Brachioppia louwi, Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2014

Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2014, New Oppiidae (Acari: Oribatida) from the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in South Africa, Zootaxa 3884 (6), pp. 533-552 : 535-538

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3884.6.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DFBFF523-8236-40AE-B676-20B4E9FD4109
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6144317
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03AC2866-FFCA-6356-FF04-9D0A82BEFC4C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Brachioppia louwi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Brachioppia louwi View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 )

Diagnosis. The combination of the following characters differentiates Brachioppia louwi sp. nov. from other Brachioppia species: notogastral seta lm antero-medially to la; long notogastral setae (seta la reaching beyond insertion of h 3); interlamellar seta much longer than lamellar seta; sensillus of equal thickness in distal two-thirds, seven branches on sensillus.

Description. Measurements. Length: females (n=7) mean 413 (range 395–425), males (n=4) 416 (399–437). Width: females 206 (196–214), males 203 (190–218). Holotype (female): length 404, width 204.

Integument ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, C) Body surface smooth; lateral side of prodorsum, exobothridial region granulated.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, C). Rostrum sharply rounded, rostral seta (ro) (48) inserted dorso-laterally, barbed; lamellar seta (le) (16) smooth, interlamellar seta (in) very lightly barbed (65, length best seen in lateral view, seta stands upright), exobothridial seta (ex) (27) inserted on tubercle, lightly barbed; indistinct translamellar line present, in lateral view seen as slight depression, le inserted posterior to this line; distal two-thirds of sensillus (ss) of almost equal thickness throughout (length 78, measured without branches), with seven branches of different lengths, distal two branches merging at base; postbothridial tubercle present; two posteriorly directed tubercles present in interbothridial region, posterior to in; indistinct lath present medially to bothridium.

Notogaster ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 A, C). Nine pairs of long, smooth notogastral setae, seta lm almost reaching insertion of lp, seta la reaching beyond insertion of h 3, seta c 2 represented by alveolus, seta lm antero-medially to la, setae h 3, lp almost on transverse line; h 2 (110)> h 3 (101)> la, lm, lp, h 1 (84–91)> p 3 (81)> p 2 (70)> p 1 (50); lyrifissure ia (5), im (7) distinct, h 3 inserted slightly anterior of im.

Epimeral region ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 B, C). Setae 1c, 3c, 4b, 4c barbed; 4b, 4c (36)> 3c, 1b, 1c (26–28)> 4a, 3b (18–20)> 1a, 2a, 3a, (12–13); discidium (dis) small, distally triangular.

Anogenital region ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 B, C). Six pairs of smooth genital setae (8), g 1 on anterior border of genital plate; aggenital seta (ag) (31) smooth; anal setae of similar length (16); adanal setae (ad) very lightly barbed, ad 1 (50)> ad 2 (42) ~ ad 3 (40); ad 3 slightly postero-laterally to ag; ad 2 lateral to iad, iad (10) inverse apoanal, ad 1 paraanal.

Legs ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Leg IV (319)> leg I (248)> leg III (210)> leg II (191); leg setation: leg I: 1-5-2(1)-4(2)-20(2), leg II: 1-5-2(1)-4(1)-14(2), leg III: 2-3-1(1)-3(1)-13, leg IV: 1-2-2-3(1)-10; ventral setae well barbed, other setae lightly barbed, except p on Ta I, l” on Ge I–II, d on Ge IV; solenidion ω1 on Ta I blunt-ended, ω2 on Ta I with sharp tip, φ1 on Ti I, φ on Ti II–Ti IV very long.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Prof. S. v.d.M. Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, South Africa for guidance to the author in post-graduation studies and also the collector of this species.

Type material. The holotype GoogleMaps and 11 paratypes were collected in Golden Gate Highlands National Park (28º30’S, 28º37’E) by S. v.d.M. Louw, 16.X.1985, from soil and decomposed plant material. GoogleMaps The holotype ( NMB 3435.20.1) and eight paratypes ( NMB 3435.20) are deposited in the Acarology collection of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Three paratypes (NMSA-Aca 20002, Type 4024) are stored in the collection of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Remarks. Brachioppia louwi sp. nov. is most similar to B. excrescens ( South Africa) in terms of the form of the sensillus and the interbothridial tubercles. However, differences between the species include size ( B. louwi 395–437 x 190–218, B. excrescens 288–312 x 144–160), number of radiating branches on sensillus ( B. louwi 7 branches, B. excrescens 9–10 branches) and relative position of notogastral setae la and lm ( B. louwi lm anteriomedially to la, B. excrescens la and lm on the same transverse level).