Scheloribates (Scheloribates) paraflagellisetosus, Ermilov & Salavatulin, 2023

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Salavatulin, Vladimir M., 2023, Taxonomic contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite family Scheloribatidae (Acari, Oribatida), with description of three new species from Vietnam, Zootaxa 5336 (2), pp. 233-246 : 241-244

Scheloribates (Scheloribates) paraflagellisetosus sp. nov.

( Figures 5 , 6 )

Type material. Holotype (male) and eight paratypes (four males and four females): Vietnam, Dong Nai Province, Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve, Cat Tien National Park , 11°26′35.11′′N, 107°26′01.38′′E, about 130 m a.s.l., branches from one tree Dipterocarpus alatus at the height of 25 m (sample: PrD3), 01.XII.2022–5.XII.2022 (leg. V.M. Salavatulin and A.A. Kudrin).

The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; eight paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Diagnosis. Body length: 300–315. Rostrum rounded. Translamella absent; prolamella complete. Rostral seta long, setiform, barbed; lamellar and interlamellar setae very long, subflagellate, sparsely barbed mediobasally; bothridial seta short, with globular, barbed head. All notogastral setae short, setiform, smooth. Epimeral formula: 3-1-2-1. Aggenital setae absent; two pairs of adanal setae.

Description. Measurements. Body length: 300 (holotype), 300–315 (male and female paratypes); notogaster width: 165 (holotype), 165–172 (male and female paratypes). No difference between males and females in body size.

Integument. Body light brown. Surface mostly smooth but lateral side of body partially with microsculpturing granulate.

Prodorsum ( Figs 5A, C ). Rostrum rounded. Lamella strong, about 1/2 length of prodorsum; translamella absent; sublamella and keel-shaped ridge present; prolamella complete. Sublamellar porose area oval (6–7 × 2–4). Rostral seta (49–52) setiform, barbed; lamellar (105–116) and interlamellar (131–142) setae subflagellate, sparsely barbed mediobasally; exobothridial seta (7–9) setiform, thin, smooth; bothridial seta (24–26) with short stalk and globular, barbed head, entirely visible in dorsal aspect.

Notogaster ( Figs 5A, C ; 6A ). Dorsosejugal suture distinct, slightly convex medially. All setae (7–9) setiform, thin, smooth. Four pairs of sacculi drop-like. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures well visible.

Gnathosoma (6B–D). Subcapitulum size: 75–82 × 60–64; subcapitular setae (a: 13–15; m: 17–19; h: 26–28) setiform, thin, a sparsely barbed, m, h roughened; both adoral setae (7–9) setiform, barbed. Palp length: 52–56; setation: 0-2-1-3-9(+ω); postpalpal seta (6) spiniform, slightly roughened. Chelicera length: 94–101; setae (cha: 26–30; chb: 17–19) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs 5B, C ). Epimeral formula: 3-1-2-1; all setae (1b: 22–26; 3b, 4a: 17–19; 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a: 9–11) setiform, thin, roughened. Humerosejugal porose area Am not observed. Discidium and circumpedal carina present.

Anogenital region ( Figs 5B, C ; 6A ). Genital (9–11), anal (9–13) and adanal (11–13) setae setiform, thin, roughened; aggenital setae absent; two pairs of adanal setae (ad 3 absent). Adanal lyrifissure close and parallel to anal plate.

Legs ( Figs 6E, F ). Empodial claw strong; both lateral claws distinctly thinner; all slightly barbed on dorsal side. Typical porose area on trochanters III, IV, femora I–IV, tibia I–IV, tarsi I–IV. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-2-4-17) [1-2-2], II (1-5-2-4-15) [1-1-2], III (2-3-1-3-15) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-2-3-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 3 . Solenidion ω 1 on tarsus I, ω 1, ω 2 on tarsus II, σ on genua III slightly thickened, rounded apically; φ 1 on tibia I, φ on tibiae II–IV, σ on genua I subflagellate; other solenidia setiform. Famulus inserted posterior to ω 1.

Remarks. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) paraflagellisetosus sp. nov. is most similar to the other arboreal species, S. (S.) flagellisetosus Ermilov & Anichkin, 2014 from Vietnam in the presence of very long, subflagellate lamellar and interlamellar setae and short, globular bothridial head. However, the new species differs from the latter by smaller body size (length: 300–315 versus 365–415), the absence of U-shaped furrow on the notogaster (versus presence) and number of adanal setae (two pairs versus three pairs) and setae on the epimeres III, IV (two and one pair, respectively versus three pairs each).

Etymology. The specific epithet paraflagellisetosus alludes to the similarity between Scheloribates (S.) flagellisetosus Ermilov & Anichkin, 2014 and the new species.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) paraflagellisetosus sp. nov., adult (gnathosoma and legs omitted): A—dorsal view; B—ventral view; C—right lateral view. Scale bar 50 μm.

FIGURE 6. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) paraflagellisetosus sp. nov., adult: A—posterior view; B—subcapitulum, ventral view; C—palp, right, antiaxial view; D—chelicera, left, paraxial view; E—leg I, right, antiaxial view; F—leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bars 50 μm (A), 20 μm (B–F).