Hoplophora stricula C.L. Koch, 1836

Niedbała, W., 2017, Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Madagascar and neighbouring islands, Acarologia 57 (1), pp. 3-205 : 169-171

Hoplophora stricula C.L. Koch, 1836 .

Diagnosis — Measurements after Niedbała (2011): length of prodorsum 166-292; length of notogaster 318-589.

Small to medium-sized species: colour yellow to pale brown, surface covered with small concavities. Prodorsum with median sigillar field slightly longer than laterals, with a shallow incision between rostral setae; posterior furrows present, lateral carinae absent; sensilli sickle-shaped covered with thin spines; interlamellar setae procumbent, thicker than the others covered with spines, rostral and lamellar setae spiniform, rough, ss> in>ro>le> ex. Notogaster bears 16 pairs of short (c 1 <c 1 - d 1) bacilliform setae covered with small spines, additional setae between e 1 - h 1 (e 1 ’), setae c 1 near the anterior margin, with c 2 and c 3 further away and c 2 furthest; two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present. Ventral region; h> h -h; genitoaggenital plates with seven pairs of setae, with formula: 6: 1; anoadanal plates with five pairs of setae, these on the proximal margin diminish anteriorly, an / not =0.3. Chaetome of legs reduced; setae s on tarsi I are missing; v "/ v’ =4; setae d of femora I slightly remote from anterior margin.

Remark — I found one specimen (in MAG-069) which is very small (prodorsum: length 182, height 86; notogaster: length 338, height 207); for comparison with the dimensions of a specimen from Poland: length of prodorsum 279, length of notogaster 589. Moreover notogastral setae are smaller (c 1 30; c 1 / c 1 -d 1 =0.4); for comparison with specimen from Poland c 1 / c 1 -d 1 =0.6. Finally setae of genua IV are absent and setae v’ and v" of femora I are slightly shifted anteriorly from middle of article.

Species new for Afrotropical Region.

Distribution — Semicosmopolitan.

H – right anoadanal plate; I – trochanter and femur of leg I; J – tibia of leg IV.

A – prodorsum, dorsal view; B – prodorsum, lateral view; C – opisthosoma, lateral view; D – mentum of subcapitulum; E – trochanter, femur, genual and tibia of leg I; F – anterior part of notogaster; G – trochanter and femur of leg I.