Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi, Shtanchaeva & Ermilov, 2024

Shtanchaeva, Umukusum Ya. & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2024, New species of Peloribates (Acari, Oribatida, Haplozetidae) from a cave in the Dominican Republic, Zootaxa 5556 (1), pp. 72-83 : 76-80

Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov.

( Figs 2–5 )

Type material. Holotype (male) and 11 paratypes (five males and six females): Dominican Republic, 19°02′ N, 69°35′ W, Samana Province, semidecayed leaves in the San Gabriel Limestone Cave (date and collector unknown; collection of the University of Tyumen, Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia; see Gashev et al. 2005).

The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; 11 paratypes are in the collection of the University of Tyumen, Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia . All specimens are preserved in a solution of 70% ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Diagnosis. Body length: 225–255. Dorsal and ventral sides of body sparsely foveolate and densely microtuberculate; gena of subcapitulum with some longitudinal ridges. Rostrum pointed. Prolamella developed partially (mediobasal part absent); tutorium without distal tooth. Rostral and lamellar setae long, setiform, barbed; interlamellar seta short, setiform, thin, slightly roughened; bothridial seta long, clavate, barbed. Dorsosejugal porose area represented by saccule. Fourteen pairs of notogastral setae short, setiform, thin, slightly roughened. Custodium present. Anogenital setae short, setiform, thin, smooth. All legs with three claws; femur II rounded anteroventrally; tarsus II with one solenidion.

Description of adult. Measurements. Body length: 240 (holotype), 225–240 (male paratypes), 240–255 (female paratypes); body width: 157 (holotype), 143–157 (male paratypes), 150–165 (female paratypes).

Integument ( Figs 4A–D ; 5A–D ). Body light brown. Prodorsum, notogaster, epimeral and anogenital regions, subcapitular mentum, genital and anal plates, partially antiaxial side of leg femora I–IV and trochanters III, IV sparsely foveolate and densely microtuberculate; diameter of foveola mainly up to 6 but foveolae on genital plates, between genital and anal plates, partially on leg segments distinctly smaller, less than 2; distance between foveolae larger than diameter of foveola; microtubercle rounded or elongated forming short ridges on rostrum, epimere I, near (anteriorly and laterally) genital aperture, partially on antiaxial side of leg femora I–IV and trochanters III, IV. Gena of subcapitulum and anterodorsal part of trochanter IV with some thin ridges. Lateral side of prodorsum partially with dense microgranulate cerotegument.

Prodorsum ( Figs 2A, C ; 4A, C, D ). Rostrum pointed. Lamella about 1/2 the length of prodorsum, without teeth distally; prolamella lineate, developed partially (mediobasal part absent); sublamella about 1/2 the length of lamella, lineate; tutorium longer than lamella, ridge-like, without distal tooth. Sublamellar porose area (7) rounded. Rostral and lamellar setae (30–34) setiform, barbed; ro inserted at tutorium end, le on lamellar end; interlamellar and exobothridial setae (9–11) setiform, thin, slightly roughened; bothridial seta (37–45) clavate, with long, roughened stalk and shorter, oval, barbed head. Dorsosejugal porose area represented by saccule.

Notogaster ( Figs 2A, C, D ; 4A, C ). Anterior notogastral margin convex medially. Pteromorph broadly rounded laterally; pteromorphal hinge distinct. Fourteen pairs of notogastral setae (9–11) setiform, thin, slightly roughened. Four pairs of saccules with small opening and drop-like channel. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures distinct.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 3A–C ; 4B, D ; 5B ). Subcapitulum size: 56–60 × 45–49; subcapitular (a, m: 11–13; h: 7–9) and both adoral (5–7) setae setiform, barbed. Palp length: 45–49; setation: 0–2–1–3–9 (+ω); postpalpal seta (4) spiniform, roughened. Chelicera length: 64–67; setae (cha: 22; chb: 15) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs 2B, C ; 4B–D ; 5A ). Epimeral setal formula: 3–1–3–2; seta 3c (13–15) setiform, slightly barbed; other setae (5–7) setiform, thin, smooth. Custodium present, comparatively short, triangular. Circumpedal carina long, directed to pedotectum II.

Anogenital region ( Figs 2B–D ; 4B–D ; 5C ). Anogenital setal formula: 4–1–2–3; all setae (5–7) setiform, thin, smooth. Adanal lyrifissure close and parallel to anal plate. Marginal porose area represented by several rounded, oval and elongate oval parts. Ovipositor is typical for Haplozetidae ( Ermilov 2010) ; size: 116 × 22; length of blade: 49; length of distal section (beyond middle fold): 67; setae ψ 1, τ 1 (26) setiform, smooth; setae ψ 2, τ a, τ b, τ c (11) thornlike, thin; all coronal setae not observable.

Legs ( Figs 3D–G ; 4B–D ). Tridactylous; median claw thicker than laterals; all claws slightly barbed on dorsal side; lateral claws with small tubercle ventrodistally. Anterodorsal tooth on tibia II well developed. Femur II broadly rounded anteroventrally. Dorsoparaxial porose area on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV well visible; ventrodistal porose area on tibiae I–IV absent; proximoventral porose area on tarsi I–IV present, but poorly visible. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–5–3–4–19) [1–2–2], II (1–5–3–4–15) [1–1–1], III (2–3–1–3–15) [1– 1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1; solenidion ω 2 on tarsus II absent; seta s on tarsus I setiform (not eupathidial), barbed, located between paired setae (a) and (pv).

Remarks. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov. differs from all species of the subgenus by the presence of pointed (versus rounded) rostrum, and thin, roughened (versus comparatively stiff, barbed) notogastral setae. Distinctive characters of the new species from the Neotropical species of Peloribates can be found in the identification key below.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of the late Prof. Dr. Luis. S. Subías for his extensive faunistic and taxonomic contributions to our knowledge of oribatid mites.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov., adult (gnathosoma and legs omitted):A—dorsal view; B—ventral view; C—right lateral view; D—posterior view (part of left half omitted). Scale bar 50 μm.

FIGURE 3. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov., adult: A—subcapitulum, ventral view; B—palp, right, antiaxial view; C—chelicera, left, paraxial view; D—leg I, left, paraxial view; E—leg II, right, antiaxial view; F—leg III, left, antiaxial view; G—leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bars 10 μm (A–C), 20 μm (D–G).

FIGURE 4. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov., adult, SEM micrographs: A—dorsal view; B—ventral view; C—right lateral view; D—ventrolateral view.

FIGURE 5. Peloribates (Peloribatodes) luissubiasi sp. nov., adult, SEM micrographs: A—surface of epimere I; B— subcapitulum, ventral view; C—genital plates, ventral view; D—anterior part of leg tibia II, dorsal view.