Ferolocella Grabowski, 1971

Behan-Pelletier, Valerie M., 2013, Adoribatella, Ferolocella, Joelia and Ophidiotrichus (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of North America, Zootaxa 3637 (3), pp. 254-284 : 259-260

Ferolocella Grabowski, 1971

Type species: Oribatella tessellata Berlese 1908 , p.5

Combinations/Synonymy: Oribatella tessellata Berlese 1908 , Castagnoli & Pegazzano 1985, p. 414 Ferolocella tessellata (Berlese 1908) , Norton & Kethley 1990, p. 477

Oribatella carolina Banks, 1947 , p. 112

Ferolocella carolina (Banks, 1947) , p. 112; Grabowski 1971, p. 44, Norton & Kethley 1990, p. 477

Diagnosis. Adult. Species comprising this genus are unique among Oribatellidae (Grandjean 1953b, Bernini 1975) in having the following combination of character states. Rostrum with medial and lateral dentes ( Fig 5C ). Octotaxic system developed as 4 pairs of saccules. Notogaster with 10 pairs of setae, c and la positioned lateral to lm. Lamellae long, broad, with large cusps medially converging; cusps with large lateral dens and short medial dens; translamella present ( Fig. 3 ). Interlamellar region developed as deep, squared pocket between lamellae, extending to or posteriad dorsosejugal scissure ( Figs. 3 , 5A arrow). Bothridial wall flask-shaped, with indentation laterally. Dorsophragmata clearly developed as pair. Genal tooth broad, subrectangular in shape, with longitudinal ridge ventrolaterally, with dens ventrodistally ( Fig. 4B , arrow). Tutorium lamelliform, cusp subrectangular, tapered, with dentes distally, lying parallel to dorsal contour of prodorsum in lateral aspect, extending well anterior of insertion of rostral seta. Pedotectum I with distinct concave indentation in ventral wall, not evident as distinct tache pectorale when ventral mounts of specimens viewed in transmitted light. Custodium present, with free distal point ( Figs. 4A , 5D ). Postanal porose area present. Small axillary saccule present at base of palp. Chelicera chelatedentate. Seta m of gena setose, similar in size and shape to seta a. Palp setal formula 0–2–1–3–9(1); eupathidium acm subequal in length to solenidion, forming double horn with solenidion along length ( Fig. 5E ). Humerosejugal porose organ Ah expressed as porose area. Porose organ Al expressed as porose area. Legs heterotridactylous. Femur III with seta l’ absent; seta v' of genua I and II present. Setae l” of genua I and II and tibia II spinose, seta l” of tibia I setose. Single anterodorsal spine present between solenidia φ1 and φ2 of tibia I.

Immatures. Unknown.

Remarks. The type specimen of Ferolocella carolina is lost ( Marshall et al. 1987). Grabowski (1971) based his redescription of Oribatella carolina Banks, 1947 on a specimen identified by Banks, but the location of this specimen is unknown. Norton & Kethley (1990: p. 422) established the provenance of specimens that Berlese used to describe Oribatella tessellata , viz. the campus of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Boone Co., Missouri. They collected topotypes (see below), and also examined type specimens in Florence. They established the synonymy Ferolocella tessalata (Norton & Kethley 1990: p. 477), and also established the synonymy of O. tessellata and F. carolina .

Grabowski (1971). defined Ferolocella by “the translamella in this oribatid is reflected posteriorly under the dorsosejugal suture to form a box or cell-like structure. [] The name is derived from the Latin feros, to bear or carry, and locella, a tiny box or cell.” This squared pocket between lamellae, extending to or posteriad the dorsosejugal scissure is an autapomorphy for Ferolocella . However, the strongly reduced medial dens of this genus is not apomorphic. A similar development of the medial cusp is found in Oribatella sexdentata (Berlese, 1916) , redescribed by Bernini (1977) and O. nortoni Behan-Pelletier, 2011 . Grabowski’s (1971) attribution of feros to Latin is incorrect; the etymology is Greek, from pherein (φέρειν), meaning ‘to carry’ (H. Schatz, pers. comm.)

Shtanchaeva and Subías (2009) presented a revised diagnosis for Ferolocella , based on their acceptance of the synonymy of Gendzella Kulijev 1977 with Ferolocella , and their redescription of Gendzella cribraria Kulijev, 1977 . They described the structure of the translamella as “Translamella wide; in F. tessellata shaped like loop resembling frame under anterior margin of notogaster”. The ‘loop’ described by Shtanchaeva and Subías (2009) reflects the two-dimensional illustrations of Grabowski (1971, his Figs 1 , 3 ), but does not encompass the unique, three-dimensional pocket formed by the translamella and the medial edge of the lamellar cusp which is very deep, extending posteriad of the dorsosejugal scissure and is almost cubic in shape, forming the diagnostic “cell” of Grabowski (1971) ( Figs. 3 A, 5A).

Gendzella Kulijev 1977 was considered a junior synonym of Ferolocella by Subías (2004). I reject this synonymy, as there is no evidence in this genus of the apomorphic structure of the translamella (cf. Grabowski 1971), i.e., the squared pocket between lamellae, extending to or posteriad dorsosejugal scissure, in the description or illustrations of the type species, Gendzella cribraria Kulijev Gendzella cribraria does have the reduced medial dens of the lamellar cusp found in Ferolocella , but as noted above this is not unique to Ferolocella .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Ferolocella tessalata (Berlese), adult female, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated, with arrow to squared base of interlamellar pocket. Scale bar = 50 µm.

FIGURE 5 A – E. Ferolocella tessalata (Berlese), differential interference contrast microscope images of adult; A. habitus dorsal, with arrow to squared base of interlamellar pocket (7 files combined); B, detail of tutorium; C, lateral aspect of rostrum, showing medial and lateral dentes; D, custodium and seta 4 c; E, palp. Scale bar: A, B = 50 µm, D = 20 µm.

FIGURE 4 A, B. Ferolocella tessalata (Berlese), adult female; A, ventral aspect, legs and gnathosoma not illustrated, with arrow to medial ridge on coxisternum; B, tutorium and genal tooth, in lateral aspect. Scale bar = 50 µm.

FIGURE 1 A – C. Adoribatella punctata Woolley, adult female; A, dorsal aspect, legs not illustrated, except for part of legs I, seta lm broken on one side; B, bothridium and bothridial seta; C, rutellum, gena and part of mentum. Scale bar = 50 µm.