Nippobodes flagellifer, Chen, Jun & Wang, Hui-Fu, 2007

Chen, Jun & Wang, Hui-Fu, 2007, Taxonomic study on the family Nippobodidae (Acari: Oribatida) from China, Zootaxa 1464, pp. 45-63 : 54-55

Nippobodes flagellifer sp. nov.

( Figs. 18–22 , 36–37 )

Material examined: Holotype: adult (in alcohol, W-96-4), CHINA: Guangdong Province: Zhaoqing City, Dinghu Mt. (23.1°N, 112.5°E), Mar., 1996, Jian-Quan Lu, from litter under broadleaf forest. Paratypes: 2 adults (one in alcohol, another mounted on slide, Gd9407LB5), CHINA: Guangdong Province: Zhaoqing City, Dinghu Mt. (23.1°N, 112.5°E), July, 1994, Chong-Hui Liao, from litter under broadleaf forest; 1 adult (in alcohol), CHINA: Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region: Longzhou County (22.3°N, 106.8°E), 14 June, 2000.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ flagellifer ” is compounded from the Latin for “whip” and “to carry”, and refers to the flagellate notogastral setae of this species.

Diagnosis. Adult. Total length 609 Μm (range 540–665). Transverse ridge connecting insertions of ro strongly arched. Tip of tutorium blunt. Pairs of prodorsal and humeral condyles interlocking. Ten pairs of notogastral setae present; la straight, acuminate, all others smooth, long, flagellate. Surface of notogaster smooth. Setae ad2 and ad1 longer than ad3.

Adult. Measurements: total length 609 Μm (range 540–665), notogastral length 340Μm (range 305–375), notogastral width 458Μm (range 375–515).

Prodorsum. Rostrum protruding dorsally. Prodorsal setae thick, long and tapered. Setae ro almost same length as le, shorter than in; ro inserted on tubercle near lateral margin of prodorsum, curved, with arched transverse ridge connecting tubercles ( Fig. 18 ); le straight, inserted on tubercle anteriorly on lamella; in slightly curved, inserted on tubercle at posterior end of lamella; ro length 120Μm, distance between ro 73Μm, le length 113Μm, distance between le 118Μm, in length 163Μm, distance between in 285Μm. Bothridial seta curved, sickle-shaped, weakly swollen medially, attenuate ( Figs. 18, 20 ), length 188Μm. Tutorium well developed, tip blunt ( Figs. 18, 19 ). Pair of condyles arise posterolaterally on prodorsum and extend posteriorly.

Notogaster. Pair of large rectangular humeral condyles present interlocking with posterior part of prodorsal condyles, humeral condyles ornamented with small tubercles ( Figs. 18 , 36 ). Surface of notogaster smooth. Ten pairs of notogastral setae present; la straight, acuminate, all others smooth, long flagellate ( Figs. 18 , 37 ); setae c inserted on inner side of humeral condyle, proximal half directed anteromedially, distal half curved posterolaterally. Setae length: c 123Μm, la 132Μm, lm 125Μm, lp 200Μm, h1 177Μm, h2 178Μm, h3 187Μm, p1 130Μm, p2 200Μm, p3 180Μm.

Ve nt e r. Genital and aggenital setae short, anal and adanal setae relatively long ( Fig. 19 ); setae ad3 inserted posterior of level of anterior margin of anal opening, ad2 and ad1 longer than ad3, ad2 inserted anterior of level of posterior margin of anal opening, ad1 inserted posterior of posterior margin of anal opening.

Legs. As for family.

Immatures. Unknown.

Distribution. CHINA: Guangdong, Guangxi.

Remarks. This species can be distinguished easily from other known species of this genus other than N. monstruosus (Jeleva et Vu, 1987) by having long flagellate notogastral setae other than straight acuminate seta la. It differs from N. monstruosus by: in N. flagellifer , tip of tutorium blunt, notogastral seta lm long, flagellate, adanal seta ad3 relatively short; in N. monstruosus , tip of tutorium concave with a small lateral tooth, setae lm very short, ad3 extremely small.

Figures

FIGURES 18 – 22. Nippobodes flagellifer sp. nov., adult. 18, dorsal aspect (legs removed); 19, ventral aspect (legs and mouthparts removed); 20, lateral aspect, part of proterosoma; 21, bothridial seta; 22, tarsus and tibia of leg I, abaxial aspect. Scale bars: 18 – 20 = 200 Μm, 21 – 22 = 50 Μm.

FIGURES 36 – 39. Digital pictures of Nippobodes species, adults. 36 – 37: N. flagellifer (36, anterior part of notogaster; 37, posterior part of notogaster); 38 – 39: N. peniculatus (38, genu of leg II; 39, lateral part of notogaster).