Austrophthiracarus aokii malagasensis Mahunka 2010

Niedbała, W., 2017, Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Madagascar and neighbouring islands, Acarologia 57 (1), pp. 3-205 : 110-115

Austrophthiracarus aokii malagasensis Mahunka 2010

Diagnosis — Measurements after Mahunka (2010): length of prodorsum 347-500; length of notogaster 556-1014. Measurements of paratype: prodorsum: length 353, width 222, height 141, setae: ss 99, in 223, ro and ex 30, le 48; notogaster: length

C – opisthosoma, lateral view; D – fragment of surface of "Notogaster"; E – mentum of subcapitulum; F – left genitoaggenital plate and paraxial party of right plate; G – left anoadanal plate; H – trochanter and femur of leg I.

C – opisthosoma, lateral view; D – fragment of surface of "Notogaster"; E – mentum of subcapitulum; F – right genitoaggenital plate; G – right anoadanal plate; H – trochanter and femur of leg I.

616, width 374, height 404, setae: c 1 185, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =1.5, c 3 66, h 1 190, h 2 164, h 3 56, ps 1 202, ps 4 63; genitoaggenital plate 202×96; anoadanal plate 202×91.

Medium-sized species; colour light brown; cuticle covered with foveoles; sigillar fields narrow, lateral carinae short, posterior furrows observable; sensilli straight with long peduncle and weakly separated head covered with small spines; interlamellar setae long, erect, covered with small spines in distal half, similar to notogastral setae; lamellar, rostral, exobothridial setae minute. Notogaster with setiform setae, covered with spines in distal half; setae: c 1, c 2, h 1, ps 1 the longest, setae c 3, cp, d 2, h 3, ps 4 the shortest; 3 pairs of lyrifissures ia, im, ip present. Ventral region; formula of genital setae: 6: 3, setae g 4 and g 5 situated near each other; setae of anoadanal plates long, flagellate, except minute setae ad 3, setae ad 1 and ad 2 longer than anal setae. Leg setation complete, setae d of femora I large, curved interiorly, located near anterior margin of article.

Remark — Nominative species Austrophthiracarus aoki (Mahunka, 1983) has genital setae arranged in two rows, setae g 6-9 are remote from paraxial margin and therefore the species belongs to Austrophthiracarus . Austrophthiracarus aokii malagasensis has the genital setae arranged in one row and therefore belongs to the genus Notophthiracarus . Moreover, as emphasized Mahunka (2010), it has minute, erect rostral setae (versus long, curved and procumbent) and different shape of sigillar fields.

Locality in Madagascar (eastern part): Mahunka 2010.

Distribution — Afrotropical, found only in Madagascar, endemic.