Plonaphacarus vicinus, Niedbała, 2012

Niedbała, W., 2012, An Updated Study Of Ptyctimous Mite Fauna (Acari: Oribatida) Of The Australasian Region With A Description Of Thirteen New Species, Acarologia 52 (2), pp. 183-228 : 195

Plonaphacarus vicinus n. sp.

( Figures 3 A-D)

Material examined — Holotype: ANIC- 357, 12 km South of Ravenshoe, 1000 m, rainforest, 17°43’S 145°30’E, 3 July 1971, coll. R. W. Taylor and J. Feehan; 57 paratypes (29 in ANIC, 28 in NHC): ANIC- 355 Tully Falls NP, 17°47’S 145°33’E, 750 m, rainforest, 2 July 1971, coll. R. W. Taylor and J. Feehan.

Measurements of holotype — Prodorsum: length 197, width 147, height 91, sensillum 63, setae: interlamellar 58, rostral 45, exobothridial 7; notogaster: length 365, width 250, height 216, setae: c 1 64, h 1 78, p 1 64; genitoaggenital plate 83 × 78; anoadanal plate 162 × 88.

Description — Colour yellow. Integument finely punctate.

Prodorsum with indistinct sigillar fields. Lateral carinae absent. Sensilla with long pedicel and short club-like, rough head. Interlamellar setae erect, rough not very long and not so thick as notogastral setae. Lamellar and exobothridial setae minute. Rostral setae filiform situated near each other.

Notogaster with 15 pairs of rigid setae, relatively short (c 1 <c 1 -d 1), covered with distinct, four to five spines in distal half. Setae c 1 and c 3 near anterior margin, setae c 2 far from margin. Vestigial setae f 1 posteriorly of h 1 setae. Two pairs of lyrifissures, ia and im, present.

Ventral region — Formula of genital setae: 9(4+5): 0. Both rows of setae situated near each other. Anoadanal plates with rough setae, ad 1 and ad 2 longest, curved distally, anal setae shortest.

Legs setation complete. Seta d of femora I remote from distal end of article.

Etymology — The specific epithet vicinus refers to the unusual neighbouring of rostral setae of prodorsum.

Comparison to related species — The new species is distinguishable from congeners by the presence of the following characters in combination: small size of body, sensilla long, with club-like head, interlamellar setae not so thick as notogastral setae, lamellar and exobothridial setae minute, rostral setae filiform situated near each other, formula of genital setae: 9 (4+5): 0, both rows of setae situated near each other.

Figures

FIGURE 3: Plonaphacarus vicinus n. sp. (holotype): A – prodorsum, dorsal view, B – lateral view of body, C – genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates, D – trochanter and femur I; Austrophthiracarus konwerskii n. sp. (holotype): E – prodorsum, dorsal view, F – prodorsum, lateral view, G – lateral view of opisthosoma, H – genitoaggenital and anoadanal plates, I – trochanter and femur I.