different angles in order to properly interpret the structure. Lateral view (Figure 1) and slightly posterolateral inclination (Figure 2): elevated interlamellar process (e.i.p) at the same level as elevated zone of notogaster; forward directing in setae situated in a depressed zone (Figure 8); posterior prodorsal depression (p.p.d) clearly visible in inclined lateral view (Figure 2). Cuticular microsculpture and shallow lamellar furrow (l.l.f) well visible (Figure 2). Lamellar zone (Figures 10, 11, 13): positioning of le setae and their particular shape clearly observed; lamellae in anterior zone lacking lamellar tips, anterior zone is connected by a bridge (Figure 11 indicated by arrow). Anterior lateral view (Figure 15): cuticular microsculpture of s.tu.d zone and between Pd I and Tu is clearly visible; the zone between seta ro is more or less smooth. Bothridia: cup-shaped, with smooth ovoid bothridial ring, incomplete, with bothridial tooth (Figures 2, 14). Sensillus (si) fan-shaped, barbed, directing upwards (Figures 1, 2, 6, 9, 14).

Frontal view (Figures 6, 12): triangular, with depressed central zone (Figure 6, indicated by thick arrow). Both sides of e.i.p rounded, with depressed zone where in setae are located. Cuticular microsculpture easily observed on depressed central zone of e.i.p; l.l.f clearly visible; le setae hardly discernible; ro setae well visible; rostral margin smooth. Tu (Figure 6) expanded laterally towards the prodorsal margin, extending to the level of Pd I.

Notogaster. Shape: oval in dorsal view; d.sj narrow, well-delimited, curving slightly backwards (Figures 2, 3); anterior lateral zone: humeral apophysis (h.ap) extending forward, overlapping posterior bothridial zone (Figures 2, 3, 5 14); notogastral anterior depression (n.a.d) absent. Frontal view: convex in central zone up to cicumgastric furrow (s.c); flat from s.c to b.ng, slightly tilted downward (Figures 2, 6, 20); s.c clearly delimited (Figures 6, 20), running laterally between c2, lm, lp, h2, h1, dp and h3, p3, p2, p1. Setae c3 and la present on h.ap, with conspicuous depressed zone (s.fu) lodging the sensillus after leg folding (protection mechanism) (Figure 14) ( Fernandez et al. 2013); c3 setae placed beneath the s.fu, while la are placed behind. Cuticular microsculpture: rectangular to polyhedral protuberances are clearly delimited in the anterior zone between d.sj and setae c1, c2 and inwards to s.c (Figures 16, 20). Setae c1, da, and dm are more or less aligned; while c2, lm, lp, h2, and h1, are arranged in an arc (Figures 6, 20).

Lateral view: convex (Figure 1, 5), setae la, h3, p3, p2, p1 situated between s.c and b.ng; setae c3 are situated further down from this setal alignment (Figures 1, 14). Fifteen pairs of setae: c1, c2, c3, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3; only lyrifissures im and gla clearly visible between lm and lp setae (Figure 5). Clearly visible s.c in lateral posterior zone (Figure 28); cuticular microsculpture below s.c different to zone above, and parallel cuticular thickening (p.c.t) situated between s.c and bng, clearly discernible (Figure 28).

Lateral region (Figures 1, 5, 14). A thorough study of the lateral aspect was imperative for observation and interpretation of several structures. Conical e.i.p inclining slightly upwards (Figures 1, 5); lam clearly discernible (Figures 1, 5, 10, 11, 13, 15); le inserted on lam, behind level of ro setae (Figure 15); no lamelar tips present; le setae inserted some distance from where the apical part of lam reaches the rest of prodorsum; this zone forming a bridge where le setae can be concealed (Figures 10, 15); large, laterally expanded Tu at same level as Pd I (Figure 15); Tu with upward curving margin; several depressions (Figure 15) visible on Tu and zone between Tu and Pd I, with variation in shape and depth (Figure 15 indicated by arrows); s.tu.d deeply concave; anterior tutorial depression (a.tu.d) (Figure 5) and other small depressions present (Figure 15); Pd I: large extended lamina, rounded apex; immediately behind Pd I apex, conspicuous round to polyhedral cuticular depression (Figure 1 indicated by dashed arrow);in posterior zone of Pd I, near Pd II, short deep longitudinal grooves separated from each other by longitudinal depressions (Figure 1, indicated by arrow). Pd II: small lamina, rounded apex; dis a triangular protuberance (Figure 34). Many circular to ovoid depressions (dep), delimited by cuticular thickenings, occurring behind, on top of and on lower part coxa IV up to genital opening (Figures 1, 5, 21).

Ventral region. Cuticular microsculpture obviously different on epimeral, aggenital, and adanal zones (See Cuticular microsculpture). Subcapitular setae a, m, h (Figures 21, 27, 31, 32, 34) differing in shape and length (see Setation); setae h similar to epimeral, genital, aggenital setae (Figures 22, 23, 25, 33), all spiniform; epimeral setae shorter than others, difficult to observe.

Epimeres well defined by furrows, easily discernible both in animals with cerotegumental layer (Figure 21) and without (Figure 4). Epimeral borders clearly visible (Figure 4); epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3, but variations exist due to some setae not being clearly visible, in asymmetric position, or lost; apodemes 1, 2, sj and 3 clearly visible (Figure 4); epimera 1, 2; 3 and 4 fused. Genital opening on elevated zone (Figure 21); surrounded anteriorly by a semicircular cuticular thickening (c.th) (Figure 21) extending to posterior zone, but not completely surrounding genital opening; depressed zone between cuticular thickening and elevated zone of genital opening; deep anterior furrow (a.g.f) (Figures 4, 21) in front of genital opening, this depressed zone extends to the outside of c.th. Four pairs of genital setae in single line (Figures 21, 23). Posterolateral aggenital setae, genital opening far from ad3 setae; very different in shape and size (Figure 21). Three pairs of adanal setae. Anal plate sharply tipped (Figure 22); lyrifissure iad situated laterally, hardly discernible (Figure 4). Many circular to ovoid depressions (dep), behind coxa IV.

Legs. Setal formulae (trochanter to tarsus) (Table 1) Legs. I: 1-4-3(1)-4(2)-15(2); II: 1-4-3(1)-3(1)-15(2); III: 2-3-1(1)-2(1)-15; IV: 1-2-2-2(1)-12 (trochanter to tarsus).

Remarks.

The positioning of the le setae during activation of the protection mechanism is interesting: these setae are shielded under the lamellae, but are also further protected by the cerotegumental layer (Fig. 10). Protected by the external margin of Lam (figure 1), and concealed in the deepest zone of the s.tu.d, Legs I are difficult to study. Yoshiobodes camerunensis is the first species of this genus from the Afrotropical region. Y. irmayi (Balogh & Mahunka, 1969), redescribed by Reeves 1997, is close to Yoshiobodes camerunensis sp. n. Principal similarities: presence of p.p.d on prodorsum; rectilinear microsculpture between d.sj; microsculpture c1, c2 setae and behind setae c1, c2; number of notogastral setae; shape of notogastral setae; shape of in setae. Principal differences: prodorsal cuticular microsculture, shape of prodorsum; characteristics of l.l.f; shape and characteristics of ro setae; shape and characteristics of le setae; microsculpture of epimeral zone; structure s.fu.