Tyrphonothrus nivnu, Ermilov & Liao, 2021

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Liao, Jhih-Rong, 2021, New faunistical and taxonomic data on oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of Taiwan, Acarologia 61 (2), pp. 297-320 : 299-303

Tyrphonothrus nivnu n. sp.

Zoobank: F9F7AF0D-F80C-4E3D-B023-96E25AE36B02

(Figures 2–4)

Diagnosis — Adult. Body size: 614–630 × 348–357. Body with sparse tuberculate cerotegument; ornamentation and sculpturing absent. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae and exobothridial seta ex 1 setiform, roughened; in longest, ro and le of medium length, ex 1 shortest. Notogaster with four longitudinal ridges. Notogastral setae e 2, h 1, h 2, and p 2 very long, setiform, with attenuate tip, barbed, other setae of medium length, setiform, barbed. Cheliceral seta cha spiniform, barbed apically, chb falciform. Epimeral setae 1a, 2a and 3a spiniform, barbed apically, others setiform, slightly barbed. Genital plate with nine or 10 pairs of setiform, roughened genital setae. Leg tarsi with three claws.

Description of adult — Measurements – Body length: 614 (holotype, female), 614–630 (four paratypes, all females); body width: 348 (holotype), 348–357 (four paratypes).

Integument ( Figs 4c, 4f ) – Body color light brown. Body surface densely porose and covered by gel-like and sparse tuberculate (diameter of tubercle up to 2) cerotegument.

Prodorsum (Figs 2a, 4a, 4b) – Rostrum rounded. Lateral carina well-developed. Rostral (53–57), lamellar (53–57) and interlamellar (110–118) setae, and exobothridial seta ex 1 (20) setiform, roughened; exobothridial seta ex 2 represented by alveolus.

Notogaster (Figs 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b) – Four longitudinal ridges; medial ridges bifurcate d – leg I, without trochanter, right, ventroantiaxial view; e – leg II, without trochanter and tarsus, right, ventroantiaxial view; f – leg III, without tarsus, left, antiaxial view; g – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 20 μm (a, c), 10 μm (b), 50 μm (d-g).

anal (20) setae developed, setiform, roughened; all genital seta directed backwards. Three pairs of adanal setae (49–53) setiform, barbed. Adanal lyrifissure distinct, anal lyrifissure not observed.

Legs ( Figs 3 d-g, 4b, 4d, 4i) – Heterotridactylous; claws mediodistally with slight longitudinal stria, dorsally slightly and rarely barbed. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–5–4–4–11) [1–1–3], II (1–5–3–4–10) [1–1–1], III (2–3–1–2–10) [0–1–0], IV (1–2–1–2–10) [0–0–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. All solenidia thickened, rounded apically.

Material examined — Holotype (female) and four paratypes (all females): 2018.7.21,

Chiayi County, Zhuqi Township, Shizhuo, 1528 m a.s.l., soil, 23°29.232 ′ N, 120°42.221 ′ E, collected by H.C. Liao.

Type deposition — The holotype is deposited in the collection of the NTU; four paratypes are deposited in the collection of the TSUMZ.

Etymology — The species name nivnu refers to Nivnu, Goddess of Taiwan indigenous people Cou, who is the creator of the universe, heaven and earth, in the Cou’s legend.

Remarks —In general morphological traits (notogastral ridges developed; tridactylous legs; notogastral setae e 2, h 1, h 2, and p 2 long, setiform, with attenuate tip, other setae of medium length, setiform; high number of genital setae; absence of notogastral ornamentation; and comparatively large body size), the new species is morphologically most similar to Tyrphonothrus altissimus ( Piffl, 1971) from Nepal, T. cajamarcensis ( Hammer, 1961) from

Peru and North India and T. wallworki ( Starý and Block, 1995) from the South Georgia Islands, however it differs from these listed species by the barbed notogastral setae (versus smooth) and comparatively long (c 1 about 4/5 length of distance c 1 – d 1) notogastral setae c 1, c 2, c 3, and e 1 (versus short, c 1 about 1/2 length of distance c 1 – d 1).

Figures

Figure 3 Tyrphonothrus nivnun. sp., adult: a – subcapitulum, ventral view; b – palp, right, antiaxial view; c – chelicera, right, antiaxial view;

Figure 4 Tyrphonothrus nivnun. sp., adult, SEM micrographs (a-d) and microscope images (e-i): a – dorsal view; b – lateral view; c – tuberculate notogastral cerotegument; d – claws of leg tarsus I; e – epimeral setae3aand3b; f – epimeral integument (deep focus); g, h – genital plates (superficial and deep focus, respectively); i – claws of leg tarsus III. Scale bar 200 μm (a, b), 10 μm (c), 50 μm (d); images without scale bar.