Plonaphacarus diutissimus Niedbała, 2018

Niedbała, Wojciech & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2018, New and interesting species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Nepal, Zootaxa 4472 (1), pp. 176-184 : 178

Plonaphacarus diutissimus Niedbała sp. nov.

( Fig. 1A–J )

Measurements. HOlOtype. PrOdOrsum: length 273, width 172, height 96; ss 71, in 172, le 88, ro 106, ro–ro 35, in–in 48; nOtOgaster: length 545, width 384, height 323; c 1 62, c 1/ c 1– d 1 = 1.06, h 1 54, ps 1 132; genitOaggenital plate 156 × 101; anOadanal plate 202 × 106. Paratype I. PrOdOrsum: length 303, height 141; nOtOgaster: length 636, height 404. Paratype II. PrOdOrsum: length 202, height 81; nOtOgaster: length 404, height 273. Paratype III. PrOdOrsum: length 253, height 96; ss 88, in 129, le 99, ro 121; nOtOgaster: length 464, height 283; c 1 126, c 1/ c 1– d 1 = 1.04, h 1 116, ps 1 101.

Integument. COlOur light brOwn. Surface Of bOdy rugged.

Prodorsum with very lOng lateral carinae reaching the rOstrum; sigillar fields invisible because Of strOng integument. Sensilli lOng, narrOwly spindle-shaped in distal half, rOugh. Interlamellar setae similar tO nOtOgastral setae, erect, thick, sparsely barbed in distal half. Lamellar setae shOrter, slender, sparsely barbed. ROstral setae lOng, thick, rOugh, directed inwards. Distance between rOstral setae shOrter than between interlamellar setae. ExObOthridial setae vestigial. Relative length Of setae: in> ro> le> ss.

Notogaster with 15 pairs Of relatively lOng (c 1= c 1– d 1), thick, rigid setae cOvered with distinct, sparsely distributed spines in distal half; setae c 1 pOsitiOned near anteriOr margin, c 3 slightly remOte, c 2 far frOm margin, vestigial setae f invisible. TwO pairs Of lyrifissures (ia and im) present.

Ventral region. Setae h Of mentum vestigial. GenitOaggenital plates with 9 pairs Of setae with fOrmula: 6(4+3): 2. AnOadanal plates each with 5 well-develOped setae, twO anal setae the shOrtest, slender, rOugh, adanal setae thicker, barbed, ad 3 shOrtest, ad 2 lOngest.

Legs. FOrmulas Of setae and sOlenidia Of “cOmplete” type. Setae d On femOra I fOrked distally and remOte frOm distal end Of article.

Material examined. HOlOtype and three paratypes: Nepal, Ilam Dist., Gitang KhOla, 2550 m a.s.l., mixed fOrest, sOil, lOcality 121, 28.V.1980 – 31.V.1980 (J. Martens & A. AusObsky).

Type deposition. The hOlOtype (ethanOl with drOp Of glycerOl) and three paratypes (ethanOl with drOp Of glycerOl) are depOsited in DATE.

Etymology. The specific name diutissimus is Latin fOr the lOngest and alludes tO the length Of lateral carinae and rOstral setae Of prOdOrsum.

Remarks. This is the Only palaeaerctic Plonaphacarus species with lOng rOstral setae. SOme afrOtrOpical species, P. machadoi ( BalOgh, 1958) , P. tanzicus ( Mahunka, 1993) , P. ngongi Niedbała, 2001 and P. styphelos Niedbała, 2001 , alsO have such lOng rOstral setae, but they have shOrter lamellar and nOtOgastral setae (versus distinctly lOnger), fOur pairs Of lyrifissures (versus twO pairs), and setae d Of leg femOra I nOt fOrked distally (versus fOrked).

Figures

FIGURE 1A–J. Plonaphacarus diutissimus Niedbała sp. nov. (holotype): A—prodorsum, lateral view; B—sensillus; Cprodorsum, dorsal view; D—opisthosoma, lateral view; E—seta c 1; F—mentum of subcapitulum; G—left genitoaggenital plate, H—left anoadanal plate; I—trochanter and femur of leg I; J—tibia of leg IV. Scale bars 100 µm (A, C, D), 50 µm (E–J), 25 µm (B).