Notophthiracarus obliquus sp. n.

Fig. 4

Etymology: The specific name of the new species is Latin obliquus (slanting or sideways) and alludes to the oblique location of genital setae g 6–9.

Description:

Measurements (holotype). Prodorsum: length 333, width 212, height 126; setae: ss 61, in 123, le 18, ro 45, ex 20; notogaster: length 555, width 404, height 399; length of notogastral setae: setae c 1 124, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =1.0, genitoaggenital region 139×96, anoadanal region 134×76.

Integument. Colour yellow, surface of body punctated.

Prodorsum (Fig. 4A, B). Lateral carinae short. Sigillar fields well developed, median slightly longer than lateral ones. Sensilli short, club-liKe, smooth. Prodorsal setae filiform, attenuate, procumbent, in> le> ro> ex.

Notogaster (Fig. 4C). Fifteen pairs of filiform, attenuate notogastral setae, majority of them long (c 1> c 1 - d 1), with exception minute setae c 3, cp, ps 4. Setae c 1 and c 2 remote from anterior margin of notogaster, setae c 3 near notogastral margin. Vestigial setae f 1 situated posterior of setae h 1. All lyrifissures ia, im, ip and ips present.

Ventral region (Fig. 4D, E). Setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them. Formula of genital setae: 5:4, five pairs of setae in longitudinal row in progenital position, genital setae g 6–9 located slightly obliquely. Anoadanal plates each with five setae, anal setae distanced from each other, adanal setae ad 1 situated antero-laterally to anal setae an 1, adanal setae ad 2 antero-laterally to anal setae an 2; only adanal setae ad 1 long, filiform and attenuate, other setae minute.

Legs (Fig. 4F, G). Leg formulae of setae and solenidia of “complete type ”. Setae d on femora I long, ciliate and situated at distal end of article.

Holotype: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park, Vatoharanana, 4.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°17'33.6"S 47°25'57.6"E, 1163 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-209 (DATE).

Remarks: The new species is extraordinary among congeners by the presence of an unusual arrangement of genital setae in two rows (one row oblique), heterotrichy of notogastral setae, setae c 3, cp, and p 4 minute, other setae long, filiform and attenuate, and ciliate setae d of femora of legs I.

Notophthiracarus quasisimilis sp. n.

Fig. 5

Etymology. The prefix quasi (near) is Latin and refers to the similarity of the new species to Notophthiracarus similis Niedbała, 2001 .

Description:

Measurements (holotype). Prodorsum: length 333, width 212, height 126, setae: ss 61, in 123, le 18, ro 45, ex 20; notogaster: length 555, width 404, height 399; length of notogastral setae: c 1 124, c 1 / c 1 - d 1 =1.0, genitoaggenital region 139×96, anoadanal region 134×76.

Integument. Colour yellow. Surface of body covered with strong sculpture of irregular, deep foveoles.

Prodorsum (Fig. 5A, B). Prominent median crista present. Lateral carinae and posterior furrows absent. Median sigillar field broad anteriorly and longer than lateral fields. Sensilli long with thin pedicel and club-like head covered with small spines. Interlamellar setae long, robust, covered with dense spines in distal half. Lamellar and exobothridial setae minute. Rostral setae spiniform, rough, directed inward.

Notogaster (Fig. 5C). Median, well-framed flat field present, 15 pairs of medium-size notogastral setae robust, similar to interlamellar setae, covered with spines in distal half, all dorsal setae situated below median flat field. Setae c 1 slightly remote from anterior margin of notogaster, setae c 3 situated almost at notogastral border, setae c 2 far from notogastral border. Two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present. Vestigial setae not visible because of strong sculpture.

Ventral region (Fig. 5D–G). Formula of minute, genital setae: 5:4. Anoadanal plates with five pairs of rough setae, adanal setae ad 2 longest and thickest, obtuse and bent distally, adanal setae ad 1 longer than anal setae, adanal setae ad 3 minute.

Legs (Fig. 5H). Chaetome of complete type; setae d on femora I slightly remote from distal end of article.

Paratypes: 19 specimens, same data as holotype, MAG-209 (DATE); 14 specimens: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park, 1.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°15'10.3"S 47°25'01.2"E, 1077 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-207 (8 ISB & 6 NHMG) ; 1 specimen: MADAGASCAR: Ranomafana National Park, Vatoharanana, 3.x.2012, evergreen rain forest, 21°16'42.2"S 47°26'18.2"E, 1000 m, sifting of forest leaf litter sample, Winkler apparatus extraction, leg. L.S. Rahanitriniaina, MAG-208 (NHMG) .

Remarks: The characters of the new species are the same as those of Notophthiracarus similis Niedbała, 2001 described from Madagascar, with the exception of a prominent prodorsal crista, irregular deep foveoles on the body and setae h of the mentum longer than the distance between them in N. quasisimilis (Niedbała 2001) .