Cryptacarus longipilus, 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 : 745-746

Cryptacarus longipilus sp. nov.

Diagnosis

Rostrum deeply excavated medially, with sharp, spiniform median tooth. All prodorsal setae with long branches, nearly equal in length. Sensillus slightly dilated, with long cilia. Notogastral surface ornamented by small polygonal sculpture in the upper layer, and greater polygonal pattern in the deeper layer. Notogastral setae comparatively long, their cilia also long anteriorly and medially. Posterior part of the notogaster with neotrichy, all setae ramifying, with narrow branches. Epimeral setal formula: 7-4-4-3. Genitoanal region typical for the genus, all setae peculiarly long, with long branches.

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). Ten paratypes from the same sample . Holotype and five paratypes: MHNG, five paratypes: (1728-PO-2007): HNHM (with identification number of the specimens in the collection of Arachnida) .

Measurements

Length of body 439–467 Mm, width of body 175–193 Mm.

Prodorsum

Rostral apex absent, rostral part deeply excavated with a short, sharply pointed median spine ( Figure 4A ). No characteristic difference among the prodorsal setae, all well ciliated. Sensillus setiform, only slightly dilated medially, with long cilia.

Notogaster

Characteristic polygonal sculpture present, larger cellular pattern observable in deeper layer, and much smaller ones in the upper layer. Normal, comparatively long and well ciliated setae present in the anterior part of the notogaster, c, d, e and f setae setiform ( Figure 4A ), the setae of the pygidial part neotrichous all setae nearly equal in length, their branches thin and multiply ramifying ( Figure 4C ). Setae c 1 shorter than the c 3, setae d 1 much shorter than d 3, both outer setae the longest.

Ventral parts

Apodemes and borders of the epimeral region similar to those in other species of the genus. Surface ornamented by polygonal (cellular) sculpture, all cells very small. All epimeral setae setiform, with very long cilia. Anogenital region typical for the genus. All setae in this region long, all reaching over the insertion of the next one behind them ( Figure 4B ).

Remarks

On the basis of the rostral part of the prodorsum, the position of the notogastral setae and the number and position of the epimeral ones, the new form is similar to the type species of the genus: Cryptacarus promecus Grandjean, 1950 . However, the new species is distinguished from it by the much longer notogastral setae, the much thinner neotrichial setae and mainly by the very long anal and adanal setae which bear conspicuously long cilia ( Figure 4D,E ). The other species of the genus (see Subías 2004) have normal rostral apices, without deeply excavated median parts. Their notogastral setae are also shorter and much simpler.

Etymology

Named after its conspicuously long notogastral and anoadanal setae.

Figures

Figure 4. (A–C) Cryptacarus longipilus sp. nov. (A) Body in dorsal view, (B) anogenital region, (C) posterormarginal seta. (D,E) Cryptacarus promecus Grandjean, 1936. (D) anogenital region, (E) posterormarginal seta.