Neoliodes iheyaensis, Nakamura & Fukumori & Fujikawa, 2010

Nakamura, Y. - N., Fukumori, S. & Fujikawa, T., 2010, Oribatid Fauna (Acari, Oribatida) From The Kumaya Cave Of Iheya Village In Central Ryukyu Arc, South Japan, With A Description Of Several New Species, Acarologia 50 (4), pp. 439-477 : 441-446

Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov.

[Japanese name: Iheya-uzutakadani] ( Figs. 2-4 and Plate 1)

Diagnosis — Body length (15 exs.) 771 (1098) 1214 µm; width 643 (742) 893 µm. Integument of prodorsum and legs reticulate: marginal region of prodorsum and notogaster, epimeral region and anal plates costate; central region of notogaster alveolate Sensilli consisting of conspicuously verrucose swollen head and smooth thin stem. Notogaster bearing porose area (Apo) at the center and a pair of conspicuous large hollow laterally considered as opisthonotal gland (gla). Five pairs of notogastral setae, lp, h 1 and p 1-3 at posterior margin. Mentotectum separated medially. Epimeral setal formula: [5,6,7]-3-3-4. Homotridactylous.

Material examined — Holotype (Female) (NSMT-Ac 13582) from point E; 47 paratypes (NSMT-Ac13583-13586): same data as holotype; 1 paratype (Nymph) (NSMT-Ac13587): from point C; 1 paratype (Nymph) (NSMT-Ac13588): from point D.

Etymology — After the name of sampling area, Iheya Village.

Measurements and body appearance — Body length 771 (1098) 1214 µm; width 643 (742) 893

PLATE 1: Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov. by the scanning electron microscopy (photos by Nakamura Y.-N.). A-D: Adult female; E and F: Tritonymph; A, C and E: Without scalps; B, D and F: With scalps; C and D: Lateral side; F: Ventral side.

µm. Body colour purplish brown. Integument of prodorsum and legs reticulate: marginal region of prodorsum and notogaster, epimeral region and anal plates costate; central region of notogaster alveolate (Plate 1).

Prodorsum — Rostral tip widely rounded bearing roughened setae ro (110 µm) at the lateral margin. Lamellar region protuberant parting right and left ( Fig. 2A ). Lamellar setae absent. Setae in (52 µm) and ex (27 µm) short, smooth. Bothridia opened dorso-laterally. Sensilli (ss) (105 µm) consisting of conspicuously verrucose swollen head and smooth thin stem ( Fig. 4B ). Relative lengths and distances: ro> ss> in> ex; (Bo – Bo: 169 µm)> (in – in: 150 µm)> (ro – ro: 112 µm).

Notogaster — Oval in shape bearing porose area (Apo) at the center such as found in Galumnidae . A pair of conspicuous large hollow present laterally ( Fig. 2B ). Hollows elliptical in form, about 69- 81 µm in length, directed laterally, considered as opisthonotal gland (gla), as it is in Hermanniellidae and Plasmobatidae . Five pairs of setae, lp, h 1 and p 1-3 at the posterior margin; setae short, smooth spiniform about 31 µm in length according to depressed specimens ( Fig. 4F ). Relative distances: (p 1 – p 1) ≈ (p 1 – p 2) (150 µm) ≈ 8x(lp – lp) (19 µm); (p 2 – p 3) (58 µm) ≈ 3x(lp-lp); (h 1 – h 1) ≈ (lp – lp). Lyrifissures ia aligned transversely; im obliquely anterolateral to hollow; ip extending obliquely between setae p 1 and p 2.

Ventral region — Genital aperture almost oval in form; anal aperture rectangular. Genital plate divided by transverse suture ( Fig. 3D ). Genito-anal setal formula: [5+2]-1-3-3; all setae smooth spiniform ( Fig. 4F ). Genital and anal setae inserted at inner margin of each plate. Setae ag inserted at level of insertion of g 7. Adanal setae aligned in adanal. Lyrifissures ian and iad inverse apoanal, located near anterior margin of anal aperture. Sternal ridge indistinct. Epimeral borders 1-4 and sj. distinct. Mentotectum separated medially ( Fig. 3C ). Epimeral setal formula: [5,6,7]-3-3-4; setae smooth spiniform. Pedipalpal setal formula: 0-2-1-3-9[1] ( Fig. 4D ). Diarthric subcapitulum bearing 3 pairs of setae, a (35 µm), m (70 µm) and h (46 µm); setae smooth spiniform; m longest inserted near mid- ventral line ( Fig. 3B ). Setae cha and chb long spiniform bearing minute barbs throughout length ( Fig. 4C ).

Legs — Homotridactylous; claws minutely barbed dorsally ( Fig. 4A ). Setal formula: I (1-5-3- 7-23), II (1-5-3-6-20), III (2-4-3-5-20), IV (1-2-2-5-18). All genua and femora bearing carina ( Fig. 3E ). Seta d on femur IV smooth bacilliform ( Fig. 3A ). One solenidion of all tibiae and genua with coupled seta. On tarsus I, famulus ε spiniform situated posterior to solenidia ω 2; ω 2 lateral to ω 1 ( Fig. 4E ). Solenidion ω 1 and ω 2 setiform. Solenidion ’ 1 on tibia I originating from apophysis, coupled with seta d.

Immature (Plate l E-F) — Five tritonymphs: length 921 µm; width 571 µm. Body surface sulcate.

Remarks — Two species of genus Neoliodes , N. bataviensis Sellnick, 1925 and N. zimmermanni ( Sellnick, 1959) have been recorded from Iheya Island ( Aoki, 2009). However, descriptions of these latter specimens ( Aoki, 2006; 2009) are different from the original descriptions of N. bataviensis and N. zimmermanni in regards to insertion of rostral setae, form of lamellar-interlamellar region and size of sensilli, and from the new species in insertions of setae in, form of lamellar-interlamellar region and notogaster, and absence of conspicuous hollows and porose area (Apo) at the notogastral center. The new species differs from all the species of the genus by having porose area (Apo) at the notogastral center, opisthobital gland as conspicuous hollows laterally on the notogaster, form of lamellar region, notogaster and carina on genu and femur of all legs, and mentotectum separated medially.

Figures

FIGURE 2: Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov. A, Prodorsum; B, Notogaster.

FIGURE 3: Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov. A, Part of femur IV; B, Camerostoma; C, Medial portion of mentotectum; D, Right ventral region; E, Genu and femur of leg I.

FIGURE 4: Neoliodes iheyaensis sp. nov. A, Claws of tarsus I; B, Bothridial region; C, Part of chelicera; D, Tarsus of pedipalp; E, Solenidial region on tarsus and tibia of leg I; F, Setae.