Euphthiracarus medogensis, Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2012

Liu, Dong, Wu, Donghui & Chen, Jun, 2012, Six new species of the genus Euphthiracarus (Acari: Oribatida: Euphthiracaridae) from China, Zootaxa 3481, pp. 47-59 : 49-51

Euphthiracarus medogensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 4–6 )

Material examined: Holotype: adult (in alcohol), China: Tibet, Mêdog County (29°19'31.07"N, 95°19'59.51"E), from litter, 1800 m a.s.l., 20 Jan., 1983, leg. Yin-Heng Han.

Etymology. The new specific name “ medogensis ” refers to the type locality, Mêdog.

Measurements: Holotype: Prodorsum: length 336, width 238, height 125, setae: ss 135, ro 130, in 165, le 115, ex 30, distance between setae: ro–ro 62, in–in 120, le–le 60, in–le 90, le–ro 60; notogaster: length 665, width 410, height 402; setae: c1 125, c2 127, c3 115, c p 115, d1 100, d2 100, e1 125, e2 105, h1 135, h2 115, h3 95, ps1 140, ps2 117, ps3 102; distance between setae: c1–d1 185, d1–e1 170, e1–h1 167, h1–ps1 115; ventral region: genitoaggenital plate 250×115, anoadanal plate 320×90.

Colour yellowish. Surface of body covered with dense and small foveolae, except notogaster with large foveolae and lateral region of prodorsum smooth.

Prodorsum with two parallel lateral carinae on each side, upper carina stronger than lower one; sensilla bacilliform, sparsely barbed in distal half; interlamellar and lamellar setae erect, covered with small and sparse spines in distal half; rostral setae thin, smooth and long, flagellate and bent distally; comparative length: in>ss> ro> le>ex.

Notogaster setae relatively short, similar in shape to interlamellar setae, sparsely barbed in distal half; setae c1–3 remote from anterior border, setae c1 slightly more so than setae c2 and c3; vestigial setae f1 located anteriorly of setae h1; arrangement of opisthosomal glands and lyrifissures typical for genus.

Genital plates each with nine setae, g1–3 short and fine, located in progenital position, posterior four genital setae longer and thicker, spiniform; two pairs of aggenital setae present, spiniform, nearly equally thick, ag2 about 1.5 times as long as ag1; setae an1 and an2 smooth and flagellate at distal end, setae an3 and adanal setae shorter, robust and covered with small and sparse spines in distal half; lyrifissures iad situated between setae an3 and ad3.

Setae h of mentum longer than distance between them; palps three-segmented with setal formula: 2-2-8(1); chaetotaxy of legs (without tarsi): I: 1-2-4(2)-5(1); II: 1-3-3(1)-5(1), III: 2-2-2(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1(1)-2(1); all legs heterotridactylous.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Remark. This new species is similar to E macrorostralis sp. nov., E. cribrarius and E. foveolatus Aoki, 1980 . It can be easily distinguished from E. macrorostralis sp. nov. by foveolate surface, and rostral setae flagellate, not thicker than all other prodosal and notogastral setae. The new species differs from E. cribrarius by following characters: surface of body covered with dense foveolae; posterior four genital setae longer and thicker; rostral setae thin, smooth and longer. The new species can be easily distinguished from E. foveolatus by following characters: rostral setae thin, smooth and long, flagellate and bent distally; ag2 longer than ag1.

Figures

FIGURES 4 – 6. Euphthiracarus medogensis sp. nov.: 4, lateral view of body (legs removed); 5, prodorsum, dorsal view; 6, left side of ventral plate. Scale bars = 100 μm.