Austrophthiracarus matuku, Liu & Zhang, 2014

Liu, Dong & Zhang, Zhi-Qiang, 2014, Three new species of the genus Austrophthiracarus from New Zealand (Acari: Oribatida: Phthiracaridae), Zootaxa 3780 (3), pp. 585-593 : 586-588

Austrophthiracarus matuku sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9 )

Material examined: Holotype: adult ( NZAC, in alcohol, 87/8), New Zealand: AK, Bethells , Matuku Reserve, from litter, 23 Jun. 1987, leg. R. C. Craw . Paratypes: two adults ( NIGA, in alcohol, 87/8), same data as holotype .

Etymology. Named after Matuku Reserve, the type locality; used here as a noun in apposition.

Description. Measurements. Holotype: Prodorsum: length 320, width 245, height 115, setae: ss 45, ro 35, le 40, in 56, ex 10; mutual distance: in–in 107, ro–ro 50; notogaster: length 650, width 430, height 400; setae: c 1 124, d 1 85, e 1 80, h 1 85, ps 1 96; ventral region: ad 1 100, ad 2 100, ad 3 ’ 50, ad 3 45, an 1 80, an 2 85; genito-aggenital plate 190×125, ano-adanal plate 300×145. Paratypes: Prodorsum: length 310–330, width 245–248, height 115–120; notogaster: length 635–645, width 420–425, height 390–392.

Integument. Colour yellowish. Surface of body strongly foveolate.

Prodorsum ( Figs. 1–3 ). Median crista and posterior furrows absent; lateral carinae very short, ending far from sinus; sigillar fields not visible; sensilli (ss) short, smooth and fusiform, rounded apically; exobothridial (ex) setae short and fine; other prodorsal setae (in, le, ro) short, rough and spiniform; lamellar setae slightly thicker than rostral and interlamellar setae; rostral setae far away from each other; comparative length: in>ss>le>ro> ex; in / le =1.4; mutual distance of setae: in–in / ro–ro =2.14.

Notogaster ( Fig. 1 ). 20 pairs of setae present, fairly short (c 1 / c 1 – d 1 =0.71), robust, densely barbed in distal half; setae c 2 further from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3; additional setae present in h and ps series; vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1; two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 5–7 ). Subcapitulum normal ( Fig. 5 ); setae h, m and a simple and smooth; setae h shorter than distance between them; adoral seta or 1 apparently flat with barbs; or 2–3 simple and smooth; palp ( Fig. 6 ) 4- segmented, with femur and genu fused; palpal setation: 0-2-2-7(1); supracoxal seta simple and smooth; chelicera ( Fig. 7 ) typical of family.

Ano-genital region ( Figs. 1, 4 ). Nine pairs of genital setae (g) arranged in two rows with formula: (4+5): 0; ano-adanal plates each with six setae (ad, an), all thick, straight and slightly barbed; comparative length: ad 1 = ad 2>an 2>an 1>ad 3 ’> ad 3.

Legs ( Figs. 8–9 ). Chaetotaxy of legs complete; setal counts for leg segments: I: 1-4-2(2)-5(1)-17(3); II: 1-3- 2(1)-3(1)-12(2), III: 2-2-1(1)-2(1)-10, IV: 2-1-1-2(1)-10; setae d on femora I long, inserted at level of setae v’ ’, more anterior to the level of l’’ and far from distal end of segment; setae a’’ on tarsi I and setae ft’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae a’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae s and pv’ on tarsi IV present; setae s on tarsi I and II present.

Remark. This new species is similar to Austrophthiracarus paralargus Niedbała & Penttinen, 2007 from Australia in the following features: surface of body strongly foveolate, sigillar fields not visible, similar shape of sensilli and other prodorsal setae, similar length of notogastral setae, vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1, two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present, genital setae with formula: (4+5): 0, chaetotaxy of legs complete, and setae d on femora I long and far from distal end of segment. These two species can be easily distinguished from each other by the following ten characters (a versus b): in A. matuku sp. nov., (1a) rostral setae far from each other (in–in / ro–ro =2.14); (2a) lateral carinae short; (3a) in> ss> le> ro; (4a) 20 pairs of notogastral setae present, setae not obtuse apically; (5a) ano-adanal plates with six pairs of setae, all adanal setae far from paraxial margin; in A. paralargus , (1b) rostral setae close to each other (in–in / ro–ro ≈4.62); (2b) lateral carinae absent; (3b) in> ro> le = ss; (4b) 22 pairs of notogastral setae present, setae obtuse apically; (5b) ano-adanal plates with seven pairs of setae, one pair of adanal setae shifted towards the paraxial margin.

It also similar to Austrophthiracarus largus Niedbała, 2000 from New Caledonia, but differs by following features (a versus b): in A. matuku sp. nov., (1a) surface of body strongly foveolate; (2a) sigillar fields not visible; (3a) lateral carinae short; (4a) region under lateral carinae without striations; (5a) sensilli smooth and rounded apically; (6a) in> ss> le> ro> ex; (7a) in–in / ro–ro =2.14; (8a) five setae situated in line in setae ps series; (9a) setae v' on femora I present; (10a) setae l ’’ on femora I located proximal to setae d; in A. largus , (1b) surface of body densely porose; (2b) sigillar fields visible; (3b) lateral carinae absent; (4b) region under lateral carinae striated; (5b) sensilli spinose and pointed apically; (6b) in> ss = ro> le> ex; (7b) in–in / ro–ro ≈1.45; (8a) only three setae situated in line in setae ps series; (9b) setae v' on femora I absent; (10b) setae l’’ on femora I located distal to setae d.

Compared with Austrophthiracarus espeletius ( Balogh, 1984) from the Neotropical Region, this new species can be distinguished by following features: in A. Matuku sp. nov., (1a) surface of body strongly foveolate; (2a) sigillar fields not visible; (3a) lateral carinae short; (4a) sensilli smooth, with rounded end; (5a) rostral setae situated near anterior margin of prodorsum; (6a) in–in / ro–ro =2.14; (7a) two pairs of ps setae situated under ps 1; (8a) h <h–h; (9a) setae g 1 close to anterior margin of genito-aggenital plates; in A. espeletius , (1b) surface of body punctate; (2b) sigillar fields visible; (3b) lateral carinae absent; (4b) sensilli barbed, with sharp distal point; (5b) rostral setae situated far from anterior margin of prodorsum; (6b) in–in / ro–ro ≈2.83; (7b) only one pair of ps setae situated under ps 1; (8b) h = h–h; (9b) setae g 1 far from anterior margin of genito-aggenital plates.

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Austrophthiracarus matuku sp. nov.: 1, lateral view of body (legs removed); 2, prodorsum, dorsal view; 3, sensillus, dorsal view; 4, right side of ventral plate; 5, subcapitulum, palpi removed; 6, palp, antiaxial view; 7, chelicera, antiaxial view; 8, femur I; 9, tibia IV. Scale bars: 1, 2, 4=100 µm; 5–9=50 µm; 3=25 µm.