Schalleria csuzdii, Mahunka, 2005

Mahunka, S., 2005, Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) From Venezuela, I. Microzetid Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (4), pp. 287-311 : 307-310

Schalleria csuzdii sp. n.

( Figs 23–26 )

Diagnosis: Body very wide, much wider than long. Rostral apex nasiform, divided by a narrow split, rostral setae arising on its basal part. Lamellae large, covering each other medially, lamellar setae arising from below, thick, with long, filiform, brush-like cilia. Interlalmellar region hollowed, with curved apophysis. Sensillus setiform, directed anteriorly, well ciliate. Pteromorphae very large, with a serrate anterior margin. Notogastral setae minute. Epimeral region with one transversal band and some extremely long epimeral, genital and aggenital setae.

Material examined: Holotype: Venezuela, Estato Mérida. Cordillera del Norte. Relatively dry submontane rainforest on calcareous ground, in the limestone gorge of Chorrera de las González , 5 km NE of Jaji, at 1850 m. alt. 15. March 1997. Coll. S. & T. PÓCS (No. 9733B). 5 paratypes from the same sample, 1 paratype: Venezuela, Estato Mérida. Cordillera del Norte. Wet submontane rainforest on calcareous ground, near waterfalls, in the limestone gorge of Chorrera de las González, 5

km NE of Jaji , at 1730 m. alt. 15. March 1997. Coll. S. & T. PÓCS (No. 9732). (No. 9732). Holotype (1689-HO-05) and 5 paratypes (1689-PO-05): HNHM, 1 paratype: MHNG.

Measurements: Length of body: 427–471 µm, width of body: 364–390 µm.

Prodorsum: Rostrum having a complicate structure with several apices and appendages, as shown in Figs 23–24 . Rostral apex bifurcate, with a deep and narrow split. Rostral setae arising on its basal part. From each side of the anterior part of rostrum reaching a characteristic apophysis directed medially, covered by tousled cilia. Lamellae very large, overlapping each other medially. Median cusp absent, this part rounded, lateral cusp very long, sharply pointed. A short, but also sharp indentation visible laterally. Lamellar setae arising beneath the lamellae, directed backwards, crossing each other, their distal part flagellate ( Fig. 23 ). Along the lamellar setae one pair of narrow and bent apophysis present. Basal part in the interbothridial region without apophyses, interlamellar setae absent. Sensillus long, setiform, directed forwards and conspicuously ciliate.

Notogaster: Dorsosejugal suture waved, slightly concave medially. Pteromorphae well developed, their anterolateral margin varying, mostly with sharp teeth ( Fig. 23 ). Notogaster with nine pairs of smooth, simple and smooth setae, c 2 longest of all.

Lateral part of podosoma ( Fig. 26 ): Tutorium with complicated structure, a long, snout-like appendage observable medially, directed backwards. Pedotecta 1 large, its surface with several short rugae and polygonate sculpture. In lateral view is the lateral part of the lamella with a well-developed teeth well observable.

Ventral regions: Infracapitulum large, its anterior margin with short apices ( Fig. 24 ). Surface of epimeral regon smooth, apodemes normally developed, only one thick transversal band (bo. 4) present. Epimeral setal formula: 3 – 1 – 3 – 3, epimeral setae rather varying in length and shape. Setae 1c spiniform, 3c and 4c well ciliate and long, 3b, 4a and 4b also much longer than 3a. Ventral plate also smooth, but circumpedal carina divided into some thin lines, yielding a characteristic pattern. Setae in the anogenital region peculiar, aggenital setae spiniform, form and length of the genital setae also unique ( Fig. 25 ). All anal and adanal setae short and fine.

Remarks: The investigation of this species well shows what problems there are in distinguishing some genera of the family Microzetidae . The relegation of this species is not simple into any of the known genera. Some of the studied characters have been unknown for the genus Schalleria BALOGH, 1962 , but the species also problematically identifiable with the genus Phylacozetes GRANDJEAN, 1936 . However, some peculiar characters (e.g. the form of the tutorium, the form and direction of the lamellar setae and/or the form of the epimeral and anogenital setae), which are unknown elsewhere in the whole family. Therefore, I describe the species as new and on the basis of the lack of interbothridial setae and the form of the rostrum I place the new species into the genus Schalleria .

Etymology: I dedicate the new species to my friend, Dr. CSABA CSUZDI, who collected for me many very interesting soil samples from all over the world.

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Acknowledgements – This work was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA numbers T38319 and T45889). I should like to thank the organisers Dr. TAMÁS PÓCS and Dr. CSABA CSUZDI, also as collectors and DÁVID MURÁNYI. I am also very grateful for the reviewing my manuscript and for the linguistic correction Dr. LAJOS and ANDOR ZOMBORI.

Figures

Figs 23–24. Schalleria csuzdii sp. n.: 23 = body in dorsalview, 24 =infracapitulum in ventral view

Figs 25–26. Schalleria csuzdii sp. n.: 25 = body in ventral view, 26 = podosoma in lateral view