Scheloribates elegans Hammer, 1958

Ermilov, S. G., Sandmann, D., Marian, F. & Maraun, M., 2013, Perscheloribates Paratzitzikamaensis N. Sp., With Supplementary Descriptions Of Scheloribates Elegans And Monoschelobates Parvus (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) From Ecuador, Acarologia 53 (4), pp. 429-437 : 432-434

Scheloribates elegans Hammer, 1958

( Figure 2 )

Diagnosis — Body size: 581 – 630 × 365 – 415. Rostrum rounded. Prodorsal setae long, setiform, barbed. Sensilli spindle-form, with short cilia. Translamellar line represented by rudimentary parts. Prolamellar lines present. Notogaster with ten pairs of short setae. Leg claws serrate on dorsal side.

Description — Measurements. Body length: 581 – 630 (10 specimens); notogaster width: 365 – 415 (10 specimens).

Integument — Body color light brown. Body surface smooth.

Prodorsum — Rostrum narrowly rounded. Lamellae located dorso-laterally, as long as half of prodorsum (in lateral view), without cusps. Translamellar line represented by rudimentary parts near to lamellae. Prolamellar and sublamellar lines distinct. Sublamellar porose areas (Al) oval (10 – 12 × 8). Rostral (69 – 77), lamellar (102 – 114) and interlamellar (139 – 151) setae setiform, barbed. Sensilli (98-110) spindle-form (with welldilated head and distinct, thin apex), with short cilia. Exobothridial setae (ex, 16 – 20) thin, smooth. A pair of elongate, narrow porose areas present (visible in dissected specimens) latero-posterior to interlamellar setae.

Notogaster — Anterior notogastral margin convex medially. Dorsophragmata small. Ten pairs of notogastral setae present; setae c, la, lm, lp (4 – 8) short (visible under high magnification), smooth, others longer (16 – 20), indistinctly barbed. Four pairs of sacculi (Sa, S1, S2, S3) oval, with small openings.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions — Apodemes 1, 2, 3 and sejugal apodemes distinct. Epimeral setal formula: 3-1-3-3. Setae setiform, slightly barbed; 3a, 4a (28 – 32) longer than others (16 – 20). Pedotecta I large, convex, pedotecta II rounded anteriorly, with small tooth. Discidia rounded distally. Circumpedal carinae distinct.

Anogenital region — Four pairs of genital (g 1, 16 – 20, g 2 - g 4, 6 – 8), one pair of aggenital (6 – 8), two pairs of anal (16 – 20) and three pairs of adanal (16 – 20) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Lyrifissures iad in paraanal position.

Legs — Leg tarsi with one strong claw and two thinner claws; all with several minute barbs on dorsal side. Formulae of leg setation and solenidia: I (1-5-3-4-19) [1-2-2], II (1-5-2-4-15) [1-1-2], III (2-3-1- 3-15) [1-1-0], IV (1-2-2-3-12) [0-1-0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1 .

Material examined — Five specimens (four females and one male): Ec-2 (1.VIII.2010, collected by D. Sandmann). Five specimens (four females and one male): Ec-3 (1.IV.2009, collected by D. Sandmann).

Remarks — Ecuadorian specimens of Scheloribates elegans are similar in general appearance to specimens from Bolivia (see Hammer 1958) and Philippines (Corpus-Raros 1980), but there is a clear morphometrical difference: body length larger (581 – 630) than in Bolivian (460) and Philippine (303- 500) specimens. We assume this difference to represent intraspecific (perhaps geographical) variability.

Figures

FIGURE 2: Scheloribates elegans Hammer, 1958: A – body dorsally; B – body ventrally (gnathosoma and legs not illustrated); C – prodorsum and anterior part of notogaster laterally (gnathosoma and legs not illustrated); D – rostral seta; E – medio-distal part of sensillus; F – pedotectum II, discidium and epimeral setae 3c, 4c in dissected specimen; G – left genital plate and epimaral seta 3a; H – left anal plate and adanal setae ad1-ad3; I – claws on leg I. Scale bars (A-C) 200 µm, scale bar (D, I) 10 µm, scale bar (E-H) 20 µm.