Acrotritia closteros, Niedbała, 2006

Niedbała, Wojcieh, 2006, New species of palaearctic Euphthiracaridae (Acari, Oribatida), Zootaxa 1175, pp. 43-54 : 53-54

Acrotritia closteros sp. nov.

(Figs 3. G–L)

Description

Measurements of holotype: prodorsum: length 210, height 88.5, sensillus 58.2, setae: in 121, le 83.5, ro 55.7, ex 10.1; notogaster: length 479, height 353, setae: c 1 60.6, h 1 85.8, ps 1 75.7; genitoaggenital plate 162 x 50.5; anoadanal plate 207 x 30.3

Colour yellow, surface of body punctate.

Prodorsum with one pair of simple lateral carinae. Sensillus fairly long with head as broad spindle covered with sparse minute spines. Dorsal setae stout, erect, strongly barbed in distal half, exobothridial setae minute; in> le> ro> ex.

Notogaster with relatively short (c 1 <½ c 1 ­d 1) setae covered with small spines in distal half. Setae c 3 remote from anterior margin, setae c 1 and c 2 far from margin. Opening of opisthosomal gland and arrangement of lyrifissures and vestigial setae typical of genus.

Ventral region, setae h of mentum considerably longer than distance between them. Formula of epimeral setae: 2­0­2­2. Seven pairs of minute genital setae with formula: 6: 1.

Two pairs of minute aggenital setae present, arranged longitudinally. Anal setae an 1 and an 2 simple, rough, smaller than adanal setae covered with small spines; lyrifissures iad located anteriorly of ad 3 setae.

Legs setation and solenidiotaxy (without tarsi): I: 1­2­3 (2)­4(1), II: 1­3­3(1)­4 (1), III: 2­2­2(1)­3(1), IV: 2­1­1­2(1). All tarsi monodactylous.

Types

Holotype: Algeria, Alger, Rouiba , litter from citrus orchard, 24 X 1984, leg. W. Niedbała; three paratypes: Aures, cedar wood of SGAG, humus of Fraxinus xanthixoloides at 1800 m, 26 IX 1985, leg. K. de Smet.

Etymology The name of the new species closteros is Latinized Greek for “a spindle” and alludes to the shape of the head of sensilli.

Comparison

This species is easy distinguishable from other Acrotritia species by the combinations of a monodactylous tarsi, the shape of sensillus with broadly fusiform head, and the presence of 7 pairs of genital setae.

Acknowledgements

I am very grateful to all those who collected the specimens referred to above.

References

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