Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) ilicaensis, Baran, Şule & Ayyildiz, Nusret, 2007

Baran, Şule & Ayyildiz, Nusret, 2007, Two new species of soil mites (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae and Machuellidae) from Turkey, Zootaxa 1445, pp. 57-64 : 59-63

Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) ilicaensis sp. nov.

( Figs 2 –4)

Material examined. Holotype and 16 paratypes, Ilıca, Erzurum, Turkey, 39°.57' N, 41°.06' E, 27 July 1999, from litter under oak tree. The holotype and 14 paratypes are preserved in 70% ethanol, at the Acarology Laboratory of Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. Two paratypes in the Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Description. Holotype, length 369, width 193.

Prodorsum ( Figs 2 A, 3B). Rostrum rounded and undivided. Rostral setae dorsally inserted, robust. Two lines form an inverse “V” shape running to the tip of rostrum, between the rostral setae. Prodorsum with well developed lamellar crests, slightly sinuate, broad; posteriorly reaching inner edge of bothridia. Lamellar setae and rostral setae strong, ciliated; interlamellar setae thin. Interlamellar setae shorter (15 μm) than rostral (36 μm) and lamellar setae (30 μm). Sensillus fusiform, ciliate on its outer border, with 11–12 cilia, finely tapering, curved anteriorly.

Notogaster ( Fig. 2 A, 3A) Oval shaped, slightly pointed anteriorly, with well developed humeral process. Ten pairs of notogastral setae present. Setae c2 very fine, barely visible, less developed than other notogastral setae, and situated between the humeral process (Fig. 4B). Other setae strong, with barely visible barbs, thin at the tip (Fig. 4A). Notogastral heterotrichy present (setae p1, p2, p3 and h1 are shorter; approximately half length of other notogastral setae); setae p3 as long as the distance between setae p3 and p2, p2 as long as the distance between setae p2 and p1; h1 as long as the distance between setae h1 and p1 ( Figs 2 A, 3A).

Ve n te r ( Fig. 2 B). Epimeral region strongly sclerotized, with well-developed epimeres. Epimeral borders distinctly visible, thick. Five pairs of genital setae present. Anal opening oval, bigger than genital opening. Lyrifissures iad inverse, apoanal in position, curved outwards. Epimeral, aggenital and adanal setae strong. Setae ad 1 in postanal, setae ad 2 in para-anal and setae ad 3 in preanal positions.

F İ GURE 3. Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) ilicaensis sp. nov. Scanning electron microscope photographs. A. (top) dorsal view of adult, B. (bottom) exobothridial region.

FIGURE 4. Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) ilicaensis sp. nov. Scanning electron microscope photographs. A (top) setae la, B (bottom) setae c2 and humeral process.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality, Ilıca town.

Notes. The new species differs from the type species Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) dubia ( Kuliev, 1966) by its larger body size (365–371 / 192–197 in our specimens, 305–326/ 178 in O (D) dubia ); the notogastral heterotrichy (setae p1, p2, p3 and h1 are short, approximately half the length of the other notogastral setae); the short and thin interlamellar setae (setae in half as long as le); and the location of epimeral setae 3a and 4a with respect to each other.

There are some difference between the two descriptions of Oxyoppia (D) dubia in 1966 and 1978. In the original description of Oxyoppia (D) dubia its body size is given as 305/167 µm, sensillus with 8–9 cilia, 10 pairs of notogastral setae (without setae c2) and rostrum dentate ( Kuliev, 1966). In the description of the subgenus Dzarogneta , Oxyoppia (D) dubia is described with body size 305–326/178, sensillus with 12 cilia, 9 pairs of notogastral setae (without setae c2) and rostrum not dentate ( Kuliev, 1978). Here we have compared the new species with the latter description.

The new species is very similar to O. (D.) cristata Hammer 1977 , but differs from it by having five pairs of genital setae instead of six pairs; the position and shape of lyrifisurres iad, and the presence of two pairs of interbothridial light spots. The new species also differ from O. (D.) intermedia by its larger body size (365– 371/ 192–197 in the new species, 263–297/ 133–157 in O. (D.) intermedia ); the position and shape of lyrifisurres iad. The new species differ from O. (D.) y epesensis by the shape of the sensillus and the shape and position of the costula.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Oxyoppia (Dzarogneta) ilicaensis sp. nov. A. Dorsum, B. Venter. (scale bar 100 μm).