Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov, 2024

Ermilov, Sergey G. & Rybalov, Leonid B., 2024, New faunistic and taxonomic data on oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from the Gambela region, Western Ethiopia, Persian Journal of Acarology 13, pp. 395-407 : 399-404

Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–14 )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6175203A-0018-4B73-8C12-B580782DEB33

Type material

Holotype (male) and six paratypes (three males and three females): Western Ethiopia, Gambela region, Anuak Zone , 08° 25 ' 54.8″ N, 034° 30′ 32″ E, 653 m a.s.l., Lowland, soil-litter in woodland on the brown soil (sandy-clay) with temporary gley layer in the soil, 11.11.2017 (L.B. Rybalov).

Type deposition

The holotype is deposited in the collection of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; six paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia . All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Diagnosis

Body length: 435–495. Body surface sparsely microfoveolate; posterior part of notogaster heavily rugose. Rostrum rounded. Translamella represented by two short lines near lamellae; prolamella complete. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae long, rod-like, barbed; in ˃ le ˃ ro; exobothridial seta well developed, setiform, slightly barbed; bothridial seta comparatively short clavate, slightly barbed, with stalk shorter than head. Anterior margin of pteromorph slightly oblique (not perpendicular to longitudinal axis of body in dorsal aspect). Dorsal notogastral part with Ushaped furrow. Notogastral setae p 1 – p 3 short, setiform, roughened; others vestigial. Pedotectum II quadrangular distally in ventral view, with posterolateral tooth. Circumpedal carina long. Leg tibia I and II with retrotectum; ventrodistal part of femur II with triangular process; tarsus I with 19 setae (l” absent); genu I with three setae (v’ present); genu II with two setae (v’ absent).

Description

Measurements – Body length: 450 (holotype), 435–495 (paratypes); body width (level of pteromorphs): 285 (holotype), 255–300 (paratypes); body width (level of ventral plate): 270 (holotype), 247–285 (paratypes). No differences between males and females in body size.

Integument – Body color light brown. Body surface sparsely microfoveolate; posterior part of notogaster heavily rugose (with several longitudinal ridges with deep furrows between them), visible as an undulate margin in dorsal aspect; lateral side of body partially with microgranulate cerotegument.

Prodorsum – Rostrum rounded. Lamella about 1/2 length of prodorsum; translamella represented by two short lines near lamellae; prolamella present, complete (reaching insertion of rostral seta and lateral side of prodorsum); sublamella long; lateral keel-shaped ridge distinct, archlike, located above acetabulum I. Sublamellar porose area (7–11) rounded. Rostral (60–64), lamellar (67–71) and interlamellar (75–79) setae rod-like, barbed; exobothridial seta (26–30) setiform, slightly barbed; bothridial seta (41–49) clavate (rounded distally), slightly barbed; directed posterolaterad; stalk shorter than head. Dorsosejugal porose area not observable.

Notogaster – Anterior notogastral margin convex and rounded medially. Pteromorph mediumsized, rounded laterally, its anterior margin slightly oblique (not perpendicular to longitudinal axis of body in dorsal aspect). Dorsal notogastral part with sharply defined, U-shaped furrow, separating central and marginal zones. Setae p 1 – p 3 (17–19) setiform, roughened; others (1) vestigial. Four pairs of saccules with small opening and drop-like channel. Opisthonotal gland opening and all lyrifissures well observable.

Gnathosoma – Subcapitulum size: 97–101 × 67–75; subcapitular setae (a: 19–22; m: 13–15; h: 24–26) setiform, slightly barbed; m thinnest; both adoral setae (13–15) setiform, barbed. Palp length: 60–64; setation: 0–2–1–3–9(+ω); postpalpal seta (7) spiniform, truncate apically, roughened. Chelicera length: 112–120; setae (cha: 34–37; chb: 22–26) setiform, barbed.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions – Epimeral formula: 3–1–3–3; all setae (3c: 26–30; 4c: 19–22; others: 17–19) setiform, roughened. Humeral porose areas Am and Ah not observable. Pedotectum II quadrangular distally in ventral view, with posterolateral tooth. Circumpedal carina long, directed to pedotectum II. Discidium triangular, rounded distally.

Anogenital region – Anogenital formula: 4–1–2–3; genital (g 1: 26–30; others: 17–19), aggenital (17–19), anal (17–19), and adanal (17–19) setae setiform, thin, roughened. Adanal lyrifissure close and parallel to anterior half of anal plate. Marginal porose area complete, band-like. Ovipositor length: 158–172 × 34–37); length of blade: 60–67; length of distal section (beyond middle fold): 94– 109; setae ψ 1, τ 1 (34–41) rod-like, smooth; setae ψ 2, τa, τb, τc (13–15) stiff, acuminate, smooth; six coronal setae (5–7) spiniform.

Legs – Median claw distinctly thicker than lateral claws; all slightly barbed on dorsal side; each lateral claw with small ventrodistal tooth. Tibiae I and II with retrotectum (posterior collar-like tectum) and small ventrobasal triangular process; ventrodistal part of femur II with strong triangular process and sometimes with small additional tooth. Porose area on trochanters III, IV, femora I–IV, tibia I–IV, and tarsi I–IV well observable; porose area on tibiae I and II divided into two parts. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–5–3–4–19) [1–2–2], II (1–5–2–4–15) [1–1–2], III (2–3– 1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1; solenidia ω 1 on tarsus I, ω 1 and ω 2 on tarsus II and σ on genua III slightly thickened, rounded apically; solenidion φ 1 on tibia I, solenidia φ on tibiae II–IV and σ on genu I subflagellate; other solenidia rod-like; seta s on tarsus I setiform (not eupathidial), barbed, inserted between paired setae (a) and (pv).

Leg II, right, antiaxial view; 13. Leg III, left, antiaxial view; 14. Leg IV, left, antiaxial view.

Comparison

Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. is similar to S. (S.) costaricensis Ermilov, Alvarado-Rodríguez, Tolstikov & Retana-Salazar, 2015 from the Neotropical region (see Ermilov et al. 2015), S. (S.) flagellisetosus Ermilov & Anichkin, 2014 from Vietnam (see Ermilov and Anichkin 2014), S. (S.) milleri Jacot, 1936 from the Eastern U.S.A. and Northern Neotropical region (see Jacot 1936), and S. (S.) yorubaensis Badejo, Woas & Beck, 2002 from Nigeria (see Badejo et al. 2002) in the presence of the U-shaped furrow on the notogaster. However, the new species differs from all in having heavily rugose sculpturing (several longitudinal ridges and deep furrows between them) in posterior part of the notogaster, the presence (versus absence) of the retrotectum (posterior collar-like tectum) on the leg tibiae I and II, and the morphology of the notogastral setae c, la, lm, lp, h 1 – h 3 (vestigial, indistinctly visible versus short and well observable).

Additionally, S. (S.) costaricensis has smaller body size (length: 365–398 versus 435–495 in the new species), truncate rostrum (versus rounded in the new species) and posterior median apophysis in posterior part of the notogaster (versus apophysis absent in the new species); S. (S.) flagellisetosus has smaller body size (length: 365–415 versus 435–495 in the new species), truncate rostrum (versus rounded in the new species), flagellate tip in rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae (versus setiform in the new species), and rounded ventrodistal part of the leg femur II (versus with triangular process in the new species), and has no translamella (versus translamella represented by two short lines near lamellae in the new species) and aggenital setae (versus present in the new species); S. (S.) milleri has smaller body size (length: 390–400 versus 435–495 in the new species), truncate rostrum (versus rounded in the new species), and has no translamella (versus translamella represented by two short lines near lamellae in the new species); S. (S.) yorubaensis has partially developed prolamella (versus complete in the new species) and rounded ventrodistal part of the leg femur II (versus with triangular process in the new species).

Etymology

The species name aboboensis refers to the town Abobo in the vicinity of which the new species was found.

Figures

Figures 1–2. Photos of location and habitat of Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov.

Figures 3–4. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. (adult, gnathosoma and legs not shown) – 3. Dorsal view of body; 4. Ventral view of body.

Figures 5–10. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. (adult) – 5. Right lateral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown); 6. Posterior view. 7. Subcapitulum, ventral view; 8. Palp, right, antiaxial view; 9. Chelicera, left, paraxial view; 10. Ovipositor, lateral view.

Figures 11–14. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) aboboensis Ermilov sp. nov. (adult) – 11. Leg I, right, antiaxial view; 12.