Sceletoppia tana, 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 : 750-752

Sceletoppia tana sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Rostral apex divided by two incisures. Costulae absent, a pair of longitudinal, wellsclerotized laths present laterally. Two pairs of interbothridial maculae. Sensillus conspicuously dilated, its head extended into a long, distal spine, unilaterally ciliate. Dorsosejugal suture widely rounded, a weak notogastral crista present. Ten pairs of notogastral setae, but setae c 2 minute, or hardly observable. Epimeral region with peculiar borders, they run partly far from the apodemes. Anogenital setal formula: 4- 1-2-3. Lyrifissures iad in paraanal position.

Material examined

Holotype Kenya, Tana River district, 10 km north of Garsen , 23 October 1977. Leg. V. Mahnert and J.-L. Perret (G-77/31). Five paratypes from the same sample . Holotype and three paratypes: MHNG, two paratypes: (1732-PO-2007): HNHM .

Measurements

Length of body 203–220 Mm, width of body 98–110 Mm.

Prodorsum

Rostral apex divided by two large incisions, median apex wide, triangular, lateral apices curved inwards ( Figure 6D ). Median costulae absent, a pair of well-sclerotized lateral laths present, along their inner margin some irregular maculae visible. Exobothridial region well sclerotized, granulate. Two pairs of maculae, located far from each other, in the interbothridial region. Rostral setae arising on the dorsal surface, but far laterally, with short cilia. Lamellar setae shorter, but bearing much longer cilia, interlamellar setae very short, smooth. Bothridia well developed, with a large basal tubercle and a short longitudinal lath at their inner side. Sensillus ( Figure 6B ) peculiarly dilated, with very long, and strongly narrowed, spiniform distal part. On its lateral margin 11 to 12 short spines.

Notogaster

Dorsosejugal suture slightly arched medially, without humeral apophyses. A weak crista present, on its margin minute setae c 2 visible or their alveoli. Nine pairs of finely and rarely ciliate notogastral setae present, without any peculiar differences.

Lateral part of podosoma

Exobothridial region well sclerotized, a longitudinal, thick crest runs parallel with the acetabula ( Figure 6E ). An arched crest closer to the bothridia, bearing exobothridial setae. Pedotectum I small, setae 1c arising on it. Surface of the pedotectum and a small field in this region(?) granulated.

Ventral parts ( Figure 6C )

Epimeral borders peculiarly developed, not parallel to the apodemes. Ap.2 and ap.sej. well developed, with bridge-like structure, sternal ones absent or hardly observable. Bo.1 and bo.2 as well as bo.3 and bo.4 compose characteristic, arched figures. Epimeral setal formula: 3-1-3-3. Setae 3b located typically laterally. Nearly all epimeral setae more or less ciliate. Genitoanal setal formula: 4-1-2-3. Genital setae nearly smooth, all others with very long cilia. Setae ad 1 slightly shorter than the other adanal setae.

Legs

Without process of the tibia II.

Remarks

Unique epimeral structure in the epimeral region. See the ‘‘Remarks’’ in the generic diagnosis.

Etymology

Named after its locality: the environs of the Tana River.

Figures

Figure 6. Sceletoppia tana gen. nov et sp. nov. (A) Body in dorsal view, (B) sensillus, (C) body in ventral view, (D) basal part in prodorsum in dorsal view, (E) prodorsum in lateral view.