Plonaphacarus rybalovi Niedbała, 2011

Niedbała, Wojciech & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2011, New and little known species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Ethiopia, Zootaxa 2739, pp. 60-68 : 62-65

Plonaphacarus rybalovi Niedbała , sp. nov.

( Figs 2. A–F )

Material examined. Holotype (in DATE): Africa, Ethiopia, 6º42’N, 39º43’E, 2 249 m above sea level, Bale Mountains National Park, Harenna Forest (wood species Hagenia abissinica forming the canopy), in mosses on trees, 23.11.2009, collected by L.B. Rybalov,; two paratypes (one in DATE, one in ZIN): Ethiopia, 6º46’N, 39º44’E, 3 198 m above sea level, Bale Mountains National Park (high-mountainous wood with Erica arborea ), mosses ( Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus and Pleurozium shreberi ) on soil, 23.11.2009, collected by L.B. Rybalov

Measurements of holotype. Prodorsum: length 353, width 257, height 131, sensillus 66, setae: interlamellar 164, lamellar 25, rostral 101; notogaster: length 687, width 485, height 404, setae: c 1 134, h 1 126, p 1 157; genitoaggenital plate 187 × 121; anoadanal plate 131 × 58.

Description. Colour brown. Integument sculptured, surface of notogaster covered with weak reticulation.

Prodorsum with sigillar fields invisible because of sculpturation. Lateral carinae absent. Sensilli with long, narrow pedicel and globular, rough head. Interlamellar setae long, thick, erect, covered with small spines only at distal end, similar to notogastral setae; lamellar setae smooth, spiniform, rostral setae longer, smooth and attenuate.

Notogaster with 15 pairs of rigid setae, relatively short (c 1 <c 1 -d 1), covered with small spines only at distal end. Setae c 1 and c 3 near anterior margin, setae c 2 far from margin. Vestigial setae f 1 posteriorly of h 1 setae. Four pairs of lyrifissures, ia, im, ip and ips, present.

Ventral region. Formula of genital setae: 9(4+2:3). Anoadanal plates with rough setae, anal setae being the shortest, ad 1 and ad 3 similar in length and form, setae ad 2 the longest, the same width from proximal to distal end, curved distally.

Legs setation complete. Seta d of femora I remote from distal end of article.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr. Leonid B. Rybalov, the soil zoologist (Institute of Ecological and Evolutionary Problems Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia), for his constant support of pedobiological investigation in Ethiopian region.

Comparison. The new species is distinguishable from its congeners by the presence of following character states in combination: surface of notogaster weakly reticulated, sensilli with globular head, interlamellar and notogastral setae covered with small spines only at distal end, presence of four pairs of lyrifissures, setae of anoadanal plates rough, anal setae the shortest, ad 1 and ad 3 similar in length and form, setae ad 2 the longest, the same width from proximal to distal end and curved distally.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A – F. Plonaphacarus rybalovi sp. nov. (A) dorsal view of prodorsum, (B) lateral view of prodorsum, (C) lateral view of opisthosoma, (D) genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates, (E) trochanter and femur I, (F) tibia IV.