Macrocheles lumareti, Niogret, Jerome & Nicot, Antoine, 2008

Niogret, Jerome & Nicot, Antoine, 2008, Combined approach using morphology and ITS-sequences for description of three new species of Macrocheles (Acari: Macrochelidae), Zootaxa 1873, pp. 39-49 : 41-42

Macrocheles lumareti sp. nov

Material examined. Holotype: Female, France, St Germain-Les-Buxy, France, 46° 42' N, 4° 46' E, May 2006, 206 m alt., on body of Copris lunaris . Paratypes: 3 females, same data as holotype, deposited in collections of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle de Paris, France; 2 females, same data as holotype, deposited in the collections of the Laboratoire de Zoogéographie, University of Montpellier, France.

Female. Yellowish-brown in colour, medium size.

Dorsal shield ( Fig. 1 a). Shield similar to M. glaber in shape, longer than wide, with procurved line underlined by punctured lines; length 808 ± 91 µm, width 444 ± 34 µm (n = 6); reticular pattern underlined by punctures with large and irregular pentagons or hexagons; reticular pattern weaker in regular curved lines around setae J2; two distinct small cracks close to setae j6. Shield with 28 pairs of setae; j1 pilose and directed forward; z1 smooth, reduced in length; setae j4, z2, z4, and r2-4 pilose and j2, j3, and s4 distally pilose; J5 serrated for its whole length; Z5 and S5 barbed.

Ve n tr al idiosoma ( Fig. 1 b). Tritosternum and peritremes normal for the genus. Sternal shield rather large, length 160 ± 4 µm, width at level of coxae II 156 ± 1 µm (n = 6); with three pairs of smooth setae and two pairs of pores; surface ornamented with weak relief unmarked by punctures, a discrete linea media transversa; pair of linea oblique anteriores weakly visible; part of linea angulata, two lateral ridges and one linea arcuata forming a first rectangle; posterior linea arcuata, part of linea media transversa and two lateral ridges forming another quadrangular shape. Posterior part of sternal shield with sparse and irregular weak punctures; area punctiformes not visible and area punctata posteriores undelimited. Epigynial shield wider than long; 110- 114 µm long, 145-165 µm wide; with a pair of setae. Epigynial shield with sclerotization attenuated anteriorly; sclerotized lines forming two arched patterns underlined by punctures, without other visible ornamental pattern. Ventri-anal shield as wide as long (ca. 258 µm long), with seven semiconcentric lines underlined by weak reticulations; longitudinal and lateral ornamentations obscure; with three pairs of pre-anal setae, a pair of para-anal setae and a post-anal seta. Metasternal plates elongate, with a pore and a simple seta.

Gnathosoma . Typical of the M. glaber -group. Chelicerae ( Fig. 1 c) robust with well developed median tooth, pyramidal in shape; pilus dentilis straight; movable digit with a large tooth and one smaller tooth; arthrodial brush reaching mid length of movable digit; hypostomal groove with five transverse rows of denticles. Palp similar to that of M. glaber . Epistome glaber -like in shape with smooth lateral lobes and pilose central branch ( Fig. 1 d).

Spermatheca. Sacculus wide, elongate (45 µm width); sperm ducts open in the lateral vesicles (spherical lobes) with large tubular section; corniculus long (ca. 50 µm), median sacculus rounded, pear-shaped. Legs. Setae simple or lightly pilose at the distal end except setae on genu I, tibia and basitarsus IV; tarsi with long thin setae. Genu IV with 6 simple setae.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Professor Jean-Pierre Lumaret, University of Montpellier ( France).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Macrocheles lumareti sp. nov. Female. (a) dorsal shield; (b) ventral idiosoma; (c) epistome; (d) chelicera. Scale bar = 500 Μm for 1 a, 1 b, 50 Μm for 1 c, 1 d.