Machadocepheus leoneae, Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Rollard, Christine & Leiva, Sergio, 2014

Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Rollard, Christine & Leiva, Sergio, 2014, The family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VIII. The genus Machadocepheus (first part) Machadocepheusleoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheusrachii sp. n. from Gabon, ZooKeys 456, pp. 1-28 : 3-8

Taxon classification Animalia Oribatida Carabodidae

Machadocepheus leoneae sp. n. Figures 1-37

Etymology.

The specific epithet is dedicated in homage to Mrs. Leone Hudson, our efficient and helpful collaborator who enormously facilitated our work.

Material examined.

Holotype and four paratype females. Holotype ♀ Makokou, northeastern province of Ogoové-Ivindo, 500 m alt. dense evergreen humid forest, I.1974, Y. Coineau, deposited in MNHN ( Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris).

Paratypes. Same data as holotype, 4 ♀ (2 in MNHN; 2 in MNHG). All specimens are preserved in 70% ethanol.

Type locality. Makokou, province of Ogoové-Ivindo, northeastern Gabon; situated at 0°34'0"N, 12°52'0"E. Material used for SEM observations not deposited.

Diagnosis adult female.

Elongate animals; ro, in, notogastral, sub-capitular, epimeral, genital, aggenital, adanal, anal setae, simple; le, lanceolate, barbate. Prodorsum truncate pyramid shape; elevated interlamellar process, divided sagittally by a deep furrow into two promontories; in setae situated anteriorly, directing posteriorly. Deep posterior prodorsal depression. Sensillus uncinate, curving upward; bothridial ring and bothridial tooth present; ro setae curving, directing medially; le setae situated ventrally on lamellar apical zone. Lamellae lacking lamellar tip; lamellar furrow with deeper medial structure; superior cornea of naso convex elevation. Notogaster characteristic: notogastral anterior depression with three anterior transversally aligned parallel cuticular folds; posterior zone with two large cavities, separated by longitudinal ridge, terminating in c1 setae, which are positioned on triangular convexity. Elevated medial notogastral zone with three pairs of aligned medial promontories with da, dm, dp setae and lateral semicircular promontories that bear la, lm, lp, h1, h2, setae. Behind elevated zone, posterior notogastral depression slightly concave; near circumgastric depression, a more or less flat zone with small protuberances present.

Notogastral setae, fifteen pairs (holotrichy unideficient): c1, c2, c3, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3.

Supratutorial depression with three pocket depressions, one internal, another anterior and a third posterior to supratutorial depression. Bothridia cup-shaped with smooth bothridial ring and bothridial tooth. Lyrifissures ih, ips present. Subcapitular setae h on large promontories. Epimere 1 with two promontories; epimere 2, one promontory; epimere 3 two promontories; epimere 4 two promontories. Epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3; anterior aggenital furrow present. Genital fig small in relation to anal fig; four pairs of genital setae; two pairs of anal setae; aggenital and adanal setae similar in length and shape; lyrifissures iad well discernible between ad3 and ad2. Several large and small depressions visible on lateral anal fig.

Description.

Measurements. SEM: 501 μm (515-424) × 310 μm (327-295) (measurements on four specimens). Light microscopy: 512 μm (519-443) × 318 μm (338-301) (measurements on five specimens).

Shape. Elongate ovoid (Figures 1, 7).

Colour. Specimens without cerotegument, light to dark brown, observed in reflected light.

Cerotegument. Thin layer (0.8-1.7 μm) covering entire body and legs (Figures 15, 32 indicated by ), permitting observation only of the more prominent cuticular microsculpture (Figures 13, 25, 32). When removed, detailed microsculpture becomes visible (Figures 16, 32), however complete removal was necessary for optical microscopy.

Integument. Two sizes of ornamentations: Small: 0.7-1.7 μm: 1) slightly foveate distributed throughout body (except notogastral zone near circumgastric depression s.c) (Figures 2, 13, 15, 17, 18 indicated by ); 2) small protuberances, notogastral zone near s.c (Figures 3, 27, 30 indicated by ). Large: 5-10 μm. Foveate, two types: 1) simple rounded fovea, situated in the elevated zone of notogaster (Figures 1, 3, 5, 9, 27, 30, 31, 32 indicated by ); 2) polyhedral fovea (distributed side by side), situated on prodorsum, lateral notogastral zone, and near la setae (Figures 4, 9, 10, 13, 25, 28 indicated by ↓).

Setation. Setae ro, in, notogastral, sub-capitular, epimeral, genital, aggenital, adanal, anal: simple (Figures 4, 6, 7, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28, 32); le, lanceolate, barbate (Figure 16, 21, 25).

Prodorsum. Shape: Truncate pyramid (Figure 6, 9, 10); truncate triangle in dorsal view (Figure 1, 4, 7); truncate inverted triangle in frontal view (Figures 19, 28).

Large elevated interlamellar process (e.i.p) (Figures 6, 9, 10, 12), large deep furrow dividing e.i.p sagittally into two promontories (Figures 6, 9, 10, 19, 27, 28, indicated by ). Posterior prodorsal zone (p.p.d) deeply depressed (Figures 1, 7, 9, 10, 27, 29); depression continuous with notogastral anterior depression (n.a.d); dorsosejugal furrow (d.sj) (Figures 1, 7, 9, 10, 29) evidently separating p.p.d and n.a.d. Three pairs of setae; size in> le> ro (Figures 6, 19, 21). Sensillus uncinate, curving upward (Figure 13), bothridial ring (bo.ri) and bothridial tooth (bo.to) present.

Setae ro inserted slightly anteriorly or at level of le insertion (Figures 19, 21); curving, directing interiorly; apical tips not touching each other (Figures 2, 4); in setae inserted on anterior zone of e.i.p promontories, curving, directing backward, paraxial to medial plane; inserted slightly externally to ro insertion level (Figures 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 19, 28); le setae situated ventrally on lamellar apical zone (Figures 6, 16, 19, 21, 25, 26).

Rostral margin slightly rectangular to hexagonal (Figures 19, 28). Lamellae run dorso laterally, without lamellar tips (Figures 16, 21, 25, 26); le setae inserted ventrally (Figure 25); inner paraxial margin of lamellae demarcated by large deep furrow (l.l.f) (Figures 9, 10, 12, 19, 28). In frontal view (Figures 19, 28) l.l.f showing deeper medial zone. The superior cornea of naso (cso) clearly visible as convex elevation situated at more or less same level as ro setal insertion (Figures 19, 25).

Notogaster. Shape: in dorsal view anterior part rectangular and posterior part oval (Figures 1, 7); in lateral view, anterior part clearly concave in medial zone and rectilinear exteriorly, rest convex with irregular promontories (Figures 6, 9, 10, 11, 12); d.sj narrow, rectilinear, well delimited (Figures 1, 7, 9); notogastral anterior depression (n.a.d) ovoid and conspicuous. Fifteen pairs (holotrichous, unideficient) of notogastral setae; c1, c2, c3, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h1, h2, h3, p1, p2, p3.

The notogaster has: anterior depression (n.a.d) occupying anterior notogastral zone; elevated zone situated in medial to posterior part of notogaster; posterior to elevated zone, slightly concave notogastral posterior depression (n.p.d) (Figures 1, 6, 7, 9, 27, 11), terminating in more or less flat slightly inclined zone with small protuberances (Figure 3 indicated by ); Circumgastric depression (s.c) present anterior to zone of small protuberances (Figures 7, 9, 27).

Complex n.a.d, three transversally aligned parallel cuticular folds situated posterior to d.sj (Figures 1, 7, 10 indicated by ). In posterior zone, two large concavities, separated by longitudinal ridge (Figures 1, 7, 9, 10, 14 indicated by ). Ridge terminating in triangular shape, situated near first pair of protuberances on elevated zone bearing da setae. Triangular zone of cord termination bearing c1 setae (Figures 1, 7, 10, 14).

Elevated zone presenting a series of aligned medial promontories (three pairs, variably developed) bearing setae da, dm, dp; and lateral semi-circular promontories bearing setae la, lm, lp, h1, h2. Setae c3 situated on humeral apophysis (h.ap), c2 laterally situated near h.ap, but in the depression on n.a.d (Figures 1, 7, 9, 10, 27, 32). Four pairs of setae, h3, p1, p2, p3 situated marginally.

Humeral apophysis (h.ap) very long, clearly visible as a pronounced projection, giving characteristic shape to anterior zone of notogaster (Figures 6, 9, 10, 11, 12).

Lateral region (Figures 6, 9, 10, 11, 12). Lamellae (lam) easily discernible, large, without sharp la.ti, and with rounded elevated zone at level of le insertion (Figure 16, 21).

Tutorium (tu): rod-like curving ridge, clearly visible (Figures 11, 12). Between lamellae and tutorium, deep supratutorial depression (s.tu.d) running parallel to both structures; pocket depression (a.tu.d) anteriorly and posterior pocket depression (p.tu.d) present; small depressions posterior to p.tu.d as well as others situated on the interior of s.tu.d (Figure 21 indicated by ).

Bothridia cup-shaped with smooth bothridial ring (bo.ri); bo.ri incomplete, with bothridial tooth (bo.to) clearly discernible (Figures 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13). Sensillus uncinate, arching apex (Figure 13). Pedotectum I: prominent extended lamina covering first acetabulum, rounded apex. Pedotectum II: small ovoid lamina (Figures 6, 9). Humeral apophysis (h.ap) long, extended structure, rounded apex, basally curved; anterior tip overlapping posterior of bothridium (Figures 11, 12).

Notogastral promontories bearing setae clearly discernible (Figures 11, 12, 17, 18); promontories show several internal layers as in Figure 20.

Only lyrifissures ih and ips clearly visible. Discidium easily discernible as triangular structure with rounded apex. Several large depressions (dep) clearly discernible behind acetabulum IV (Figures 6, 9).

Ventral region. Infracapitulum with setae h, m, a clearly visible; setae h situated on large promontories (Figure 29). Epimere slightly elevated, delimited by shallow furrow (bo.1, bo.2, bo.sj). Epimere1 with two well delimited promontories, bearing setae 1a, 1b; epimere 2 only one promontory, bearing setae 2a; epimere 3 with two promontories, bearing setae 3a and 3b; epimere 4 bearing two promontories with setae 4a and 4b ( Sidorchuk and Norton 2010). Apodemes (apo.1, apo.2, apo.3 and apo.4) clearly discernible (Figures 8, 22). Epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3; Pd I, Pd II and dis easily discernible; aggenital furrow a.g.f clearly visible, situated anteriorly to genital fig. Genital fig small relative to anal fig (Figure 22); four pairs of long genital setae (Figure 24); anal fig with two pairs of setae; one pair situated anteriorly and the other posteriorly, both setae small, but well discernible; fig terminating in small sharp tip (Figure 23). Aggenital and adanal setae similar, long, simple; ag and ad3, situated on promontory; ad2, ad1, situated laterally at level of posterior tip of anal fig (Figure 8, 22). Lyrifissures iad clearly discernible, situated laterally between ad3 and ad2 outside dep. Laterally to anal fig and marginally to ventral shield, several large and small depressions (Figures 8, 22).

Posterior view. This view is very important, permitting clarification of several interesting aspects such as: a) the cuticular microsculpture and the n. p.d (Figure 27); b) the p.p.d and its relation to the n.a.d, as well as the related position of d.sj. (Figure 29); c) the relative positions of e.i.p and p.p.d (Figure 27); d) related position of central and lateral notogastral promontories (Figures 27, 30); e) disposition of s.c (Figure 27) and f) shape and distribution of setae and promontories (Figure 32).

Legs (Figures 33-37). All legs monodactyle. Setal formulae I (1-4-3-4-15-1) (1-2-2); II (1-4-3-3-16-1) (1-1-2); III (2-3-1-2-15-1) (1-1-0); IV (1-2-1-2-12-1) (0-1-0). Figure 36 showing shape of anterior setae, tarsus II. Observation of the shape of especially (u), (p), difficult in optical observations. Setae ft` absent from tarsus I, but present on tarsus II in all specimens studied.

Tibia I: solenidion φ 1 on small apophysis; tibia I, II, setae d present, situated near solenidion. Femur IV presenting a conspicuous ventral carina.