Cosmozetes instans, Mahunka, 2005

Mahunka, S., 2005, Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) From Venezuela, I. Microzetid Species, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (4), pp. 287-311 : 294-296

Cosmozetes instans sp. n.

( Figs 5–8 )

Diagnosis: Lamellae comparatively small, originating medially and not covering the rostral and marginal region of the prodorsum. Lamellar cusps long, outer ones slightly curving inwards. Sensillus capitate, its head round, aciculate. Notogastral surface with porose (?) fields. Nine pairs of notogastral setae. Tutorium wide basally, with a triangular apex. Two strong transversal bands in epimeral region present. Aggenital setae absent.

Material examined: Material examined: Holotype: Venezuela, Andes, Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada, páramo and Polylepis stand below Cross Pass , SW of Loma Redonda cable car station and ULA research house, 06. 04. 2005 – in the páramo vegetation and in the forest litter, soil and moss. Leg. CS . CSUZDI & D. MURÁNYI (B-22), 7 paratypes from the same sample, 12 paratypes: Estado Mérida. Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada. 3–5 m tall Polylepis seriacea ( Rosaceae ) páramo forest below Alto de la Cruz pass, at 3900–4100 m. alt. Litter. 22. Febr. 1997 (Coll. S. & T. PÓCS) (9718). Holotype (1685-HO-05) and 15 paratypes (1685-PO-05): HNHM and 4 paratypes: MHNG .

Measurements: Length of body: 291–300 µm, width of body: 193–197 µm.

Prodorsum: Rostral part conical, comparatively rounded. Rostral setae arising on the prodorsal surface, far from one another. Lamellae comparatively small, not touching medially, a short translamella present ( Fig. 6 ). Outer cusp mostly curving invards, only somewhat longer than inner one. Lamellar setae thick, spiniform, well ciliate, like the rostral setae. Lamellar surface well rugose, interlamellar setae arising on them, conspicuously long. Two-three irregular tubercles in the interlamellar region. Head of the sensillus round, its distal end aciculate.

Notogaster: Dorsosejugal suture slightly convex. Pteromorphae small, rounded laterally. Notogastral surface pustulate along the pteromorphae, a few irregular porose areas present in the median surface. Nine pairs of notogastral setae present, all thin, varying in length, some of them with flagellate distal end. Setae h 1 arising on low tubercles, very near to each other ( Fig. 5 ).

Lateral part of podosoma: Rostral apex beak-shaped in lateral view. Tutorium very wide basally, with a short triangularle cusp, in front of it a long, thin crest present. Rostral setae arising far from the cusp of tutorium. Pedotecta 1 comparatively small, with transversal lines. Median margin of the acetabular region well sclerotised ( Fig. 8 ). Circumpedal carina also strong, reaching the nargin of the ventral plate.

Ventral regions: Setae h of infracapitulum long, originating far from the anterior margin, well pilose. The shape of apodemes and epimeral borders typical for this genus, two complete transversal bands (bo. sej., bo. 4), and a short part from the third one (bo. 2) present ( Fig. 7 ). No longitudinal connection between them. Epimeral surface smooth, a polygonal pattern visible only epimere 4. Epimeral setal formula: 3 – 1 – 3 – 3, setae on epimeres 1 and 2 comparatively short. Setae 1c originating far from pedotecta 1. Setae on epimeres 3 and 4 long, ciliate. Anterior pair of genital setae longer than the others and well ciliate. Anogenital setal formula: 6 – 0 – 2 – 3, aggenital setae absent, seate ad 1 in postanal, ad 3 in preanal position, seate ad 1 locted very near to each other. Lyrifissure iad short, located in adanal position.

Remarks: One of the most variable Cosmozetes species. Its relationship: see the key of the Cosmozetes species.

Etymology: Named after the characteristic opposite outer lamellar cusps.

Figures

Figs 5–8. Cosmozetes instans sp. n.: 5 = body in dorsal view, 6 = prodorsum of aparatype,7 =body in ventral view, 8 = podosoma in lateral view