Taxonomy of European Damaeidae (Acari: Oribatida) III. Species of the Kunstidamaeus tenuipes (Michael, 1885) group, with a description of Kunstidamaeus fraterculus n. sp. from East Slovakia
Author
Miko, L.
text
Zootaxa
2010
2327
51
64
http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02327p064f.pdf
journal article
ORI11406
Kunstidamaeus nivalis
(Kulczynski, 1902) Figs. 5-7
Synonymy.
Oribata nivalis Kulczynski
, 1902 Syn.:
Damaeus nivalis
(Schatz 1983).
Diagnosis.
Kunstidamaeus
with shortened, club-shaped sensillus with head covered by spinuli. Distinct perpendicular propodolateral apophysis P and strongly developed prodorsal tubercles Ba and La present. Spinae adnatae long and strongly curved, notogastral setae quite long anteriorly and diminishing posteriad.
Tectum
of podocephalic fossa with strong and sharp, backwards oriented tip. Ventral tubercles E2a, E2p and Va distinct, tubercular, Vp shaped as transversal ridge bearing epimeral seta 3b; ventral setae quite long.
Material examined.
Dr. Josef
Stary
kindly provided one individual of this very rarely collected species, found during his studies in
Tatra Mountains
, East
Slovakia
(
Stary
, 1996). The individual (female), labelled "SK-07, 299-3b" (Fig 5A,B) was collected
22.6.1988
in limestone ridge of
Belanske
Tatry, in rhizosphere of
Salix reticulata
growth on the slopes of
Zadne
Jatky
(2030 m).
In addition, one slide comprising 2 specimens of the species was studied in Willmann's collection in Zoologische Staatsammlung in Munich. Slide is labelled "36.,
Karpathen
,
Frenzel
,
Belba nivalis
Kulcz., B. Montana Kulcz., Det. C. Willmann". The specimens are well observable, but with crushed bodies which do not allow for some measurements (eg. total length of body). These individuals may be the ones collected by Frenzel in Western part of
Tatra Mountains
, on the
Mt.
Placlivo
(in mountain range of
Rohace
, ca 2000 m).
All the known findings are therefore from the High Tatra Mountains range, and suggest potential endemic character of the species.
FIGURE 5.
Kunstidamaeus nivalis
- adult female from Tatra Mountains. A) dorsal view; B) ventral view. Legs and infracapitulum only partly depicted. Bar indicating 100
ym
, abbreviations in text.
Redescription of adult. Description is based on the Slovak specimen collected by J.
Stary
, which corresponds very well both to Frenzel's material as well as with original description of Kulczynski. Body medium sized, about 650-750
ym
long (Kulczynski gives 670 to 750
ym
, measured individual was 701
ym
long, Frenzel's specimens (Fig. 6 A-D) are clearly somewhat smaller, but crashed body does not allow precise
measurement
). Body surface with fine granulation, well visible eg. on parastigmatic apophyses or ventrally. Sejugal area covered by filamentous cerotegument.
Prodorsum broadly triangular, about 250-260
ym
long, and 270
ym
broad (from tip to tip of propodolateral apophysis P). Propodolateral apophysis (Fig. 5A, 6B,D) developed as distinct, tubercular or pointed perpendicular tip. Bothridiae (bo, Fig. 7D) large, funnel-like, with expanded rim and almost circular opening, their mutual distance is ca 120
ym
. They are positioned on the edges of an elevated part of prodorsum. Anterior edge of this elevated area, especially in the lateral parts close to the bothridiae, falls more suddenly down, appearing from dorsal view as short, distinct rib-like structure, bent inwards, resembling lamellar ribs. In postbothridial area, typical set of two well developed, very distinctly protruding tubercles (Ba, La) present (Fig. 6D). Short, slightly thickened transversal ridges may be seen on posterior part of dorsosejugal groove, opposite to tubercles Ba, but without protruding tubercles. Parastigmatic apophyses strong and unequal in development. Anterior apophyse Sa longer, perpendicular, straight or slightly curved forwards, with a sharp tip. Posterior apophyse Sp shorter, without elongated tip, blunt and oblique. Sensillus of very typical shape, relatively short (108-118
ym
, in distal third slightly thickened and club-shaped, with head covered by dense spinuli, with blunt or slightly sharpened tip (Fig. 7D). Prodorsal setae (Fig. 7C) relatively long with lamellar setae le almost reaching the length of sensillus (102-108
ym
) and longer than other prodorsal setae, with a few short spinuli present. Rostral setae ro slightly longer or almost as long as interlamellar setae in (ro: 75-79
ym
; in: 55-75
ym
). Exobothridial setae ex shortest of all (27-37
ym
), finer, curved.
FIGURE 6.
Kunstidamaeus nivalis
- individual from
Willmann's
Collection in Munich (Frenzel lgt.). A) overall view on damaged individual, details not depicted; B) detailed view on prodorsum; C) detailed view on anterior part of the notogaster; D) lateral part of prodorsum with prodorsal tubercles and bothridial region. Bars indicating 200
ym
(A), 100
ym
(B) and 50
ym
(C,D). Abbreviations in text. Relative lengths of sensillus, setae and apophyses may be influenced by position and status of mounted individual.
Notogaster
(Fig. 5A, 6C) almost circular, 435
ym
long and 425
ym
broad if measured in dorsal view. Spinae adnatae (Fig. 6C) strongly curved outwards and backwards, spiniform and quite long (about 80
ym
in total), with broader base and quite slender, elongated and sharp tip. Anterior notogastral setae quite long, posterior being shorter, finer and diminishing backwards. Lengths of notogastral setae (Fig. 7C) on studied individual as follows, with the same seta length of
Frenzel's
individuals whenever available and measurable in parenthesis: c1 75
ym
(73
ym
), c2 75
ym
(73,5
ym
), la 78
ym
(61,5
ym
), lm 72
ym
(75
ym
), lp 72
ym
, h3 42
ym
(43
ym
), h2 39
ym
(?25
ym
, identity of seta uncertain), h1 33
ym
, ps1 30
ym
(27
ym
), ps2 27
ym
(29-39
ym
), ps3 30
ym
(29
ym
). All setae appearing smooth, but when closer observed, the longer ones (c1-lp) with a row of short, sparse hairs or spinuli.
Ventral side (Fig. 7B) of the body with very distinct, well developed tubercles, connected with distinct ventrolateral longitudinal ridges. E2a and E2p present as blunt or slightly sharpened and protruding angular thickenings, Va strong, dentiform, Vp developed as a flat transversal ridge. Anterior tectum of podocephalic fossa with strong and sharp tip oriented backwards. Medial pit cp on coxisternum I present, well developed. Discidium (dis, Fig. 5A,B) protruding, perpendicular to body, finger-like or ceratiform, with a blunt tip. Ventral setae rather long (Fig. 5B), longest epimeral setae (1b, 3b, 4b) up to 70-75
ym
, shortest (2a) only 27
ym
long. Seta 1c inserted on the edge of lateral longitudinal ridge, seta 3b inserted on posterior ventrosejugal ridge (Vp). Anal and genital openings of about same length (ca 135
ym
), but genital opening broader (135
ym
) than anal opening at broadest place (115
ym
). Triangular postanal sclerit (pas) present in caudal part of ventral plate (Fig. 5B). Standard numbers of smooth genital, anal, adanal and adgenital setae, all relatively long - from 35
ym
(ad1) to 55-57
ym
(ad2, ad3).
Legs (Fig. 7A,B) comparatively shorter than in
K. tenuipes
, leg I about as long as body length, leg IV 1,3- 1,4 times longer. Setation of legs as usual in
Kunstidamaeus
.
FIGURE 7.
Kunstidamaeus nivalis
. A) leg I, genu and distal part of femur, antiaxial view; B) leg IV, trochanter, femur and genu above (dorsal view), tibia below (antiaxial view); C) selected setae of notogaster and prodorsum, and sensillus; D) sensillus from individuals in Willmann's collection (above) compared with sensillus of individual from Tatra Mountains (below, lateral axial view). Bars indicating 100
ym
(A,B) and 50
ym
(C,D). Abbreviations in text.
Remarks
. The individuals examined fit very well with description of Kulczynski (1902), even if he brings slightly higher values for length of anterior notogastral setae (90-110
ym
). Interestingly, already Kulczynski considered similarity with
K. tenuipes
, which should differ (accordingly with our material) besides the absence of tip on the place of apophysis P by longer legs, more clearly dilated head of sensillus and slightly longer notogastral setae. Given the restricted findings in very small area,
K. nivalis
may be an endemic of highest alpine and subnival zone of Slovak Tatra Mountains (Western Carpathians).