Mesoplophora (Parplophora) pulchra Sellnick, 1928

Niedbała, Wojciech, 2017, Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Tanzania, Acarologia 57 (4), pp. 957-1072 : 965

Mesoplophora (Parplophora) pulchra Sellnick, 1928

( Fig. 4 A-C)

Diagnosis — Measurements of the specimens from sample TAN-014: Prodorsum: length 182, width and height 144, setae: ss 73, in 68, le and ro 63, ex 10; notogaster: length 242, width 202, height 156, setae: c 1 and e 1 73, c 3 43; genital plate 56×28, anal plate 33×35, distance between genital and anal plates 20.

Small-sized species; colour yellow. Prodorsum with pointed rostrum; sensilli long, filiform with head slightly fusiform; other setae simple; interlamellar setae the longest but thinner than lamellar and rostral setae; exobothridial setae the finest, shorter than diameter of bothridia. Setae of notogaster, except setae c 2 and c 3 covered with some spines; setae c 2 the thinnest and more remote from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3. Ventral region; formula of epimeral region: 3-1-3-1; 10 pairs of ventral setae present; 7 pairs of genital setae with formulae: 5: 2 and 3 pairs of anal setae present. Chaetome of legs: I: 0-3-3(1)-4(1)-16(3), II: 0-4-3(1)- 3(1)-13(1), III: 2-2-2(1)-2(1)-10, IV: 2-2-0-8; tarsi monodactylous.

Locality in Tanzania: Uluguru Mts. Species new to TAN and Afrotropical Region.

Remark — All characters of the specimen from TAN-014 are the same as in the description. I found only setae c 3 of notogaster finest and shortest than other notogastral setae.

Distribution — Western Palaearctic, distributed in Central Europe, Maghreb countries, Anatolian and Iranian areas. It is surprising to find this Western Palaearctic species in Tanzania.

Figures

FIGURE 4: Mesoplophora (Parplophora) pulchra Sellnick, 1928 (specimen from sample TAN-014): A – prodorsum, dorsal view; B – opisthosoma, lateral view; C – ventral side.