Liebstadia khugniensis, Bayartogtokh, B., 2001

Bayartogtokh, B., 2001, Oribatid mites of Liebstadia (Acari: Oribatida: Scheloribatidae) from Mongolia, with notes on taxonomy of the genus, Journal of Natural History 35 (8), pp. 1239-1260 : 1240-1243

Liebstadia khugniensis sp. nov.

(®gures 1±9)

Diagnosis. Medium in size, relatively ¯at species with typical characters of Liebstadia . Rostrum rounded; lamellae relatively long and wide, sublamella and prolamella well developed; all prodorsal setae rather long, distinctly barbed; sensillus with a densely barbed club-shaped head and a smooth, narrow stalk. Notogaster a little narrower posteriorly than anteriorly; four pairs of areae porosae, oval; pteromorphae very small, short sometimes inconspicuous.

Measurements. Body length 460±506 (485.3) m m; width of hysterosom a 268±276 270.5) m m; width of proterosoma 163±170 (166.3) m m; length of lamellae 73±78 75.9) m m; length of sensilli 51±57 (54.4) m m.

Integument. Light yellowish brown in colour. Cerotegument very thin, being represented by very small granules. Lateral region of podosoma with small, but densely arranged granules. Integument nearly smooth.

IGS 1±3. Liebstadia khugniensis sp. nov. (1) Dorsal aspect. (2) Ventral aspect. (3) Lateral aspect.

Prodorsum. Shape of prodorsum more or less triangular, its dorsal surface smooth. Rostrum slightly protruding, smoothly rounded anteriorly. Rostral setae rather long, conspicuously barbed. Lamellae relatively wide, but distinctly narrowed toward the distal end. Sublamellae well developed, joined to the ventral part of the bothridia. Prolamellae well developed, reaching to the insertions of the rostral setae gures 3, 4). Lamellar setae long, thin, conspicuously barbed bilaterally, and extending well beyond the tip of the rostrum. Interlamellar setae rather long, but slightly shorter than lamellar ones. Insertions of interlamellar setae situated close to the median margin of lamellae, and connected with the latter by rather long sublamellae. Sensillus with a club-shaped head, densely barbed, and a smooth, narrow stalk gures 1, 3±5). Bothridium directed anterolaterad, posterior part concealed under anterior margin of notogaster; posterolateral scale of bothridium well developed gures 1, 3±5). 1242 IGS 4±6. Liebstadia khugniensis sp. nov. (4) Prodorsum. (5) Sensillus and anterolateral part of notogaster showing the pteromorpha (right, dorsal view). (6) Leg I, trochanter removed (right, antiaxial aspect).

Notogaster. Shape is oval, slightly longer than wide, a little narrower posteriorly than anteriorly; the widest part is at the level of setae la and lm. Surface of notogaster nearly smooth, but numerous muscle sigillae scattered along the lateral and posterior margins. Dorsosejugal suture slightly extending beyond the level of the bothridium and broadly absent medially. Pteromorphae very small and short, sometimes almost indistinct, but usually with small horizontal humeral blades which do not bend downwards (®gure 5). Ten pairs of notogastral setae, fairly long but slender. Four pairs of areae porosae with sclerotized borders. Area porosa Aa situated

IGS 7±9. Liebstadia khugniensis sp. nov. (7) Leg II, trochanter removed (right, antiaxial aspect). (8) Leg III (right, paraxial aspect). (9) Leg IV (right, paraxial aspect).