Two new species of the family Nippobodidae (Acari, Oribatida), including a description of the leg-folding process.

Nestor Fernandez,Sergio Leiva,Pieter Theron

doi:10.3897/zookeys.781.27389

Abstract

Nippobodespanemorfissp. n. and Leobodestrypasissp. n. are described by means of optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and compared to other congeners. The leg-folding process is described and illustrated.Nippobodespanemorfissp. n. is characterised by interlocking, double hook-shaped, posterior prodorsal condyle and anterior zone humeral apophysis; posterior prodorsal depression present. Tutorium a large lamina defining a pocket-shaped structure; bothridial opening ovoid, situated at the bottom of a U-shaped structure; deep, rounded-ovoid anterior notogastral depression present; ten pairs of notogastral setae; c setae looped, dentate, sharply tipped. Marginal setae h3, p3 on large promontories, followed by deep V-shaped incision; notogaster completely surrounded by circumgastric depression; lateral genital zone with locking structure constituted by longitudinal cuticular elevation, with promontories and a parallel furrow involved in the leg-folding process; genital plate smaller than anal plate.Leobodestrypasissp. n. is characterised by: the presence of posterior prodorsal depression and anterior notogastral depression; bridge-shaped anterior prodorsal condyles; heart-shaped frontal prodorsal orifice; ten pairs of notogastral setae; posterior prodorsal condyle and humeral condyle interlocked, forming double hook-like structure; circumgastric furrow surrounding entire notogaster; setae lp, h2, h1 situated on shallow medial furrow; notogastral setae lm, lp, h1, h2 medially aligned; p1, p2, p3, h3 marginally situated. Legs I-IV, tutorium, pedotectum I, and pedotectum II involved in leg folding which is inferred to be a protection mechanism.

Highlights

In 1959 Aoki described the new genus Nippobodes from material collected by Mr K
Aoki compared the genus to Tetracondyla, but in the same paper, without further explanation, included the new genus in the family Carabodidae
We propose that the family Nippobodidae presents a series of characters linking these families, as knowledge of the families Nippobodidae and Carabodidae has grown significantly in the intervening years

Summary

Introduction

In 1959 Aoki described the new genus Nippobodes from material collected by Mr K. In the same paper the authors added two new species of Leobodes: L. carinatus Chen & Wang, 2007 and L. praeconcavus Chen & Wang, 2007, transferring Nippobodes monstruosus Jeleva & Vũ, 1987 to the genus Leobodes as: L. monstruosus (Jeleva & Vũ, 1987). More than five years ago, the current authors embarked on a revision of the Carabodidae family During these studies, we observed a series of similar characters in Carabodidae and Nippobodidae not discussed in previous studies of Nippobodidae. Two new species of the family Nippobodidae (Acari, Oribatida), including a description... 111

Materials and methods

Discussion