Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) XVI. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. from Zimbabwe and Kenya, and Congocepheus thailandae sp. nov. from Thailand, including a complementary study of Cavaecarabodes hauseri (Mahunka 1989) Author Fernandez, Nestor Author Theron, Pieter Author Leiva, Sergio Author Jordaan, Anine text Zootaxa 2018 2018-10-25 4504 3 371 389 journal article 28077 10.11646/zootaxa.4504.3.4 9c8850ff-11d0-47a9-8c8a-b5e17cb8ec06 1175-5326 2606465 5D91D1A9-413B-4704-A78E-4402FC449943 Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. ( Figures 1–41 ) Etymology. The specific epithet “tsalakpmenoi” is derived from (tσαλακωµένo Greek=, wrinkled = English) due to characteristics of the notogastral cuticular surface. Material examined. Holotype . Female “ Zimbabwe , Mutare II/1945 . Leg. R. Mussard ”; material deposited in the Collection of the Natural History Museum of Geneva (MHNG), Switzerland ; preserved in 46% ethanol. Paratypes . Two adult females from different localities, namely “ Zimbabwe , Mutare II/1945 . Leg. R. Mussard ” and “ Kenya . Embu distr. Kirimiri Forest, Ouest de Runyenje, alt. 1586 m ; tamisage dans la forêt 13 /X/1977 . Leg. V. Mahnert & J.L. Perret ”; material deposited in the Collection of the MHNG ; preserved in 46% ethanol. Material studied by means of SEM: three female specimens, not deposited . Diagnosis (adult female). Integument. Notogaster: longitudinally aligned cuticular chords forming rugose integument. Setation. Lanceolate, thick, medial longitudinal zone elevated, with small dentitions, triangular in crosssection: notogastral; adanal setae. Lanceolate, with small dentitions, barbate: le . Lanceolate, more or less flat, with elevated medial longitudinal zone: rostral, lamellar setae. Simple, smooth: anal; simple, with small barbs; epimeral setae 4a , 4b particular shape: 4a thin, elongate, 4b triangular, curved. Simple, sharply tipped: subcapitular setae; flabellate: genital, aggenital setae. Prodorsum. Complex elevated interlamellar process flat, slightly elevated; polyhedral lateral processes with parallel oblique grooves, one on either side; T-shaped anterior projection. Lamellae resembling elevated ribbon. Notogaster. Humeral apophysis ovoid, anterior end barely overlapping posterior bothridial zone. Lateral zone. Deep supratutorial depression; small anterior supratutorial depression. Depressions above and behind acetabulum IV; longitudinal oblique depression posterior to acetabulum IV. Ventral region. Discidium with triangular sharp tip. Genital plate smaller than anal plate. Shallow depression surrounding elevated zone bearing genital plate; anterior genital furrow present; genital neotrichy 6 to 11 pairs of setae, symmetric or asymmetric distribution. Large, deep furrow surrounding anterior and medial zones of anal opening, not extending to posterior zone. Adanal setae ad 3 and ad 2 situated on lateral furrow surrounding anal opening; ad 1 , outside the lateral furrow. Description. Measurements . Female, length 827 (658–958) (ten animals measured), width 347 (298–438) (ten animals measured). Shape . Prodorsum polyhedral, notogaster elongate ovoid ( Figures 1, 2 , 10 ) Colour. Specimens without cerotegument: brown to dark brown, slightly shiny when observed in reflected light. FIGURES 1–8. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. Adult female, SEM. 1 . dorsal view, female (Zimbabwe); 2 . dorsal view, female (Kenya); 3 . frontal view, broken notogastral da seta; 4 . elevated interlamellar protuberance and interlamellar seta; 5 . notogastral da seta; 6 . notogastral c 2 seta; 7 . frontal view, broken notogastral c 2 seta; 8 . notogastral seta da , and notogastral elevated cuticular ridges. Abbreviations: see Material and Methods. Scale bars: 1=590 µm; 2 =590 µm; 3 =5 µm; 4 =100 µm; 5 =10 µm; 6 =59 µm; 7 =5µm; 8= 40 µm. FIGURES 9–11. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov . Adult female, optical microscopy. 9. lateral view; 10. dorsal view; 11 . ventral view. Scale bars: 9 =200 µm; 10 =250 µm; 11 =320 µm. FIGURES 12–20. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. Adult female, SEM. 12 . partial lateral view (Zimbabwe); 13 . lateral view (Kenya); 14 . bothridium and sensillus; 15 . lamellar setae; 16 . prodorsal anterolateral zone; 17 . humeral apophysis, lateral view; 18 . epimeral seta 3a ; 19. bothridial cuticular microsculpture; 20 . dorsoposterior view. Scale bars: 12 ; 13 =590 µm; 14 =20 µm; 15= 50 µm; 16 =100 µm; 17 =100 µm; 18 =20 µm; 19= 15 µm; 20 =590 µm. FIGURES 21–34. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. Adult female, SEM. 21 . anterolateral view; 22 . pedotectum II, lateral view; 23 . anal plate, sharp tip; 24 . cerotegumental layer, bothridial zone; 25 . rostral seta; 26 . notogastral seta p 3 ; 27 . anal seta, an 2 ; 28. subcapitular seta h ; 29 . adanal seta, ad 2 , dorsal view; 30 . aggenital seta; 31 . adanal seta ad 3 , lateral view; 32 . epimeral seta, 4b ; 33 . epimeral seta 4a ; 34 . genital seta. Scale bars: 21 =100 µm; 22 =59 µm; 23 =10 µm; 24 =30 µm; 25 =10 µm; 26 =15 µm; 27 = 5 µm; 28 =10 µm; 29 =10 µm; 30 =20 µm; 31 =10 µm; 32 =20 µm; 33 =20 µm; 34 =25 µm. FIGURES 35–41. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. Adult female, SEM. 35 . ventrolateral view; 36 . anal plates; 37 . genital plates; 38 . prodorsum frontal view; 39 . subcapitulum, lateral view; 40 . elevated interlamellar process, dorsal view; 41 . posterolateral view. Scale bars: 35 =590 µm; 36 =100 µm; 37 =59 µm; 38 =200 µm; 39 =100 µm; 40 =100 µm; 41 =180 µm. Cerotegument . Present: thin granular layer, following cuticular microsculpture; thickness 0.5 to 0.9 ( Figures 12, 15 , 24 ). Integument . Pusticulate: notogaster ( Figure 8 ); bothridial zone ( Figures 14, 19 ); pedotectum II ( Figure 22 ). Rugose, formed by cuticular cords, principally aligned longitudinally ( Figures 1, 2, 8 , 12, 13, 20 indicated by ¡): notogaster ( Figures 1, 8 , 12, 13, 20 ), in some specimens elevations on central notogastral zone more accentuated ( Figures 1, 8 , 12, 20 ), in others less ( Figures 2 , 13 ); prodorsal zone of elevated interlamellar process ( e.i.p ) ( Figure 4 ); Smooth: prodorsum (1, 2, 12, 13, 16, 21, 38, 40); humeral apophysis ( h.ap ) ( Figure 17 ); ventral region (epimeral zone, ano-adanal zone) ( Figure 35 ); anal plate ( Figure 36 ); genital plate ( Figure 37 ); subcapitulum ( Figure 39 ). Setation. Lanceolate, thick elevated medial longitudinal zone, with small dentitions, triangular in cross-section ( Figures 3, 7 ): interlamellar ( in ) ( Figures 4 , 10 ); notogastral c 1 , c 2 , da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, p 1 , p 2 , p 3, h 1 , h 2 , h 3 ( Figures 5, 6 , 26 ); adanal ( Figures 29, 31 ). Lanceolate, more or less flat, with elevated medial longitudinal zone: ro , le ( Figures 4 , 16 , 25 ); simple: anal ( Figure 27 ). Epimeral setae simple, with small barbs ( Figure 18 ), but setae 4a , 4b particular in shape; 4a is simple, elongate, thin, small barbs ( Figure 33 ); 4b simple, triangular, curving, small barbs ( Figure 32 ); simple, sharply tipped: subcapitular setae; flabellate: genital; aggenital setae ( Figures 30, 34 ). Prodorsum . Polyhedral (in dorsal view) ( Figures 1, 2 , 10 ); triangular to polyhedral in frontal view ( Figure 38 ). Complex elevated interlamellar process ( e.i.p ): flat or slightly elevated ( Figures 1, 2 , 12, 13 ) forming two separate lateral processes, polyhedral in shape ( Figures 38, 40 ). In lateral view each lateral process terminating in sharp tip, situated above le setal insertion ( Figure 4 indicated by white asterisk in black square). Two oblique parallel grooves on elevated zone of lateral process ( Figures 1, 2, 4 , 10 , 12, 13 , 38, 40 indicated by5); finger-shaped projection on anterior e.i.p , delineating a T-shaped, forward extending structure ( Figures 2 , 38 , indicated by ¿); in setae curved ( Figure 1, 2, 4 ), directing externally, inserted in front of e.i.p below lateral process ( Figures 4 , 12 ). Bothidial zone with pusticulate cuticula ( Figure 19 ). Bothridium ( bo ) cup-shaped with large, smooth, incomplete bothridial ring ( bo.ri) ( Figure 14 ); bothridial opening lateral, directing downward ( Figures 12, 13 ); bothridial tooth ( bo.to ) clearly visible, rounded ( Figure 14 ). Sensillus ( Si ) filiform, barbate, arching to the top, tip usually pointed ( Figures 1, 2 , 12, 14 ); lamellar setae ( le ) inserted laterally on anterior part of lamellae ( Figures 15, 16 ) between lamellar tip and le setal insertion zone; conspicuous lamellar tip ( la.ti) ( Figure 16 ); curved rostral setae ( ro ) ( Figures 12, 13 , 21, 25 ), directing downwards; le setal insertion behind ro insertion setal level ( Figures 15, 16 ); large deep dorsosejugal suture ( d.sj ) ( Figures 1, 2 , 12, 13 ). Notogaster . Shape: anterior and posterior zone oval (in dorsal view) ( Figures 1, 2 , 10 ); convex in lateral view ( Figures 9 , 12, 13 ); circumgastric furrow ( s.c ) present, easily discernible, situated antiaxially to c 1 , c 2 , la, lm, lp, h 2 and paraxially to h 3 , p 3 , p 2 , p 1 setal insertion level ( Figures 1, 2 , 10,13 indicated byl) (See Remarks). Fourteen pairs of setae ( c 1 , c 2 , da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h 1 , h 2 , h 3 , p 1 , p 2 , p 3 ), all similar: lanceolate, thick, with elevated medial longitudinal zone, small dentitions, triangular in cross-section. However, c 2 setae differ slightly in shape and crosssection ( Figures 6, 7 ) from other notogastral setae ( Figures 3, 5 , da setae used as example); all setae (except c 2 ) extending backward; c 2 setae directing obliquely inwards ( Figures 1, 2 , 10 , 12 ). Humeral apophysis ( h.ap ) ovoid; anterior end barely overlapping posterior bothridial zone ( Figures 9 , 12, 13 ); h.ap with some transversal cuticular depressions ( Figure 17 indicated by¿), resulting in an undulate aspect to h.ap . Lyrifissures hardly discernible, only rounded im is observed ( Figure 20 ). Lateral region. Prodorsum: in setae clearly visible, situated in front of flat e.i.p ( Figures 4 , 12, 13 ); l.l.f well visible ( Figure 16 ). Lamellae resembling elevated ribbon; Tutorium (Tu) strongly curving cuticular thickening ( Figure 13 ); supratutorial depression ( s.tu.d ) deep ( Figure 9 , 13, 15 ); small anterior supratutorial depression ( a.tu.d ) ( Figures 9 , 21 ). Large deep posterior tutorial depression ( p.tu.d ) situated posteriorly on Tu basal zone ( Figure 9 , 13 , 21 ). Pedotectum I ( Pd I ) prominent extending lamina, anteriorly rounded; large ovoid depression ( dep ) on posterior zone near Pedotectum II ( Pd II ); small, ovoid lamina directing downward ( Figures 9 , 13 , 22 ). Discidium ( dis ) hardly discernible (See Ventral region). Several depressions ( dep ) clearly visible basally to Pd I and above and behind acetabulum IV ( Figure 9 , 13 , 21 , 41 ). Anal plate terminating in long sharp tip ( Figure 23 ), more clearly visible in lateral than ventral view. Ventral region. Epimeres well delimited; 1 and 2 defined by deep furrows; bo.1 , bo.2 , bo.sj , 3 and 4 not noticeably separated; apo.1 , apo.2 , apo.sj and apo.3 clearly visible ( Figures 11 , 35 ). Epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3; setae 1a, 2a, 3a short. Epimeral setae 4b ( Figure 10 , 32 , 35 ), and 4a ( Figure 33 ) differ in shape. Epimeral zone with medially deep polyhedral depression ( Figures 11 , 35 indicated by s). Discidium ( dis ) easily observed ( Figure 35 ), triangular sharp tip. Genital plate slightly smaller than anal plate ( Figure 35 ). Genital plate situated on elevated zone, externally surrounded by shallow depression ( dep ) ( Figure 35 ). This furrow is connected to the anterior genital furrow ( a.g.f ) ( Figures 11 , 35 , trajectory indicated by l). Genital plate with neotrichy: 6 to 11 pairs of setae ( Figures 11 , 35, 37 ) with symmetric or asymmetric distribution (See Remarks). Setae generally flabellate ( Figure 34 ), some with very irregular shapes ( Figure 37 ); in other cases setae absent, only insertions present (large insertions) ( Figure 37 ). Aggenital ( ag ) setae far from posterior border of genital opening, but situated posterolaterally on the surrounding genital furrow ( Figures 11 , 35 ). Anal plate terminating in long sharp tip ( Figure 23 , and 36 indicated byY). Large deep furrow observed surrounding anal plate anteriorly and medially, not completely surrounding the rear; in one instance the anal plate was deformed on one side. Three pairs of adanal setae: ad 3 and ad 2 situated in lateral furrow of anal plate; ad 1 situated posteriorly on anal plate, outside lateral furrow ( Figures 10 , 35 ); rounded to polyhedral dep ( Figures 11 , 35 ) situated externally to genital and anal openings. Legs . Setal formulae I ( 1-4-3-4-17 -1) (1-2-2); II ( 1-3-3-3-15 -1) (1-1-2); III ( 2-2-1-2-14 -1) (1-1-0); IV ( 1-2-2- 2-12 ) (0-1-0). Remarks. Large variations in size were observed in both populations ( Zimbabwe and Kenya ). Initially the authors associated this variation in size with differences between males and females, but no correlation between sex and size was observed; in both sexes there were small and large specimens; sexes could be distinguished only by dissection. Setae h 1 were not included when indicating the trajectory of s.c , as their position is variable ( Figures 1, 2 ), in some cases aligned to h 2 setae ( Figure 1 ) and in others near p 2 setae ( Figure 2 ). Positions of setae p 1 , p 2 , p 3 also varied. Small dentitions present on surfaces of notogastral setae differ in size and number. In lateral view differences between notogastral cuticular ornamentations are easily visible; these variations are common in populations from Zimbabwe ( Figure 12 ) and Kenya ( Figure 13 ), but more so in populations from Kenya . Large variation in the number of setae due to genital neotrichy, with asymmetry being very common. Setae frequently number 6–8 on each side; in one specimen from Zimbabwe only 4 setae were observed on a side, while in specimens from Kenya , six are most common. The largest variation was found in specimens from Kenya , with eleven setae on a side of the genital plate. Depressions are very numerous on the ventral plate, clearly visible in ventral view; in lateral view a longitudinal oblique depression can be seen ( Figure 41 indicated by 5), usually concealed by femur IV.