Scheloribates (Scheloribates) processus, Nakamura & Nakamura & Fujikawa, 2013

Nakamura, K., Nakamura, Y. - N. & Fujikawa, T., 2013, Oribatid Mites (Acari, Oribatida) From Tohoku (Northeast Japan), Collected After A Tidal Wave In 2011, Acarologia 53 (1), pp. 41-76 : 68-71

Scheloribates (Scheloribates) processus n.sp.

[Japanese name: Nobe-otohimedani] ( Figures 20 – 21 )

Diagnosis — Body length 464 µm; width 343 µm. Rostral tip rounded, weakly extended bending to ventral side. Prolamellae developed. Sensilli consisting of sparsely spinose, fusiform head and smooth, thin stem. Four pairs of sacculi, ten pairs of notogastral setae, five pairs of lyrifissures present on notogaster. Porose areas Ah and dosophragmata hy distinct.

Material examined — Holotype (Female) (NSMT-Ac 13629); from litter and humus at point C.

Etymology — After prolamella.

Measurements and body appearance — Body length 464 µm; width 343 µm. Body colour light yellowish brown. Whole integument smooth.

Prodorsum — Rostral tip rounded, weakly extended bending to ventral side ( Fig. 20B ). Rostral setae (ro) (69 µm) inserting at lateral margins of rostrum ( Fig. 20A ). Lamellae convergent, extending from bothridia to about two third-way along length of prodorsum without cuspis nor translamella; setae le (84 µm) arising at the ending of lamellae; prolamella (14 µm) distinct between insertions of le and ro. Setae ro, le extending anterior of rostrum for distance equal to half of their length. Transverse ridge absent in rostral and lamellar region. Setae in (118 µm) extending for a short distance in front of anterior rostral margin. Setae ro, le, in, ex thin setiform, sparsely, minutely barbed throughout the length, terminating in fine tips. Sensilli (91 µm) consisting of sparsely spinose fusiform head and smooth thin stem. Bothridia opening dorsal-laterally; setae ex (41 µm) inserting laterally. Porose areae Ah large, posterior to bothridia. Relative distances, (le-in: 66 µm)> (le-le) = (in-in) (63 µm)> (ro-ro: 59 µm)> (anterior margin of straighten rostrum- le) (54 µm)> (anterior margin of straighten rostrum- ro) (45 µm).

Notogaster — Length as long as width; broadly triarched anteriorly, semicircular posteriorly. Dorsophragmata distinct. Ten pairs of notogastral setae present; setae thin smooth, minute; p 1 the longest (11 µm), other setae 9 µm. Four pairs of opening minute pores of sacculi present; Sa located longitudinally laterally to la, antero-laterally to lm; S1 obliquely lateral to gla, antero-laterally to h 3; S 2 obliquely laterally to h 1; S 3 longitudinally between p 1 and p 2. Lyrifissures ia aligned obliquely anterolaterally to c; im transversely or obliquely anterolaterally to gla; ih perpendicular to notogastral outline; ip and ips situated ventrally. A number of light spots arranged peripherally on notogaster.

Ventral region — Genital (59 µm in length) and anal (91 µm in length) apertures with distance (107 µm) between them, roughly circular and square, respectively ( Fig. 21A ). Genito-anal setal formula 4-1- 2-3; all setae thin, smooth, setiform except for genital setae thin, smooth, and setiform: genital setae (21 µm) sparsely minutely barbed ( Fig. 20C ). Setae g 1 inserting at anterior margin of plates; setae g 4 at posterior margins. Setae ag (17 µm) inserting latero-posteriorly to genital aperture, near one third-distance between genital and anal apertures. Setae an 1 and an 2 (21 µm) inserting far from posterior and anterior margins of plates, respectively. Adanal setae (12 µm) ad 1 aligned in postanal position; ad 2 latero-posteriorly to the aperture; ad 3 in preanal. Lyrifissures iad located longitudinally at the level of mid-distance between an 2 and anterior anal margin. Posterial anal locking-pieces indistinct. All epimeral borders distinct. Epimeral setal formula: 3-1-3-3; setae thin, smooth and setiform except for 3 c; 3 c the longest (35 µm) bearing a few barbs; 1 A the shortest (16 µm) ( Fig. 21C ). Subcapitulum diarthric, subcapitular setae 3 pairs: a (21 µm) unilatelally sparsely minutely barbed; m (15 µm) and h (31 µm) minutely barbed throughout the length.

Legs — Heterotridactylous; claws (39 µm) minutely dentate dorsally. Setal formula: I (1-5-3- 4-19), II (1-5-3-4-16), III (2-3-1-3-14), IV (1-2-2-2-10). Measurements (µm) of segments of legs: [Rightleft]:

I([38-39]-[86-84]-[25-32]-[63-48]-[63-63]), II([36-32]-[86-80]-[18-21]-[48-41]-[54-52]), III([?-48]-[59-59]-[21-21]-[54-52]-[56-59]), IV([?-50]-[61-59]-[36-36]-[61-68]-[64-71]).

Femora II-IV and trochantera III-IV bearing a small rounded carina. On tarsus I, famulus ε (6 µm) spiniform, situated contiguously posterior to solenidion ω 2; ω 2 (54 µm) setiform posterior to ω 1; solenidion ω 1 (25 µm) bacilliform. Seta ft ’ (30 µm) unilaterally sparsely barbed setiform, inserting posterior to ε ( Fig. 21E ). Solenidion ’ 1 (107 µm) on tibia I situated contiguous to ’ 2 (45 µm) originating from a small apophysis ( Fig. 21D ). Solenidion σ (63 µm) originating from a small apophysis ( Fig. 21B )

Remarks — The new species differs from members of the genus Scheloribates (Scheloribates) Berlese, 1908 by having weakly protruding and bending rostral tip, fusiform sensilli, prolamella, long interlamellar setae extending in front of rostral anterior margin, and famulus contiguous, posterior to setiform solenidion ω 2 and anterior to seta ft ’ on tarsi I. The new species resembles in the shape of rostral tip, shape of sensilli, presence of prolamella and arrangement of famulus and solenidia such as found in S. (S.) azumaensis Enami et al., 1996 , however, the former is different from the latter in shape of rostral extension, length of interlamellar setae, and distance of famulus and ω 2. The new species is similar to S. (S.) shigeruus Fujikawa, 2011 in shape of prolamella and length of interlamellar setae, however, the former is different from the latter in shape of tip of rostrum, shape of sensilli, and arrangement of solenidia and famulus on tarsi I.

Figures

FIGURE 20: Scheloribates (Scheloribates) processus n.sp. (Holotype NSMT-Ac 13629): A – Dorsal view; B – Tip of rostral region; C – Principal setae: rostral seta ro, notogastral seta c, genital seta g, aggenital seta ag, anal seta an, adanal seta ad, epimeral seta 1a, anterior a, medial m, posterior h subcapitular setae.

FIGURE 21: Scheloribates (Scheloribates) processus n.sp. (Holotype NSMT-Ac 13629): A – Ventral view; B – Solenidion on left genu I; C – Left trochanter III region; D – Solenidia on left tibia I; E – Solenidial region on right tarsus I.