Vilhenabates dissecatus, Mahunka, 2009

Mahunka, S., 2009, Oribatid Mites From The Vohimana Reserve (Madagascar) (Acari: Oribatida) I., Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 55 (2), pp. 89-122 : 118-120

Vilhenabates dissecatus sp. n.

( Figs 53–56 )

Material examined. Holotype: Malagasy Republic, Vohimana reserve , primary forest. 17. 04. 2008. Leg. CS . CSUZDI (Afr-996) . 2 paratypes from the same sample. Holotype (1778-HO-09) and 1 paratype (1778-PO-09) in HNHM , 1 paratype in MHNG .

Diagnosis. Rostrum conical, rostral apex pointed. Lamellae long, dilated anteriorly, lamellar cusp small, translamella convex, weakly developed. Rostral and lamellar setae simple, straight, lamellar ones ending far from the insertion of rostral setae. Interlamellar setae minute. Tutorium well-developed, with short cusp. Sensillus very long, directed posteriorly, its peduncle five times longer than the head. Notogaster with ten pairs of alveoli or minute setae, and four pairs of small, round porose areas. Epimeral setae simple, minute. Epimeral borders and apodemes – except sejugal ones – weakly developed, sejugal borders compose a transversal band. Anogenital setal formula 5–1–2–3. Anterior adanal setae arising near to the anterior corner of anal aperture, lyrifissures iad located very near to them, also anteriorly. All legs monodactylous.

Measurements. Length of body: 276–295 µm, width of body: 200–226 µm.

Prodorsum: Rostral part wide, rostral apex triangular, pointed. Lamellae long, narrow, slightly dilated distally, directed inwards, lamellar setae located on their apices. Translamella present with a weak incision medially. Prelamella and sublamella absent. All prodorsal setae simple, minute or short, straight ( Fig. 53 ). Sensillus very long, directed backwards, with small, lanceolate head, ciliate along the whole length. Its head sharply pointed medially.

Notogaster: Anterior notogastral margin well-developed, convex. Pteromorphs large, triangular. One pair of divided dorsosejugal porose area present ( Fig. 56 ), behind lamellae. Four pairs of small, round porose areae well observable. Seven pairs of setal alveoli of notogastral setae, and three pairs of minute notogastral setae in posteromarginal position.

Lateral part of podosoma ( Fig. 55 ): Tutorium short, with true apex. Pedotectum I long, its margin straight. A small porose areas lamellaris (la) visible. Circumpedal carina long, reaching the lateral margin of the ventral plate.

Ventral regions ( Fig. 54 ): Apodemes and borders weakly developed. Bo. sej. reaching the genital aperture and connected with each other. Epimeral surface smooth, without pattern. All epimeral setae short, not ciliate. Epimeral borders (bo. 4) absent. Five pairs of simple genital, one pairs aggenital, two pairs of anal and three pairs of very short adanal setae present. Setae ad 3 and lyrifissures iad in preanal position, both located very near to the anterior corner of anal aperture.

Legs: All legs monodactylous. Femora of leg II–IV with distinct blade-like shape basally.

Remarks: Species of the genus Vilhenabates BALOGH, 1963 and Phalacrozetes AOKI, 1965 stand very near to each other, probably the separation of these genera or subgenera ( SUBIAS 2004) is unjustified. The form of the rostrum, the number of claws and some other important characters are variable and overlapping, therefore, I use now the older name. Independently of this, on the basis of the divided dorsosejugal porose areas and the form of the translamella the new species well distinguished from all species of this relation.

Etymology: Named after the divided dorsosejugal porose areas.

Figures

Figs 53–56. Vilhenabates dissecatus sp. n.: 53 = body in dorsal view, 54 = body in ventral view, 55 = podosoma in lateral view, 56 = anterior margin of notogaster