Selenoribates satanicus, Pfingstl, Tobias, 2013

Pfingstl, Tobias, 2013, Revealing the diversity of a once small taxon: the genus Selenoribates (Acari, Oribatida, Selenoribatidae), ZooKeys 312, pp. 39-63 : 45-50

Selenoribates satanicus sp. n.

Type locality.

Bermuda: Lover’s Lake (marine pond), 32°22'03"N, 64°42'37"W, median eulittoral zone, green algae growing on sandy substrate among mangrove roots, 26 January 2012.

Type specimen.

Holotype: female, preserved in pure ethanol, deposition: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, collection nr. NHMW 21885. Paratypes: 1 female and 1 male, same locality as holotype; deposition: Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz, collection Nr. 12/48678.

Diagnosis.

Light brown sclerotized mites. Average length 283 µm, mean width 174 µm. Notogaster rounded in dorsal view, concave in lateral view. Lamellar ridges long reaching lamellar setae. On anterior border of notogaster a pair of horn-like structures. Three notogastral depressions, framed by longitudinal ridges. Fourteen pairs of spiniform notogastral setae. Two median epimeral cavities. Three pairs of genital setae. Three pairs of adanal and one pair of anal setae. Legs monodactylous with large claw. Claw with one proximoventral and one proximodorsal tooth.

Description.

Adult: Females (N=6), length: 278-308 μm (mean 290 μm), width: 175-188 µm (mean 181 µm); males (N=5), length: 265-291 μm (mean 274 μm), width: 163-172 µm (mean 168 µm).

Integument. Colour light brown. Cuticle appears granular under dissecting microscope. Cerotegument of prodorsum and notogaster granular. Cerotegument of lateral parts generally finely granular, larger granules in areas surrounding acetabula. Ventral cerotegument generally finely granular, areas laterad of anal opening showing stronger granulation.

Prodorsum. Rostrum rounded in dorsal view, but slightly projecting anteroventrally in lateral view. Rostral setae (ro), lamellar setae (le) and interlamellar setae (in) short and simple. One pair of minute exobothridial setae (ex). Lamellar ridges conspicuous, reaching insertions of lamellar setae. Bothridium large cup with a projecting posterior ridge. Sensillus long (ca. 53 µm) and flagelliform. Tutorium weakly developed and small.

Gnathosoma. Pedipalp pentamerous 0-2-1-3-9 (including solenidion). Solenidion erect, not fused with eupathidium acm. Chelicera chelate, in lateral view forceps-like and each digit with two teeth, whereas from frontal view most distal teeth split into two symmetrical teeth. Distal part of rutellum developed as thin triangular slightly curved inward membrane. Setae a and m long and smooth. Mentum regular, setae h simple, thin and long.

Notogaster (Figs 7A, 8A). Rounded in dorsal view, concave in lateral view. Anterior margin of notogaster incomplete, medially interrupted. On anterior border of notogaster a pair of strongly anteriorly projecting horn-like structures, situated directly posterior of bothridia. Three notogastral depressions on anterior third of notogaster, framed by longitudinal ridges reaching transversal line of setae la and da. Cerotegument of depressions strongly granular. Fourteen pairs of notogastral setae, c1-2, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h1-3, p1-3 (approximate length 10- 13 µm); c3 absent. Setae da- dp, slightly serrate, all other setae smooth. Porose areas or distinct pores absent. Five pairs of notogastral lyrifissures present; ia anterior to seta c2, in dorsal view hidden under anterior notogastral horn-like projection; im posterior of seta c2; lyrifissures ih, ip and ips laterally close to lateroventral border of notogastral plate. Orifice of opisthonotal gland (gla) next to setae la.

Lateral aspect (Figs 7C, 8C). Pedotectum I small but thick, pedotectum II absent. Lateral sejugal furrow broad and deep, showing conspicuous granulation. Enantiophyse consisting of two strong triangular teeth orientated against each other. Anterior tooth slightly rounded. Discidium developed as strong triangular bulge between acetabulum III and IV.

Ventral region of idiosoma (Figs 7B, 8B). Epimeral setation 1-0-1-1, seta 1b long reaching trochanter III, setae 3b and 4a short. Internal borders of all epimera well visible, sternal apodemes II, sejugal and III well developed. A densely granulated median sternal cavity on epimeron I and a second circular median cavity on a level with apodemes III. Three pairs of short and fine genital setae, arranged in longitudinal rows, anterior two pairs of setae close to each other. Insertion of tendon β next to anterior corners of genital orifice. Aggenital setae absent. Anal valves triangular. Preanal organ shaped triangular in ventral view. One pair of short anal setae, an1, located on posterior half of anal valves. Three pairs of short and simple adanal setae ad1-3. Lyrifissure iad obliquely, adjacent to anterior corners of anal orifice.

Legs (Fig. 9). Monodactylous. Long pointed hook-like claw with one conspicuous proximoventral and a minute proximodorsal tooth. Trochanters III and IV with a triangular dorsodistal projection. Femora exhibiting slightly projecting ventral carinae. All tarsi with one proximal lyrifissure. No porose areas on femora discernable. Solenidion φ 1 on tibia I long, orientated backwards. Chaetome and Solenidia see Table 1.

Larva. Length (N=1): 137 μm

Gastronotic region (Fig. 10). 11 pairs of notogastral setae; setae c1-3, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp and h1-2, h3 absent. Centrodorsal setae da, dm and dp robust and dorsally serrate, all other setae simple and small.

Ventral region of idiosoma. Epimeral setation 1-0-1. Claparède organ bladder-like. No protecting seta detectable.

Etymology.

When the author regarded Selenoribates satanicus in dorsal view for the first time, the oval contour of the notogaster with its two anterior horn-like projections reminded him of the silhouette of the devil’s face, therefore the specific name refers to the Hebraic name Satan and is given as adjective in the nominative singular.