Eosentomon sp.

(Figs. 55 – 66)

Description. Female: Body length 1257 µm.

Head— oval, length 138 µm, width 93 µm. Head setae short, subposterior seta 1.7 x length of posterior seta. Anterior additional seta and m4 present, posterior additional seta absent (Fig. 55). Pseudoculus circular, width 10 µm. PR=13.8. Clypeal apodeme indistinct. Rostral seta simple, subequal the length to subrostral (Fig. 56). Labral seta present. Mandibles with two small indistinct apical teeth. Digits of galea well-developed, median and inner equal, shorter and thicker than outer (Fig. 57). Maxillary palpus with two sensilla, dorsal sensillum obviously longer than lateral one (Fig. 58).

Thorax— Chaetotaxy as shown in Table 6. Tracheal camerae broad and short. Spiracle wide, diameter 8 µm (Fig. 59). Three little setae present on the lateral pleuron between pronotum and mesonotum. On mesonotum and metanotum, P1a situated posterior to the row of P1 and P2, ength ratio of P1: P1a: P2 on mesonotum as 1.1: 1: 1.3. P2a subequal in length to P3a, P3a setiform. Metanotum with very short seta P5a, adhere to P5. Thorax with no pores.

Foretarsal length 93 µm, claw length 18 µm, TR =5.3; Empodium slightly shorter than claw, EU=0.86; Dorsal sensillum t-1 short spindle-like, situated at half distance α 3 – α 3', BS=0.95; t-2 slim and long, t-3 short. Exterior sensillum a and c short, a about 3/4 length of c, c reaching base of γ 3; b subequal to a'; d relatively long; e and g spatulate; f-1 filiform, relatively long; f-2 short. Interior sensillum a' robust and long, situated distally to α 3; b'-1 absent; b'-2 long, filiform; c' very short (Figs. 62 – 63). Middle tarsal length 45 µm, claw length 13 µm. Hind tarsal length 55 µm, claw length 15 µm. Empodial appendage of II and III legs short; basal seta (seta D2) of III legs of normal shape (Fig. 60).

Abdomen —Chaetotaxy as shown in Table 6. Abdominal tergite I with two pairs of anterior setae (A1, A2), with six pairs of posterior setae (P1, P1a, P2, P3, P3a, P4a), P3a and P4a specialized as short sensillumlike (Fig. 64). Seta P4a on urotergites II and III and Setae A1 – A3 on urotergite VII absent. Seta P1a on urotergites I – VI long, longer than P1; on urotergite VII situated at the level of P2, short; P2a on Urotergites II – IV as P1a, on VII slightly shorter. P1a ' on urotergite VIII short and thin, situated at the level of P2 (Fig. 65 – 66). Urosternite VIII with seven posterior setae; sternites IX – X with two pairs of setae (1, 2), seta 2 on urosternite X about 2/3 length of seta 1. Lateral sclerotization on sternite distinct. Urotergites I – V with no pores, VI – X with one pair of pores, situated posteriorly. Urosternites I – III with no pores, IV – X with one medial pore. Segment XII with two anterior medial pores on tergite and with no pores on sternite.

On female squama genitalis, caput processus very big, and curved towards the median edge of stylus, filum processus slim and long (Fig. 61).

Material examined— 1 female (W0644)(mounted), from latifoliate forest of Mt. Hongshan, 43 o 48' N, 87o 36' E, 910 m alt., Urumchi, Xinjiang Province, China, 21-V-2006, collected by Dr. Yun-Xia Luan, Yan Gao and Yun Bu.

Distribution. Xinjiang Province, Northwest China.

Remarks. This species is an undescribed form of Eosentomon Berlese, 1909 in China. Urotergites II – III lacked setae P4a and urotergite VII lacked setae A1 – A3. It is very similar to Eosentomon australicum Womersley, 1939 reported in Australia and USA. The body chaetotaxy, length of foretarsus, ratios of TR, EU and BS of this species are nearly the same as the australicum . The female squama genitalis and the shape of sensilla on foretarsus are also similar to australicm. Considering that only one specimen was collected, it is preferable to leave this species undetermined until more specimens are obtained.