Euphthiracarus carinatus, Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011

Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2011, Species of Euphthiracarus (Acari: Oribatida: Euphthiracaridae) from China, Zootaxa 2752, pp. 45-61 : 48

Euphthiracarus carinatus sp. nov.

( Figs. 4–10 )

Material examined. Holotype: adult (in alcohol, LD-07-149), China: Guizhou Province, Hezhang County, Jiucaiping (26°50'N, 104°41'E), from litter, 18 Nov., 2007, leg. Wei Wei. Paratype: one adult (in alcohol, LD-07-149), same data as holotype.

Etymology. The new specific name “ carinatus ” is from Latin, and refers to the dorsal carinae of prodorsum.

Measurements. Holotype: Prodorsum: length 382, width 255, height 150, setae: ss 150, in 210, le 165, ro 167, ex 44, distance between setae: ro -ro 45, in -in 130, le -le 55, in -le 85, le -ro 80; notogaster: length 770, width 520, height 470; setae: c1 185, c2 185, c3 162, c p 145, d1 100, d2 95, e2 115, h1 185, h2 155, h3 110, ps1 200, ps2 120, ps3 103; distance between setae: c1-d1 225, d1-e1 218, e1-h1 170, h1-ps1 168; ventral region: genitoaggenital plate 330×110, anoadanal plate 376×100. Paratype: Prodorsum: length 390, width 256, height 173; notogaster: length 780, width 510, height 490; ventral region: genitoaggenital plate 335×125, anoadanal plate 357×110.

Integument: Colour brown. Surface of body covered with dense foveolae, except lateral region of prodorsum.

Prodorsum: Structure of anterior third of prodorsum variable: in holotype, prodorsum with a low and unpaired median carina, two pairs of short longitudinal ridges placed laterally, not reaching level of rostral setae; in paratype, prodorsum with one pair of short median carinae, not extending to level of rostral setae, one pair of longitudinal ridges placed laterally, reaching level of rostral setae. Two pairs of parallel lateral carinae present, upper carina stronger than lower one; bothridial scale situated below bothridium, posterior median apodeme present; sensilli long and setiform, sparsely barbed in distal half; interlamellar and lamellar setae long, erect, covered with small spines in distal half; rostral setae long, rough, semi-erect, thinner than lamellar setae, bent and flagellate distally; exobothridial setae short and fine; comparative length: in> ro>le> ss> ex.

Notogaster: 14 pairs of notogastral setae, relatively short, similar in shape to interlamellar setae, covered with small spines in distal half; setae c1-3 remote from anterior border, setae c1 slightly more so than setae c2 and c3; vestigial setae f1 located below setae h1; openings of opisthosomal glands and five pairs of lyrifissures present.

Venter: Genital plates with nine pairs of setae, g1-5 short and fine, among which g1-3 located in progenital position, g6-9 longer and thicker; two pairs of short aggenital setae present, spiniform, nearly equal in length; three pairs of anal and three pairs of adanal setae present, setae an1 and an2 smooth and flagellate at distal end, setae an3 and adanal setae shorter, robust and covered with small spines in distal half; lyrifissures iad situated between setae an3 and ad3.

Gnathosoma: Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; palps three-segmented with setal formula: 2-2-8(1).

Legs: Chaetotaxy of legs (without tarsi): I: 1-2-4(2)-5(1); II: 1-3-3(1)-5(1), III: 2-2-2(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1(1)- 2(1); all legs heterotridactylous.

Distribution. Known only from type locality.

Remarks. This new species is similar to E. foveolatus Aoki, 1980 in having equally long aggenital setae, but differs from the latter by following characters: prodorsum with dorsal carinae; rostral setae thinner and longer and flagellate distally; upper one of lateral carinae strong and regular, not wavelike. This new species is also similar to E. humeralis Norton & Metz, 1977 in having similar dorsal carinae, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by following characters: prodorsum with two pairs of distinct lateral carinae, upper one strong and regular, not wavelike; rostral setae longer; interlamellar, lamellar and notogastral setae sparsely barbed; notogaster without humeral projection.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 10. Euphthiracarus carinatus sp. nov.: 4 – 7, 10, holotype: 4, lateral view of body (legs removed); 5, dorsal view of prodorsum; 6, anterior view of prodorsum; 7, posterior view of prodorsum; 8 – 9, paratype: 8, lateral view of prodorsum; 9, dorsal view of prodorsum; 10, right side of ventral plate. Scale bars = 100 μm.