Congocepheus involutus Mahunka 1997
Creators: name: Fernandez, Nestor
name: Theron, Pieter
name: Rollard, Christine
name: Tiedt, Louvrens
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Sarcoptiformes
Carabodidae
Congocepheus
Congocepheus involutus

description: Congocepheus involutus Mahunka, 1997
(Figs 1-5)
Congocepheus involutus Mahunka, 1997: 133, 134.
MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Holotype: 1 ♀, adult, MAD 89/52 Saint Marie, leg. B.Hauser, MHNG.
OTHER MATERIAL STUDIED. — 3 ♀♀ “Mad.856. Madagascar Centre.Province deTananarive. Forêt de Vanjamanitra (8km au SE d’Anjorzorobe) alt. 1380m, FDHMA avec bambou liane,mousses au sol, 12-V-1967 J-M Betsch Coll.”preserved in 70% ethanol (MNHN), 3 ♀♀ “Mad.906. Madagascar nord-est, Province de Tamative. Baie d’Antongil. Ile de Nosy Mangabe, alt 300 m FDHBA, litière, 16-VII-1967 J-M. Betsch Coll.”, preserved in 70% ethanol (MHNG).
DIAGNOSIS (ADULT FEMALE). — Setation: c 1, c 2 epimeric, genital, adanal, simple; c 1, c 2, largest, rounded tip; in, ro, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h 1, h 2, h 3, p 1, p 2, p 3 lanceolate; in, ro with two medial longitudinal veins; notogastral only one medial longitudinal vein; le lanceolate-dentate; an spiniform. Prodorsum: polyhedral, rounded apically; laterally genal incision present; slightly elevated interlamellar process, complete. Notogastral anterior depression, crossing dorsosejugal furrow, reaching posterior zone of elevated interlamellar process. Low lamellar furrow clearly visible; lamellar apical tip rounded, extending up to le setal insertion. Bothridial opening lateral; bothridial ring smooth with margin not clearly delimited; bothridial tooth present. Sensillus clavate, barbate; appearing similar to toothbrush in lateral view. Superior cornea of naso clearly visible, situated slightly anterior of rostral setal insertion.Tutorium a curving rod-like cuticular thickening anterior and posterior tutorial depression present. Humeral apophysis polyhedral; excavated V-shaped depression present. Notogaster: oval, with prominent polyhedral humeral process; dorsosejugal furrow narrow, rectilinear; notogastral anterior depression ovoid, deep. Fourteen pairs of setae, c 1, c 2 setae inserted on flat slightly elevated region. Circumgastric furrow easily discernible. Lyrifissures: only im, ih, ip clearly visible. Ventral region: thin furrow separating epimera 1, 2, 3; 3 and 4 fused. Epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3. Discidium triangular, with rounded, expanded apex. Large anterior genital furrow. Four pairs of genital setae. Aggenital setae absent. Three pairs of adanal seta.Two pairs of anal setae; long sharply tipped anal plate. Lyrifissures iad clearly discernible, situated anterior to ad3 setae. Only one rounded depression behind acetabulum IV.
ADULT DESCRIPTION
Measurements
SEM 291 Μm (300-305) × 167 Μm (171-176) (measurements on three specimens). Light microscopy 290 Μm (298-305) ×168 (172-176) (measurements on six specimens).
Shape
Elongate oval (Figs 1A, 2A).
Colour
S pecimens without cerotegument; dark yellow to brown, clear, slightly shiny,observed in reflected light. Cerotegument
Specimens covered by thin layer (Figs 1 A-E; 3 A, B). SEM observations: faintly rugose to smooth.
Integument
Prodorsal microsculpture: faintly irregular tuberculate: bo, lamella, near insertion ro setae and around CSO; smooth; e.i.p, central zone between l.l.f up to ro setae, CSO surface.
Notogastral microsculpture; undulate.
Lateral microculpture: slightly irregular tuberculate except for Pd I, Pd II and discidum smooth.
Ventral microsculpture; smooth.
Setation
Lanceolate; in, ro, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h 1, h 2, h 3, p 1, p 2, p 3; in and ro with two medial longitudinal veins (Figs 1 B-D; 5 B); notogastral (except c 1, c 2 see below) with one medial longitudinal vein (Figs 1A, 5C); in largest; da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h 1, h 2, largest; p 1, p 2, p 3, h 3 smaller. Lanceolate-dentate; le setae (Figs 1B, D; 5D, F), shape and dentitions size, little variation between specimens (Fig. 1B, D). Simple; c 1, c 2, epimeric, genital, aggenital and adanal seta (Figs 1A; 2A, B; 3A); c 1 and c 2 largest, with rounded tip. Spiniform; anal setae (Fig. 5E).
Prodorsum
Polyhedral, rounded apically (Figs 1 A-D; 2 A). Convex in lateral view (Figs 3A; 4A, B); e.i.p slightly elevated, complete (Figs 3A; 4A); n.a.d reaching posterior zone of e.i.p.; posterior prodorsal zone depressed (Figs 1A; 2A). Three pairs of setae; size in>le>ro; ro setae, inserted slightly antiaxially to medial plane; directed medially and converging; touching each other apically (Fig. 1A, B, C); in setae inserted near l.l.f (Fig. 1A, B, C, D); le setae laterally (Figs 1B, D; 3A; 4A; 5F). Rostral anterior margin rounded; laterally, genal incision (d.ge), rounded, clearly visible (Figs 1B, D; 4B, D). Lamellae running dorsolaterally; dorsal furrow (l.l.f) (Figs 1A, B, C, D; 2A; 3A; 4A, B) demarcating inner paraxial margin; l.l.f terminating in the internal zone of conspicuous lamellar apex (la.ti) (Figs 1B, C; 3A); in frontal view (Fig. 4D) l.l.f appearing as a slightly darker cuticular thickening, visible on surface as shallow furrow. The la.ti robust, round tipped structure (Figs 1A, B, C; 2A; 3A). Bothridial opening laterally (Figs 3A, C; 4A). Sensillus more or less clavate (Fig. 3C), barbate; posterior zone smooth and anterior zone barbate causing toothbrush-like appearance (Fig. 3D).
Situated slightly in front of ro setae insertions, at the same level, superior cornea of naso (CSO) clearly visible (Figs 1B, C; 4D) as smooth rounded structure (dorsal view) and convex (in lateral view). Circumgastric furrow easily discernible, situated between la, lm, lp, h 2, h 1 and h 3, p 1, p 2, p 3 setae (Figs 2A; 3A).
Notogaster
Shape; oval, with prominent polyhedral humeral process(Figs 1A; 2A); in lateral view, anterior clearly depressed and rest convex (Figs 3A; 4A); d.sj narrow, rectilinear, hardly discernible; notogastral anterior depression (n.a.d) ovoid, deep, slightly exceeding d.sj extending to e.i.p (Fig. 3A). Middle posterior zone of n.a.d, rectilinear; laterally curving, following the shape of h.ap (Fig. 2A).
Circumgastric furrow (s.c) present, hardly discernible (Figs 1A; 3A; 5A), almost always covered by cerotegument; without cerotegument, furrow well discernible, situated between la, lm, h 2, h 1 and p 1, p 2, p 3, h 3, setal insertion (Fig. 2A).
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); c 1, c 2 extending forward, exceeding d.sj by quite a bit (Figs 1A; 2A; 3A), inserted on flat little elevated protuberance. Lyrifissures, only im, ih, ip well visible (Figs 4 A-C).
Lateral region
Prodorsum; e.i.p slightly elevated. Seta in clearly visible, outwards directed (Figs 3A; 4A); Lam easily discernible, terminating in conspicuous la.ti extending to le setae insertion (Figs 1B; 3A; 4D); tu rod-like curved cuticular thickening (Fig. 5D); s.tu.d deep (Figs 1B, D; 3A; 5D), pocket depression (a.tu.d) in anterior position, on both sides of tu (Figs 4B; 5D); rounded pocket depression posteriorly below tu, (p.tu.d) (Fig. 5D). Anterior; h.ap rounded tip, penetrating posterior bothridial zone (Figs 1E; 3A). Excavated V-shaped depression on h.ap clearly visible (Fig. 3C, indicated by double arrow). Setae c 1, c 2, easily visible; tips extending slightly posterior to level of insertion of seta in (Figs 1A; 2A; 3A; 4A); small flat elevated protuberance situated posterior c setae; s.c easily discernible (Figs 1A; 3A) Lyrifissures hardly discernible; only im, ih clearly visible (Fig. 4A). One depression (dep) discernible posterior leg IV.
Posterior view (Figs 4C, 5A)
Setae; da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h 1, h 2 directing medially; p 1, p 2, p 3, h 3, directed posteriorly and ventrally. Furrow of circumgastric depression (s.c) clearly visible. Lyrifissure ip easily discernible between p 2 and p 3.
Ventral region (Figs 2B, 3B)
SEM observation; epimera hardly visible due to presence of cerotegumental layer (Fig. 3B). Optical observation (Fig. 2B); thin furrow separating epimera 1, 2 and 3; 3 and 4 fused; apo 1, apo 2, apo.sj and apo 3 easily discernible. Epimeral chaetotaxy 3-1-3-3. Discidum (dis) triangular, rounded expanded apex. In front of genital plate a.g.f conspicuous furrow, well delimited. Aggenital setae absent; four pairs of genital setae. Three pairs of adanal seta. Two pairs of anal setae; anal plate terminating in long sharp tip (Fig. 5E). Lyrifissures iad easily discernible, situated lateral and anterior ad 3 setae. Only one rounded depression clearly discernible posterior acetabulatum IV.
REMARKS
In this species all elements of the “protection mechanism” are present, as in Bovicarabodes (Fernandez et al. 2013a), but the anterior part of h.ap penetrates deeply into the posterior part of bothridium.
description: Published as part of Fernandez, Nestor, Theron, Pieter, Rollard, Christine & Tiedt, Louvrens, 2013, Family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) V. The genus Congocepheus Balogh, 1958 (second part), with a redescription of Congocepheus involutus Mahunka, 1997, and descriptions of two new species, pp. 551-579 in Zoosystema 35 (4) on pages 553-560, DOI: 10.5252/z2013n4a8, http://zenodo.org/record/5165391