Taeniogalumna behanae Ermilov, Sidorchuk and Rybalov

Ermilov, Sergey G., Sidorchuk, Ekaterina A. & Rybalov, Leonid B., 2010, New species of oribatid mites of the superfamily Galumnoidea (Acari: Oribatida) from Ethiopia, Zootaxa 2646, pp. 43-62 : 50-54

Taeniogalumna behanae Ermilov, Sidorchuk and Rybalov sp. nov.

( Figs. 25–43 )

Material examined. Holotype and five paratypes were obtained from the Ethiopia, 6º38'N, 39º43'E, 1883 m above sea level, Bale Mountains National Park, Harenna Forest, in soil, collected by L. B. Rybalov, 23.11.2009.

Type deposition. The holotype and three paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia; two paratypes are in the personal collection of the first author.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of the distinguished acarologist, Dr. Valerie Behan-Pelletier (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada).

Diagnosis. With character states of Taeniogalumna that were proposed by Balogh (1962), and summarized by Balogh and Balogh (1992). The new species is characterized by the size of body, 415–464 × 282–332; sublamellar line well developed; rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae short, thin; sensilli long, thickened, setiform, with short cilia on one side in middle-distal parts; three pairs of notogastral areae porosae: Aa large, rounded, A1 and A3 about half size of Aa.

Description. Measurements. Body length 431 (holotype), 415–464 (paratypes); body width 282 (holotype), 282–332 (paratypes).

Integument. Body color dark brown to black; epimeral region lighter than anogenital region. Surface of body smooth, dorso-lateral part of notogaster with weakly developed foveae.

Prodorsum ( Figs. 25, 27 , 28 ). Rostrum conical, rounded in dorsal view. Sublamellar line well developed. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae short (8), thin. Sensilli long (135–143), thickened, setiform, with short cilia on one side in middle-distal parts. Exobothridial setae not observed.

Notogaster ( Figs. 25 , 29–33 ). Ten pairs of notogastral setae represented only by vestigial alveoli. Three pairs of areae porosae: Aa large (20–24), rounded; A3 weakly elongated (12–16 × 8–10); A1 smallest, round (8–12).

Anogenital region ( Figs. 26 , 34–36 ). Two pairs of anal (16), three pairs of adanal (16), one pair of aggenital (12), six pairs of genital setae (8, anterior two pairs 12) setiform, thin, smooth. Ovipositor (Fig. 64) elongate, narrow (212 × 49). Length of lobes 94, length of cylindrical distal part 118. Setae smooth, ψ1 ≈ τ1 (41–45) longer than ψ2 ≈ τ a ≈ τ b ≈ τ c (16–20). Setae k short (8).

Epimeral region ( Fig. 26 ). Epimeral setae (4–8) short, thin. Epimeral setal formula 1–1–3–3, less often 2– 1–3–3 (setae 1b present).

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 37–39 ). Subcapitulum longer than wide: 131 × 114. Hypostomal setae a, m, h setiform, smooth; a (24) longer than m (16) and longer than h (12). Two pairs of adoral setae (12) setiform, curved, smooth. Palp (length 110) with setation 0–2–1–3–9(+1ω). All setae (except on tarsus) barbed. Chelicera (length 159) with few blunt teeth on fixed and movable digits. Cheliceral setae long, setiform, barbed: cha (45) longer, than chb (28).

Legs ( Figs. 40–43 ). All legs tridactylous with stronger median and slender lateral claws. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–4–3–4–20) [1–2–2], II (1–4–3–4–15) [1–1–2], III (1–2–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1– 2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; setation of legs same as that of former species. Almost all setae well barbed; some ventral setae of tarsi and tibiae with long cilia. Solenidia ω1 and ω2 on tarsi II, σ on genua III straight or weakly curved, rod-like. Other solenidia rather long, setiform.

Distribution. At present, this species is only known from Ethiopia.

Remarks. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov. is similar to T. tanzanica Mahunka, 1983 and T. sphaerula Balogh, 1962 (both species are known from the Ethiopian region) (see Mahunka 1983b; Balogh 1962; Balogh and Balogh 2002). Taeniogalumna tanzanica differs from the new species by its smaller body size (276–303 × 136–141); the sensilli lacking cilia; and the weakly elongated areae porosae Aa. Taeniogalumna sphaerula differs from the new species by its broader body (404 × 328); weakly developed sublamellar line; the sensilli with long cilia; two pairs of areae porosae (A3 absent); and the areae porosae weakly oblonged, with Aa rather smaller. Also Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov. is similar to Pergalumna tanzanica Mahunka, 1984 (see Mahunka 1984; Balogh and Balogh 2002), but the latter has other diagnostic generic features, as well as sensilli with long cilia and weakly developed areae porosae.

A diagnostic key to three known species of Taeniogalumna is presented below.

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 27. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 25 — dorsal view, right pteromorpha partly removed, 26 — ventral view, right pteromorpha partly removed, legs removed, 27 — sensillus. Scale bar (25, 26) 100 μm, scale bar (27) 20 μm.

FIGURES 28 – 30. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 28 — dorso-lateral view of prodorsum, 29 — pteromorpha, 30 — caudal view. Scale bar (28, 29) 50 μm, scale bar (30) 100 μm.

FIGURES 31 – 33. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 31 — area porosa Aa, 32 — area porosa A 1, 33 — area porosa A 3. Scale bar 10 μm.

FIGURES 34 – 36. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 34 — genital plate, right, 35 — anal plate, left, 36 — ovipositor. Scale bar (34 – 35) 20 μm, scale bar (36) 50 μm.

FIGURES 37 – 39. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 37 — subcapitulum, 38 — palp, 39 — chelicera. Scale bar (37, 39) 50 μm, scale bar (38) 20 μm.

FIGURES 40 – 43. Taeniogalumna behanae sp. nov.: 40 — leg I, without trochanter, left, antiaxial view, 41 — leg II, without trochanter, right, paraxial view, 42 — leg III, left, antiaxial view, 43 — leg IV, left, antiaxial view; Ti, Ge – tibiae, genua, accordingly. Scale bar 50 μm.