Globoppia vernoncrookensis, Hugo-Coetzee, 2017

Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2017, New Oppiidae (Acari: Oribatida) from Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, South Africa, Zootaxa 4311 (2), pp. 211-232 : 214-217

Globoppia vernoncrookensis sp. nov.

( Figs 2 , 3 )

Diagnosis. Adult: body size: 324–409 × 219–268; translamellar line present; interlamellar seta present, short; bothridial seta with long curved stalk and clavate head; notogastral seta c 2 present, setae la, lm much longer than other setae and almost in a transverse line; all dorsal and ventral setae smooth, except rostral seta weakly barbed.

Description. Measurements. Length: females (n = 9) mean 373 (range 324–409), male (n = 1) 373. width: females 245 (219–268), male 244. Holotype (female): length 385, width 250.

Integument ( Fig. 2 A, C). Body surface smooth; exobothridial region to pedotectum I tuberculate.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 2 A, C). Rostrum rounded; rostral seta (ro, 54–66) located dorso-laterally, weakly barbed, lamellar seta (le, 41–58) thin, smooth, interlamellar seta (in, 6–10) very short and thin (not visible in lateral view, obscured by bothridial seta), lamellar seta closer to rostral than to interlamellar seta, exobothridial seta (ex) could not be discerned; weak translamellar line present, weak lamellar lines extending from translamellar line to halfway between lamellar seta and bothridium, lamellar seta inserted posterior to translamellar line; two pairs of muscle sigillae in interlamellar region; bothridial seta (bs, 63–75) clavate, smooth, stalk long with an s-like curve; tubercle present on hysterosoma in dorsosejugal region, varying in distinctness (seen in lateral view); pedotectum I typical for genus.

Notogaster ( Fig. 2 A–C). Ten pairs of smooth notogastral setae, la, lm (47–59)> lp (25–33)> c 2 (13–20)> h 1–3, p 1–3 (7–15), setae la, lm thick, h 1, p 1–3 very thin (difficult to observe); p 1 better observed in ventral view, p 2, p 3 distanced from p 1, setae lm, la almost on a transverse line, setae lp, h 3 on a transverse line; distance between h 1- h 1 shorter than between p 1- p 1, h 3 posterior to lyrifissure im; lyrifissures ia, im distinct (7–15), other lyrifissures not visible.

Gnathosoma and epimeral region ( Fig. 2 B–C). All setae thin, smooth; subcapitular setae a, m, h of similar length (19–29); epimeral setae 3b, 3c, 4a, 4c (30–45)> 1b, 1c (26–35)> 1a, 2a, 3a, 4b (14–24); 3b often directed horizontally; discidium (dis) rounded distally.

Anogenital region ( Fig. 2 B). All setae thin, smooth; six pairs of genital (g 1, g 6: 12–18> g 2–5: 7–14), one pair of aggenital (ag, 16–25), two pairs of anal (an, 12–16) and three pairs of adanal (ad) setae present; ad 1 (12–18) slightly shorter than ad 2, ad 3 (15–24), ad2 posterior to lyrifissure iad (9–13).

Legs ( Fig. 3 A–D). Leg IV (276–309)> leg I (237–297)> leg III (215–237)> leg II (189–236); leg setation (see Table 1 for details): leg I: 1–5–2(1)–4(2)–20(2), leg II: 1–5–2(1)–4(1)–16(2), leg III: 2–3–1(1)–3(1)–15, leg IV: 1– 2–2–3(1)–12; all setae barbed, except smooth setae l” on Ge I, II, l’ on Ge III, IV, (p), (u), (it) on Ta I, (u) on Ta II and d on Ge IV; setae (p) on Ta II–IV smooth, tooth-like; setae v” on Ti IV, pv”, a” on Ta IV penicillate.

Roman letters refer to normal setae, Greek letters refer to solenidia (except ε to famulus), parentheses indicate pairs of setae. Setae on the anterior side of a leg segment are indicated with a single accent (’) and setae on the posterior side with a double accent (”).

Etymology. The species name ‘ vernoncrookensis ’ is derived from the type locality, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve.

Type material. The holotype and 10 paratypes were collected in Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, KwaZulu- Natal (3017.057’S, 3035.290’E) by D.J. Kok, 25.III.1986 from rich organic soil. The holotype ( NMB 3478.16.1) and seven paratypes ( NMB 3478.16.2) are deposited in the Acarology collection of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa . Three paratypes ( SMNG, DNR 56549) are stored in Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde, Görlitz, Germany .

Remarks. Globoppia vernoncrookensis sp. nov. is most similar to Globoppia hamiltoni ( Mahunka, 1988) from Tanzania in the presence of weak translamellar and lamellar lines, short interlamellar setae, position and length of all notogastral setae and presence of a weak tubercle on the hysterosoma in the dorsosejugal region. These two species differ from each other in size ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. 324–409 × 219–268; G. hamiltoni 442–480 × 303–320), lamellar setae ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. smooth; G. hamiltoni barbed), stalk of the bothridial seta ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. long, curved; G. hamiltoni short), length of aggenital relative to adanal setae ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. similar in length; G. hamiltoni more than double in length), position of adanal seta ad 2 relative to lyrifissure iad ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. far posterior; G. hamiltoni lateral to slightly postero-lateral).

The new species is similar to the other South African species in the presence of seta c 2 and very weak translamellar lines, as well as seta ad 2 positioned posterior to iad. However, the new species differs from them in its smaller size ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov. 324–409 × 219–268; G. curviclavata 451–477 × 270–287; G. gibba 508– 566 × 320–369; G. globifera 393–435 × 236–260), short interlamellar seta (long in G. globifera ), presence of tubercle in the dorsosejugal region (absent in G. curviclavata ), smooth notogastral setae (ciliate in G. curviclavata , G. globifera ); relative position of notogastral setae lm and la ( G. vernoncrookensis sp. nov., G. curviclavata , G. globifera almost on a transverse line; G. gibba posterior).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Globoppia vernoncrookensis sp. nov. (legs removed) A. Dorsal view; B. ventral view; C. lateral view (some ventral setae not shown).

FIGURE 3. Globoppia vernoncrookensis sp. nov. A. Leg I, left, antiaxial view; B. leg II, right, antiaxial view; C. leg III, right, antiaxial view; D. leg IV, left, antiaxial view.