Kokoppia murvanidzeae, 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 : 229

Kokoppia murvanidzeae sp. nov.

( Figs 11 , 12 )

Diagnosis. Adult: body size 254–294 × 143–168; lamellar and translamellar lines indistinct; thin sensillar head with four to five long branches and two to three short branches; tubercle posterior to bothridium in dorsosejugal region present; seta lm posterio-medially to la, seta c2 represented by alveolus.

Description. Measurements. Length: females (n = 5) mean 284 (range 274–294), males (n = 5) 267 (254–277). width: females 158 (153–168), males 149 (143–154). Holotype (female): length 281, width 158.

Integument ( Fig. 11 A, C). Body surface smooth; lateral side of prodorsum above pedotectum I granulated.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 11 A, C). Apex of rostrum very slightly flattened (best seen in ventral view), rostral seta (31– 36) barbed, inserted laterally in dorsal view, lamellar seta (13–22) thin, smooth, interlamellar seta (32–42) thick, roughened, exobothridial seta (14–20) weakly barbed, anterior of bothridium; a lighter quadrangular field demarcated by indistinct lamellar and translamellar lines, lamellar and interlamellar setae within this field; bothridial seta (71–83 without branches) slightly thickened, similar thickness throughout, with four to five long branches and two to three short branches; tubercle posterior to bothridium on hysterosoma present; tubercle posterior to interlamellar seta present, directed anteriorly.

Notogaster ( Fig. 11 A, C). Nine pairs of smooth notogastral setae, medium length, lp (22–30)> lm, la, h 1, h 2, h 3 (16–27)> p 1, p 2 (13–22)> p 3 (11–16); seta lm postero-medially to la, seta lp, h 3 almost on a transverse ine, seta c2 represented by alveolus, seta h 3 posterior to lyrifissure im; ia, im (5–8) distinct, other lyrifissures not visible.

Gnathosoma and epimeral region ( Fig. 11 B, C). Setae a, h (11–18), m (13–17) ciliate; setae 1c, 3c, 4c barbed; 1b, 1c, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4c (14–28)> 1a, 2a, 3a, 4b (8–18); discidium rounded distally; a pair of posteriorly directed tubercles on sejugal apodeme present.

Anogenital region ( Fig. 11 B). Six pairs of smooth genital setae (5–9), g 1 on anterior border of genital plates; one pair of aggenital (10–15), two pairs of anal (7–13), three pairs of adanal (10–19) setae, smooth, ad 2 laterally to lyrifissure iad (9–13).

Legs ( Fig. 12 A–D). Leg IV (211–254)> leg I (184–197)> leg III (179–184)> leg II (149–156); leg setation (see Table 2 for details): leg I: 5-2(1)-4(2)-20(2), leg II: 5-2(1)-4(1)-14(2), leg III: 2-3-1(1)-3(1)-13, leg IV: 1-2-2- 3(1)-10; all setae barbed, except smooth setae l” on Ge I, II, (p), (u) on Ta I; setae (p) on Ta II-IV could not be observed; solenidia on Ti II, III of medium length, on Ti I, IV long.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Dr Maka Murvanidze from the Agricultural University of Georgia, Georgia, for her contribution to oribatid taxonomy and ecology.

Type material. The holotype and 10 paratypes were collected in Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, KwaZulu- Natal (3017.165’S, 3035.150’E) by D.J. Kok, 31.III.1983 from soil and decomposed plant material. The holotype ( NMB 3302.75.1) and seven paratypes ( NMB 3302.75.2) are deposited in the Acarology collection of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa . Three paratypes ( SMNG, DNR 56553) are stored in Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde, Görlitz, Germany .

Remarks. Kokoppia murvanidzeae sp. nov. is similar to all South African species in having seta c 2 represented by an alveolus, bothridial seta with four to five long branches, medium length prodorsal setae and similar body size ( K. murvanidzeae sp. nov. 254–294 × 143–168; K. longisetosa 288–230 × 184–212; K. mandelai 265–314 × 123– 153; K. pectinata 308–336 × 172–190).

They differ from each other in the relative position of notogastral setae lm and la ( K. murvanidzeae sp. nov. postero-medially; K. longisetosa posterior; K. mandelai antero-medially; K. pectinata in transverse line), position of seta lp relative to h 3 ( K. murvanidzeae sp. nov., K. pectinata transverse line; K. longisetosa postero-medially; K. mandelai slightly antero-medially), form of the bothridial seta ( K. murvanidzeae sp. nov., K. longisetosa , K. pectinata slightly thickened; K. mandelai fusiform), position of adanal seta ad 2 relative to lyrifissure iad ( K. murvanidzeae sp. nov., K. mandelai , K. pectinata lateral; K. longisetosa posterior).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Kokoppia murvanidzeae sp. nov. (legs removed) A. Dorsal view; B. ventral view; C. lateral view (most ventral setae not shown).

FIGURE 12. Kokoppia murvanidzeae sp. nov. A. Leg I, right, antiaxial view; B. leg II, left, antiaxial view; C. leg III, right, antiaxial view; D. leg IV, left, antiaxial view.