Plonaphacarus pugionis Niedbała, 2018

Niedbała, Wojciech & Ermilov, Sergey G., 2018, New and interesting species of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) from Nepal, Zootaxa 4472 (1), pp. 176-184 : 178-181

Plonaphacarus pugionis Niedbała sp. nov.

( Fig. 2A–K )

Measurements. HOlOtype. PrOdOrsum: length 253, width 172, height 101; ss 68, in 94, le 81, ro 40, ex 20; nOtOgaster: length 470, width 303, height 288; c 1 91, c 1/ c 1– d 1 = 0.78, h 1 94, ps 1 88; genitOaggenital plate 129 × 76; anOadanal plate 152 × 76. Paratype I. PrOdOrsum: length 287, height 126; nOtOgaster: length 535, height 318. Paratype II. PrOdOrsum: length 308, height 136; nOtOgaster: length 536, height 424. Paratype III. PrOdOrsum: length 353, height 156; nOtOgaster: length 697, height 454.

Integument. COlOur brOwn. Surface Of bOdy cOvered with distinct cOncavities.

Prodorsum with strOng median crista; pOsteriOr furrOws and sigillar fields distinct, but lateral carinae absent. Sensilli lOng, narrOw, with small head cOvered with small spines. Interlamellar and lamellar setae thick, lOng, similar tO nOtOgastral setae, dagger shaped, semierect, cOvered with distinct spines in distal half. ROstral setae thick, rigid, alsO dagger shaped but significantly shOrter, barbed. ExObOthridial setae minute. Relative length Of setae: in> le> ss> ro> ex.

Notogaster with 15 pairs Of medium length (c 1<c 1– d 1) dagger shape, thick, rigid setae cOvered with distinct spines in distal half; c 1 and c 3 pOsitiOned almOst at anteriOr margin, c 2 slightly remOte frOm margin, vestigial setae invisible because Of strOng integument, f 1 vestigial, situated slightly pOsteriOrly Of h 1. TwO pairs Of lyrifissures (ia and im) present.

Ventral region. Setae h Of mentum lOnger than distance between them. GenitOaggenital plates with 9 pairs Of setae with fOrmula: 6(4+3): 2. Genital setae g 1–5 minute, g 6–9 lOnger and dagger shaped. AnOadanal plates with 5 setae, anal setae narrOw, rOugh, adanal setae thicker, cOvered with small spines, relative length: ad 2> ad 1> an> ad 3.

Legs. FOrmulae Of setae and sOlenidia Of “cOmplete type. Setae d On femOra I slightly remOte frOm distal end Of article.

Material examined. HOlOtype and 34 paratypes: Nepal, Parbat Dist., between DeOrali and Chitre, 2700 m a.s.l., mixed fOrest sOil, lOcality 430, 1.V.1995 – 2.V.1995 (J. Martens & W. Schawaller).

Type deposition. The hOlOtype (ethanOl with drOp Of glycerOl) and 34 paratypes (ethanOl with drOp Of glycerOl) are depOsited in DATE.

Etymology. The specific name pugionis is derived frOm the Latin wOrd pugio which means a dagger, dirk, pOniard and alludes tO the shape Of interlamellar, lamellar and nOtOgastral setae.

Remarks. The new species is similar tO Plonaphacarus kaluzi Niedbała, 2013 (see Niedbała & ErmilOv 2013) frOm NOrth India and Hoplophthiracarus similis Niedbala, 2000 frOm Kasmir in the shape and length Of nOtOgastral setae, but is easily distinguishable frOm P. kaluzi by the shape Of sensilli with small head (versus greater club-like head), thick dagger shape rOstral setae (versus spinifOrm), arrangement Of nOtOgastral setae c 1–3 situated nearer anteriOr margin (versus situated further), lOnger setae h Of subcapitular mentum (versus h shOrter), adanal setae ad 2 nOt curved distally (versus curved distally), setae d Of leg femOra situated anteriOrly Of Other setae (versus setae d situated On the level between setae v ’ and v ”); frOm H. similis by the shape Of sensilli with small head (versus clublike head), shape Of rOstral setae shOrt, thick, dagger shaped (versus shOrt, spinifOrm) and nOtOgastral setae, thick, dagger shape (versus thinner and shOrter), arrangement Of setae c 1–3 situated nearer tO anteriOr margin than in H. similis .

Figures

FIGURE 2A–K. Plonaphacarus pugionis Niedbała sp. nov. (holotype): A—prodorsum, lateral view; B—rostral seta; Csensillus; D—prodorsum, dorsal view; E—opisthosoma, lateral view; F—seta c 1; G—mentum of subcapitulum; H—left genitoaggenital plate; I—right anoadanal plate; J—trochanter and femur of leg I; K—tibia of leg IV. Scale bars 100 µm (E), 50 µm (A, D, H–J), 25 µm (B, F, G, K), 10 µm (C).