Atropacarus ewingi, Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp, 2009

Mahunka, S. & Mahunka-Papp, L., 2009, New and little known oribatids from Kenya, with descriptions of two new genera (Acari: Oribatida), Journal of Natural History 43 (11 - 12), pp. 737-768 : 739-741

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222930802610451

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BF46007E-FFB5-AD60-FD9D-0B916767FCB7

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Atropacarus ewingi
status

sp. nov.

Atropacarus ewingi sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Dorsal outline is well convex. Lateral carina short, lateral rim weakly developed. Setae of the prodorsum, except setae ex, short and pilose, sensillus bacilliform, slightly dilated distally. Fifteen pairs of notogastral setae, their distal part well pilose. Four pairs of notogastral lyrifissures present. Four pairs of anoadanal setae arising along the inner margin of the anoadanal plates.

Material examined

Holotype. Kenya, Shimba Hills National Park , Shimba Hills Lodge. Wet decaying debris, litter and soil under trees, 10 March 2001. Leg. S. Mahunka and L. Mahunka-Papp. 10 March 2001 (AFR-950) . Holotype (1735-PO-2007): HNHM .

Measurements

Length of aspis 269–280 Mm, length of notogaster 527–544 Mm, height of notogaster 307–330 Mm.

Aspis

Median crista absent. Dorsal outline highly convex, with a narrow edge. Lateral carina short, lateral rim similar in length, anteriorly absent. Surface nearly smooth. One pair of distinct lateral rugae basally. All prodorsal setae short, rostral ones setiform ( Figure 1C View Figure 1 ). Lamellar and interlamellar setae bacilliform, these latter finely roughened. Sensillus directed upwards, long and thin, only its distal part slightly dilated, distal end blunt at the tip, this part finely ciliate. Exobothridial setae minute.

Notogaster

Fifteen pairs of notogastral setae present (only fourteen are figured becouse h 3. is broken; Figure 1A View Figure 1 ). Setae on the dorsal margin (in lateral view) bacilliform, much longer than the setae in lateral position. The bacilliform setae with shorter cilia, the lateral setae with longer cilia, the latter seems to be of penicillate form. Four pairs of lyrifissures present, setae f 1 arising anteriorly ( Figure 1A View Figure 1 ) to h 1. Surface nearly smooth.

Ventral parts

Four pairs of nearly equal length anoadanal setae situated on the inner margin of the plates, the fifth setae (ad 3) much shorter, simple ( Figure 1D View Figure 1 ). Nine pairs of genital setae present, all originating in one longitudinal row, but setae g 1 – g 4 much longer and located further from the inner margin than setae g 5 –g 9.

Legs

Setae d on femur I thick and curved ( Figure 1B View Figure 1 ), setae v 0 very long, more than 10 times longer than setae v 9.

Remarks

The new species unambiguously belongs to the genus Atropacarus Ewing, 1917 . It is well characterized by the shape of the sensillus and the notogastral setae. The new species belongs to the ‘‘ striculus ’’ group but it is distinguished from the related taxa by the comparatively short and distally dilated sensillus and the distally dilated and strongly pilose notogastral setae.

Etymology

The new species is named in honour of the late Prof. Dr H.E. Ewing, in memory of this excellent US acarologist.

HNHM

Hungarian Natural History Museum (Termeszettudomanyi Muzeum)

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