Safrobates gerdi, Ermilov, Sergey G. & Minor, Maria A., 2016

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Minor, Maria A., 2016, Three new species of oribatid mites of the family Punctoribatidae (Acari, Oribatida) from alpine bogs of New Zealand, Zootaxa 4092 (2), pp. 243-257 : 253-256

Safrobates gerdi sp. nov.

( Figs 21–30 )

Diagnosis. Body size: 315–372 × 190–232. Body surface punctate, epimeral region striate, ano-adanal region microtuberculate. Lamellar cusps truncated anteriorly. Rostral setae setiform, ciliated. Lamellar and interlamellar setae straight, barbed; in thickest. Bothridial setae clavate, barbed. Notogastral setae of medium size, setiform, slightly barbed. Epimeral setal formula: 3–1–2–1. Epimeral and ano-adanal setae slightly barbed. Leg tarsi I–III without setae it, tarsi II with one solenidion, femora I with 4 setae (v’’ absent), genua I with 2 setae (v’ absent).

Description. Measurements. Body length: 365 (holotype: female), 315–372 (3 paratypes: 1 female and 2 males); notogastral width: 199 (holotype), 190–232 (3 paratypes). No distinct differences in size between females and males.

Integument. Сolor brown. Body surface punctate. Tutoria, epimeral region, lateral parts of lamellae, posterior part of subcapitular mentum, anterior part of pteromorphs and antiaxial sides of leg femora striate. Ano-adanal region covered by slightly elongated or rounded microtubercles.

Prodorsum. Medial ledge of rostrum with three to four indistinct tubercles, incisions deep. Lamellae (without cusps) slightly shorter than prodorsum. Lamellar cusps 1/3 length of lamellae, truncated anteriorly. Rostral setae (36–45) setiform, ciliated, directed antero-medially. Lamellar setae (36–45) setiform, straight, barbed, slightly thicker than ro, directed anteriorly. Interlamellar setae (82–90) thick, straight, barbed, directed anteriorly. Bothridial setae (22–28) clavate, with shorter (6–8) smooth stalks and longer (16–20) slightly elongated, rounded distally, barbed heads. Bothridia separated from lamellae by narrow incision antero-medially. Exobothridial setae (ex, 14–16) setiform, thin, barbed. Tutoria longer than lamellae, their cusps 1/3 length of tutoria, with broad, roughened tip, reaching insertions of rostral setae.

Notogaster. Anterior margin convex medially, covering basal parts of interlamellar setae. Dorsosejugal porose areas not visible. Pteromorphs broadly rounded laterally. Dorsophragmata semi-oval. Three pairs (Aa, A1 and A3) of small (6–8) rounded porose areas with distinct borders. Notogastral setae (p 1– p 3, 24–28; other setae 32–36) setiform, slightly barbed. All lyrifissures distinct. Opisthonotal gland openings located dorso-laterally to h 3.

Gnathosoma . Subcapitulum longer than wide (82–86 × 53–61). Subcapitular setae similar in length (20–24), setiform, slightly barbed. Adoral setae (12) setiform, densely barbed. Palps (53) with setation 0–2–1–3–9(+ω). Setae e (4) slightly thickened, straight, indistinctly barbed. Axillary saccules slightly elongated. Chelicerae (82–86) with two setiform, barbed setae; cha (32) longer than chb (20). Trägårdh’s organ long, tapered.

Lateral podosomal and epimeral regions. Genal teeth well visible. Humeral porose areas diffuse. Custodia with short pointed tips, reaching level of anterior margin of pedotecta II. Discidia triangular. Circumpedal carinae distinct. Epimeral setal formula: 3–1–2–1. Epimeral setae setiform, slightly barbed; 1b, 1c and 3b (all three pairs 24–32) longer and thicker than other setae (12–14). Setae 4a, 3c and 4c and their alveoli absent.

Anogenital region. Genital (10–12), aggenital (10–12), anal (16–24) and adanal (16–24) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Adanal lyrifissures located close and parallel to anal aperture.

Legs. Claw of each leg serrate on dorsal side. Segments without ventral teeth. Regions of porose areas on femora and trochanters III, IV distinct. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–2–4–16) [1–2–2], II (1–5–3– 4–13) [1–1–1], III (2[1]– 2–1–3–13) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2[1]–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia as indicated in Table 2 . Leg setation and solenidia is characterized by strong reduction: tarsi I–III without setae it; tarsi II with one solenidion; femora I with 4 setae (v’’ absent); genua I with 2 setae (v’ absent).

See Table 1 for explanations.

* setae l' on trochanter III and genua IV present or absent.

Material examined. Holotype (female) and 3 paratypes (1 female and 2 males): New Zealand, South Island, Central Otago, Pisa Range, 44°52'24.92"S, 169°10'34.53"E, 1809 m a.s.l., in wet moss of alpine bog, 18 February 2014 (M. Minor).

Type deposition. The holotype and 1 paratype are deposited in the New Zealand National Arthropod Collection, Auckland, New Zealand; 2 paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia.

Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to our friend and colleague, acarologist Prof. Dr. Gerd Weigmann (Free University of Berlin, Institute of Zoology, Berlin, Germany), to acknowledge his extensive contribution to our knowledge of oribatid mites.

Comparison. Safrobates gerdi sp. nov. differs from the type species— S. miniporus Mahunka, 1989 —by larger body size (315–372 × 190–232 vs. 246–278 × 155–170), the presence of setiform rostral setae (vs. dilated medio-distally), and by notogastral setae of medium length (vs. minute).

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 24. Safrobates gerdi sp. nov., adult: 21 — dorsal view; 22 — ventral view (legs not shown); 23 — subcapitulum, ventral view; 24 — part of lateral podosomal and epimeral regions. Scale bar 100 Μm (21, 22), scale bar 50 Μm (23, 24).

FIGURES 25 – 30. Safrobates gerdi sp. nov., adult: 25 — lateral view of anterior part of body (legs not shown); 26 — posterior view (pteromorphs not shown); 27 — leg I, without trochanter, right, antiaxial view; 28 — leg II, right, antiaxial view; 29 — trochanter, femur and genu of leg III, left, antiaxial view; 30 — leg IV, without tarsus, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 100 Μm (25, 26), scale bar 50 Μm (27 – 30).

Tables

TABLE 2. Leg setation and solenidia of adult Safrobates gerdi sp. nov.

Leg	Trochanter	Femur	Genu	Tibia	Tarsus
I	v'	d, (l), bv''	(l), σ	(l), (v), φ1, φ2	(ft), (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), (pl), ɛ, ω1, ω2
II	v'	d, (l), bv'', v''	(l), v', σ	(l), (v), φ,	(ft), (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), ω
III	l'*, v'	d, ev'	l', σ	l', (v), φ	(ft), (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)
IV	v'	d, ev'	d, l'*	l', (v), φ	ft'', (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv)