The genus Notophthiracarus of New Zealand (Acari: Oribatida: Phthiracaridae): three new species and a key to 24 described species Author Liu, Dong Author Zhang, Zhi-Qiang text Zootaxa 2013 3682 2 392 400 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3682.2.11 56b5529a-34fb-4db7-8b7e-f1cc3d9bd8d2 1175-5326 217145 2845B243-8FF4-48B1-ABD8-C22CC6D60485 Notophthiracarus dugdalei sp. nov. ( Figs. 1–10 ) Material examined : Holotype : adult ( NZAC , in alcohol, 77/14), New Zealand : FD, Darran Mts., Tutoko Bench, Camp, 950 m a.s.l., from mosses under Dracophyllum scrub, 13 Jan. 1977 , leg. J. S. Dugdale. Paratype : one adult ( NIGA , in alcohol, 77/14), same data as holotype . Etymology. Named after collector, Dr John S. Dugdale, who is a retired entomologist (taxonomist of Lepidoptera) of Landcare Research. He is also the collector of many litter samples preserved in NZAC. Description. Measurements . Holotype : Prodorsum: length 500, width 350, height 160, setae: ss 28, ro 20, le 10, in 275, ex 30; notogaster: length 995, width 690, height 625; setae: c 1 280, d 1 210, e 1 210, h 1 250, ps 1 300, ps 4 230; ventral region: ad 1 180, an 1 110, an 2 110; genitoaggenital plate 180×250, anoadanal plate 170×440. Paratype : Prodorsum: length 490, width 330, height 155; notogaster: length 890, width 660, height 610. Integument . Colour grey-brown. Surface of body finely punctate, except prodorsum foveolate. Prodorsum ( Figs. 1 ̲3). Median crista and lateral carinae absent; sigillar fields distinct, dorsal field short, not reaching insertions of rostral setae; posterior furrows absent; sensilli ( ss ) short with broad head, covered with minute spines distally; interlamellar setae ( in ) long and erect, covered with minute spines in distal half; rostral setae ( ro ) short, thin and spiniform; exobothridial ( ex ) and lamellar ( le ) setae short and fine; comparative length: in > ex > ss > ro>le . Notogaster ( Fig. 1 ). 15 pairs of setae present, moderately long ( c 1> c 1– d 1), robust, covered with small spines in distal half, setae c 1 and ps 1 longest, setae d 2 and e 2 shortest; setae c 2 more far away from anterior border than setae c 1 and c 3; setae ps 4 situated posterior to setae ad 1; vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1; two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present. Gnathosoma ( Figs. 6–8 ). Subcapitulum normal ( Fig. 6 ); setae h , m , and a simple and smooth; setae h shorter than distance between them; adoral seta or 1 apparently flat with barbs; or 2–3 simple and smooth; palp ( Fig. 7 ) 4- segmented, with femur and genu fused; palpal setation: 0-2-2-7(1); supracoxal seta simple and smooth; chelicera ( Fig. 8 ) with two smooth setae ( cha , chb ). Ano-genital region ( Figs. 1, 4–5 ). Nine pairs of genital setae ( g ) arranged with formula: 5: 4; one pair of aggenital setae ( ag ) present; anoadanal plates each with five setae ( ad , an ), setae ad 1 and ad 2 barbed, longer and thicker than other setae; setae ad 3 smooth and minute; comparative length: ad 1 =ad 2 >an 1 =an 2 >ad 3. Legs ( Figs. 9–10 ). Setal counts for leg segments (without tarsi): I: 1-4-2(2)-5(1); II: 1-3-3(1)-3(1), III: 2-2- 1(1)-2(1), IV: 2-1-1-2(1); setae d on femora I inserted at level of setae v’’ ; setae a’’ on tarsi I and setae ft’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae a’’ on tarsi II curved distally; setae s and pv’ on tarsi IV present; setae s on tarsi I and II absent. Remark. This new species is similar to New Zealand species Notophthiracarus incomparabilis Niedbała, 2000 in sharing the following features: the presence of minute lamellar, rostral and ad 3 setae, exobothridial setae present, setae ps 4 situated posterior to setae ad 1, vestigial setae f 1 positioned posterior to setae h 1, two pairs of lyrifissures ia and im present, genital setae with formula: 5: 4, and setae v’ on femora I present. However, the new species can be easily distinguished from N. incomparabilis by the following ten characters (a versus b): in N. dugdalei sp. nov. , (1a) surface of prodorsum foveolate; (2a) lateral carinae absent; (3a) dorsal region of sigillar fields short, not reach the insertions of rostral setae and not bifurcate anteriorly; (4a) sensilli shorter ( ss 28), with head not pointed distally; (5a) sinus small and narrow; (6a) interlamellar setae much shorter ( in 275); (7a) setae ps 4 and c p much longer, setae d 2 and e 2 shortest, other notogastral setae relatively shorter (e.g. c 1 280); (8a) lyrifissures ia situated posterior to setae c p; (9a) setae ad 1 and ad 2 equal in length; (10a) setae h of mentum shorter than distance between them; in N. incomparabilis , (1b) surface of body finely punctate and very weakly foveolate; (2b) lateral carinae present; (3b) dorsal region of sigillar fields long, reaching the insertions of rostral setae and bifurcate anteriorly; (4b) sensilli longer ( ss 40), with head pointed distally; (5b) sinus large and round, much broader; (6b) interlamellar setae much longer ( in 353); (7b) setae ps 4 and c p shortest, other notogastral setae relatively longer (e.g. c 1 349); (8b) lyrifissures ia situated dorsal to setae c p; (9b) setae ad 1 and ad 2 not equal in length; (10b) setae h of mentum longer than distance between them.