Hogsbackia africaensis, Ermilov & Hugo-Coetzee & Behan-Pelletier, 2021

Ermilov, Sergey G., Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A. & Behan-Pelletier, Valerie M., 2021, Hogsbackia africaensis gen. nov., sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida, Ceratozetoidea Punctoribatidae), from Afromontane forest of South Africa, Zootaxa 4963 (3), pp. 530-544 : 532-535

Hogsbackia africaensis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–4 )

Diagnosis. As for genus. Body size: 265–274 × 116–132. Rostrum with two incisions, rostrum between incisions quadrangular. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae comparatively long, setiform, slightly barbed. Bothridial seta well-developed, with short stalk and large, clavate, barbed head. Tutorium with short, triangular cusp extending anterior to base of rostral seta. Notogastral, epimeral and anogenital setae comparatively short, setiform, thin, roughened. Seta l’ absent on femur III, genua III and IV and tibiae III and IV; ft’ absent on tarsus III. Leg genua I and II with ventrodistal tooth.

Description of adult. Measurements. Body length: 265 (holotype, male), 265, 274 (two male paratypes); notogaster length 207 (holotype), 199, 232 (two paratypes); notogaster width: 116 (holotype), 116, 132 (two paratypes).

Integument ( Figs 4D, G ). Body color brown. Body surface and legs densely microporose (visible only under high magnification in dissected specimens). Dorsal and ventral of body with indistinct stria. Lateral part of notogaster under posterior part of pteromorph with small tuberculate region. Tutorium striate dorsally.

Prodorsum ( Figs 1A, C ; 2A ; 4A, B ). Rostrum with two incisions, median part between incisions quadrangular. Lamella (36–41) about 1/2 length of prodorsum. Lamellar cusp short (6), truncate. Translamella (24–28) weakly developed, linear. Tutorium (including cusp 53–57), with short triangular cusp reaching just anterior of base of rostral seta. Rostral (32), lamellar (32) and interlamellar (16) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Bothridial seta (20) with short stalk and large, clavate, barbed head. Bothridium with broad lateral scale merging into ventromedial scale, not covered by anterior notogastral margin. Exobothridial seta (6) setiform, thin, smooth. Dorsosejugal porose area poorly developed, diffuse. Dorsophragmata distinctly removed from each other, mutual distance 24.

Notogaster ( Figs 1A, C ; 2B ). Anterior margin convex medially. Pteromorph broadly rounded laterally. Four pairs of rounded porose areas (all 4–8). Eleven pairs of notogastral setae (c, 12; others 10) setiform, thin, roughened. Lyrifissures and opisthonotal gland opening distinct.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 2C–E ; 4C ). Subcapitulum longer than wide (57–61 × 45–49). All subcapitular setae (12) setiform, thin, slightly barbed.Adoral seta (6) setiform, barbed. Palp (41–45). Postpalpal seta (4) spiniform. Axillary saccule (4) distinct, elongate. Chelicera (65–69) with two setiform, barbed setae (cha, 20–24; chb, 12–16).

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions ( Figs 1B, C ; 4F ). Epimeral setae (10) setiform, thin, roughened. Humeral porose areas Am and Ah poorly visible, diffuse. Custodium (12) acuminate. Circumpedal carina long, fusing with custodium.

Anogenital region ( Figs 1B, C ; 4E ). Genital, aggenital, anal, and adanal setae (10) setiform, thin, roughened. Adanal lyrifissure located close and parallel to anal plate. Preanal organ goblet-like.

Legs ( Figs 3A–D ; 4H, I ). Median claw distinctly thicker than lateral claws, all slightly barbed dorsally. Porose area present dorsoparaxially on femora I–IV and on trochanters III, IV and proximoventrally on all tarsi. Genua I and II with distoventral tooth. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-3-4-18) [1-2-2], II (1-5-3-4-15) [1-1-2], III (2-2-0-2-14) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-1-2-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia as indicated in Table 1 . Seta s on tarsus I setiform, barbed (not eupathidial). Seta l’ absent on femur III, genua III, IV and tibiae III, IV; setae l” and v’ absent on tarsus I; seta ft’ absent on tarsus IV.

Material examined. Holotype (male) and two paratypes (two males): South Africa, Amathole mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, Hogsback State Forest at the village of Hogsback, 32°35’21.6”S, 26°57’38.5’’E, indigenous Afromontane mixed forest ( Mucina & Geldenhuys 2006), consisting of tall trees (dominant species Afrocarpus falcatus (yellowwood), Celtis africana (white stinkwood), Calodendrum capense (Cape chestnut) and Vepris lanceolata (white ironwood)) and a dense understorey of shrubs, herbs and moss. From moss on tree. 14.IX.2019 (collected by V.A. Khaustov, S.G. Ermilov, E.A. Hugo-Coetzee, J.A. Neethling, and A.A. Khaustov).

Type deposition. The holotype is deposited in the collection of the NMB; two paratypes are deposited in the collection of the TSUMZ. All specimens are preserved in 70% solution of ethanol with a drop of glycerol.

Etymology. The specific name africaensis refers to the continent of origin, Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Hogsbackia africaensis sp. nov., adult: A—dorsal view; B—ventral view (gnathosoma and legs omitted); C—lateral view (gnathosoma and legs omitted). Scale bar 50 μm.

FIGURE 2. Hogsbackia africaensis sp. nov., adult:A—anterior part of prodorsum, frontal view; B—posterior view; C—subcapitulum, ventral view; D—chelicera, left, paraxial view; E—palp, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 50 μm (B), 10 μm (C–E).

FIGURE 3. Hogsbackia africaensis sp. nov., adult: A—leg I, right, antiaxial view; B—leg II (trochanter omitted), left, paraxial view; C—leg III, left, antiaxial view; D—leg IV, left, antiaxial view. Scale bar 20 μm.

FIGURE 4. Hogsbackia africaensis sp. nov., adult, microscope images: A—translamella and distal part of lamellae; B—distal part of tutorium; C—axillary saccule; D—slight striate ornamentation on epimere I; E—genital plates; F—custodium and part of epimeral region; G—tuberculate region on lateral side of body; H—distoventral tooth on leg genu II; I—sculpturing antiaxial side of trochanter and femur of leg IV.