Balogheremaeus chimaera, Arillo & Subías, 2006

Arillo, A. & Subías, L., 2006, A New Oribatid Genus And Species, Balogheremaeus Chimaera From Southeastern Spain (Acariformes, Oribatida, Plateremaeidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (4), pp. 353-357 : 354-356

Balogheremaeus chimaera sp. n.

( Figs 1–2 )

Material studied: One specimen (holotype) from Pego (Alicante province, Southeast of Spain ). The specimen was sampled in a dry riverbed, (May-2-1997, J. P. Zaballos leg.). The specimen is stored in the collection of the Department of Zoology , Faculty of Biology , Complutense University (Madrid) .

Derivatio nominis: Specific epithet is after the strange and “monstrous” look of the specimen.

Dimensions: The body size is 340 µm long and 185 µm wide (excluding the cerotegumentary layer)

Tegument: slightly yellowish as the body is not very sclerotized. The body, included the legs, are covered with a thick cerotegumentary layer except the smooth notogaster (perhaps due to the presence of nymphal exuviae, lost in the adult instar).

Prodorsum ( Fig. 1 ): It is difficult to observe due to the thick cerotegumentary layer. Lamellar setae almost at the same level of the rostral setae, being both lamellar and rostral setae arched, strong and slightly barbulated. Very small interlamellar setae. Prodorsal bulges poorly developed. Bothridia are dorsally opened and the sensilla are long, smooth and flagellated. Apophysis P are well developed with a small dorsal tooth.

Notogaster ( Fig. 1 ): Elliptical and smooth, with the dorsal lyrifissures poorly developed. Notogastral setae are very short and only developed in the postero-lateral margin.

Ventral region ( Fig. 2 ): Apodemata II and sj are uncomplete but well developed while apodemata III and IV are barely visible. Strong epimeral neotrichy with thin, smooth and moderate sized setae, all with a similar length. Anal and genital plates with a great size. Genital plates with seven pairs of very small genital setae arranged in two rows: the inner row has four pairs of setae while the external row has only three pairs. Three pairs of anal setae (bigger than genital setae) arranged in the inner edge of each plate. Adanal and adgenital setae are similar to epimeral setae, being ad 1 in a paraanal position.

Legs ( Fig. 1 ): Strong and well developed legs, being the legs IV longer than the rest. All the legs have well developed laminated excrescences or crests both dorsally and ventrally. These crests are covered with the cerotegumentary layer. The specimen has a bizarre look mainly due to the presence of these crests and the cerotegument. Tarsi of leg I have very protruding and rounded apophyses with a solenidia in their distal edge. All the legs have a long and narrow tarsal pedicel with three small claws being the medial claw stronger than the lateral claws.

Figures

Fig. 1. Balogheremaeus chimaera gen. et sp. n., dorsal view. Scale bar: 100 µm

Fig. 2. Balogheremaeus chimaera gen. et sp. n., ventral view. Scale bar: 100 µm