Afreremella (Arboreremella) madagascarensis, Ermilov K & Frolov K, 2022

Ermilov K, Sergey G. & Frolov K, Andrey V., 2022, A new subgenus and two new species of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Madagascar, Acarologia 62 (3), pp. 798-810 : 800-802

Afreremella (Arboreremella) madagascarensis n. sp.

Zoobank: 28C0F62D-8A0C-4FFD-AA96-45A97703D478

( Figures 1–3 )

Diagnosis — Body length: 547–564. Rostral seta setiform, barbed; lamellar and interlamellar setae thick, heavily barbed; bothridial seta globular, roughened; in longest. Notogastral setae (except posterior setae) long, thick, heavily barbed. Epimeral and anogenital setae (except dilated distally, heavily barbed ad 1, ad 2) setiform, slightly barbed. Adanal lyrifissure diagonal.

Description of adult — Measurements – Body length: 547 (holotype, female), 547–564 (three paratype females); body width: 348 (holotype), 348–365 (three paratype females).

Integument – Body light brown to brown. Surface and setae partially covered by thin layer of gel-like cerotegument. Prodorsum, notogaster, subcapitular mentum, epimeral and anogenital regions, genital and anal plates areolate (diameter of areola up to 12); areolae on genital plate indistinct. Lateral part of body partially microgranulate. Antiaxial side of tarsi I–IV and tibiae I, II partially with transverse rugosities; antiaxial side of leg femora I–IV, tibiae I, II and trochanters III, IV with rounded and elongated tubercles.

Prodorsum – Rostrum broadly rounded. Costula about 1/2 length of prodorsum, little not reaching transcostula. Transcostula long, laterally almost reaching tutorium. Tutorium bent mediodistally. Rostral seta (65–73) setiform, barbed, inserted on tubercle; lamellar (69–82)

and interlamellar (102–114) setae thick, heavily barbed, inserted on tubercles; exobothridial seta (12–14) setiform, thin, slightly barbed; bothridial seta (32–36) globular, roughened.

Notogaster – Posterior notogastral margin slightly undulate. Thirteen (in holotype and in two paratypes) or twelve (in one paratype ; dp absent) pairs of notogastral setae; p 1 (24–28) broadly phylliform, heavily barbed; p 2 and p 3 (14–16) dilated distally, heavily barbed; others (77–86) thick, heavily barbed; all setae inserted on tubercles. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures (except ia not observed) well visible.

Gnathosoma – Subcapitulum size: 123–131 × 98–106. Subcapitular (a, h: 20–22; m:

28–32) and adoral (10) setae setiform, thin, slightly barbed; m slightly thicker than others. Palp (length: 73–82) with typical setation: 0–2–1–3–9(+ω). Postpalpal seta (4) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera (length: 135–139) with two setiform, barbed setae cha (: 41–45; chb: 24–28).

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions – Epimeral setae 1 (b: 24; 3b: 20; others: 12) setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Discidium triangular, tubercle-like distally.

Anogenital region – Genital g (1, g 2: 10–12; g 3 – g 6: 12–14), aggenital (12–14) and anal (12–14) setae, and adanal seta ad 3 (12–14) setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Adanal setae ad 1 (12–14) and ad 2 (8–12) dilated distally, heavily barbed, inserted on tubercles. Adanal lyrifissure diagonal.

Legs – Median and lateral claws strong, slightly barbed on dorsal side. Proximoventral porose area on tarsi I–IV slightly visible; distoventral porose area on tibiae I–IV not observed; dorsoparaxial porose area on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV distinct. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–3–4–20) [1–2–2], II (1–4–3–4–15) [1–1–1], III (2–2–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Solenidia φ 1 of tibia I and φ of tibia II very long, flagellate; ω 1 of tarsus I long, rod-like, coupled with seta ft″ ; ω 2 of tarsus I, φ 2 of tibia I and ω of tarsus II medium-sized, setiform; φ of tibiae III, IV and σ of genua I–III short, bacilliform, slightly bent mediodistally. Famulus short, erect, slightly swollen distally, inserted between solenidia 1 ωand ω 2. Some setae thick, heavily barbed.

Material examined — Holotype (female) and three paratypes (all females): Madagascar, Ankaratra Mt. , 19°20′32″S, 47°18′03″E, 1980 m a.s.l., from bushes (swiping), 24.02.2022 (leg.

A. V. Frolov).

Type deposition — The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, Russia ; three paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Etymology — The name madagascarensis refers to the country of origin, Madagascar.

Figures

Figure 1 Afreremella(Arboreremella) madagascarensisn. sp., adult: a – dorsal view (legs omitted); b – ventral view (gnathosoma and legs omitted); c – lateral view (gnathosoma and legs omitted). Scale bar 120 μm.

Figure 2 Afreremella(Arboreremella) madagascarensisn. sp., adult: a – posterior view; b – subcapitulum, ventral view; c – palp, right, antiaxial view; d – chelicera, left, paraxial view. Scale bars 120 μm (a), 25 μm (b–d).

Figure 3 Afreremella(Arboreremella) madagascarensisn. sp., adult: a – leg I, right, antiaxial view; b – leg II, right, antiaxial view; c – leg III, left, antiaxial view; d – leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 60 μm.