Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) mulanjensis, Ermilov & Starý, 2022

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Starý, Josef, 2022, Two new species of Cavernocepheus (Acari, Oribatida, Otocepheidae) from Malawi, Acarologia 62 (2), pp. 396-403 : 400-402

Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) mulanjensis n. sp.

Zoobank: 4093E79F-CC1C-474D-A8D8-B7D027526014

( Figures 3 a-c)

Diagnosis — Body length: 630–747. Rostral and lamellar setae long, setiform, barbed; interlamellar seta long, rod-like, barbed; bothridial seta clavate, slightly barbed; exobothridial seta present. Lateral and medial prodorsal condyles present; lateral notogastral condyle quadrangular, concave medially. Posterior notogastral setae setiform, with attenuate and flexible tip, barbed; others rod-like, barbed. Epimeral setae setiform, slightly barbed. Genital setae setiform, roughened; other anogenital setae setiform, barbed.

Description of adult — Measurements – Body length: 747 (holotype, male), 630, 747 (two paratype males); body width: 340 (holotype), 282, 340 (two paratypes). Length/width ratio of body: 2.2.

Integument – Body color light brown. Body surface densely microgranulate and partially sparsely foveolate (diameter of foveola up to 8). Lateral part of body between bothridium and acetabula I–III densely tuberculate (diameter of tubercle up to 8).

Prodorsum – Rostrum broadly rounded. Costula long, reaching bothridium basally and insertion of lamellar seta distally. Rostral (86–98) and lamellar (98–110) setae setiform, barbed. Interlamellar seta (61–69) rod-like, barbed. Bothridial seta (102–114) clavate, slightly barbed. Exobothridial seta (24–28) setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Tutorium absent. Paired lateral and medial prodorsal condyles tubercle-like, located separately.

Notogaster – Concavity of dorsosejugal region large. Lateral notogastral condyle broadly quadrangular, concave medially. Crista (extending from inner part of cnl) long, almost reaching the level of insertions of setae lm. Ten pairs of notogastral setae (57–65); posterior setae (h 3, p 1 –

p 3) setiform, with attenuate and flexible tip, barbed; other setae rod-like, barbed. Lyrifissures distinct, ia located lateral to c, im lateral to lm, ip between p 2 and p 3, ips between h 3 and p 3, ih anterior to h 3. Opisthonotal gland opening located close to im.

Gnathosoma – Morphology of subcapitulum, palp and chelicera similar to the other representatives of Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) (see Ermilov and Starý 2018). Subcapitulum size: 139–147 × 86–94. Subcapitular setae (a: 20; m: 45–53; h: 53–61) setiform, barbed. Palp (86–94) setation: 0–2–1–3–8(+ω). Solenidion of palptarsus connected with setae ul′ and ul″ mediodistally. Postpalpal seta (6) spiniform, smooth. Chelicera (151–159) with two setiform, barbed setae cha (: 57; chb: 28).

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions – Apodemes I, II and sejugal apodeme welldeveloped; apodeme III also present, but poorly visible. Epimeral formula: 3-1-3-3. All setae

(1a, 2a, 3a, 4b: 24–28; 1b: 53–61; others: 41–49) setiform, slightly barbed. Pedotectum I represented by large lamina. Discidium subtriangular.

Anogenital region – Aggenital lyrifissure located close and anterior to genital aperture. Genital setae (16–20) setiform, roughened. Aggenital (41–49), adanal (57–65) and anal

(41–49) setae setiform, barbed. Distance ad 3 – ad 3 larger than ad 2 – ad 2 and ag–ag. Adanal lyrifissure located close and parallel to anal plate. Circumventral ridge slightly developed.

Legs – Generally, similar to Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) hlavaci n. sp., but:

1) all genua and femora without teeth ventrodistally; 2) seta l′ on genu II and pv″ on tibia IV setiform.

Material examined — Holotype (male) and two paratypes (all males): sample #9, Malawi, Maloza, Mulanje Mts., Maloza stream valley, 16°0′3.9″S, 35°32′36.6″E, 972 m a.s.l., sifting litter, Winkler extraction, 24.XI.2012 (leg. P. Baňař).

Type deposition — The holotype and two paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia.

Etymology — The species name refers to the place of origin, Mulanje Mts., Malawi.

Remarks — The new species clearly differs from all species of the subgenus in the presence of posterior notogastral setae (h 3, p 1 – p 3) having attenuate and flexible tip (versus posterior notogastral setae rod-like).

Morphological comparison

The known species of Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) can be distinguished from each other by the morphology of bothridial seta, lateral notogastral condyle, notogastral and adanal setae, leg tarsi, genua and femora, and leg seta l′ on genu II and pv″ on tibia IV (see Table 2).

Figures

Figure 3 Cavernocepheus (Paracavernocepheus) mulanjensis textbfn. sp., adult: a – dorsal view (legs omitted); b – ventral view (legs omitted); c – lateral view (legs omitted). Scale bar 100 μm.