Aleurodamaeus minutus, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Sarcoptiformes
Aleurodamaeidae
Aleurodamaeus
Aleurodamaeus minutus

description: Aleurodamaeus minutus sp. nov.   
(Figs 8 C, 11)  
 Specific diagnosis. Aleurodamaeus minutus sp. nov. is the smallest of all described Aleurodamaeus species. This species has a discidium, and short notogastral setae h1 and p1, which are recurving distally, seta h1 slightly longer than p1.   
 Measurements. Length: females (n = 4) mean 338 (range 325–355), males (n = 6) mean 328 (range 319–337). Width: females mean 179 (range 174–184), males mean 163 (range 157–166). Holotype (female): length 367, width 185.   
 Integument (Figs 8 C, 11A, B). Prodorsum, notogaster and legs covered with cerotegumental granules of various sizes, large masses of cerotegument on body absent, setae and sensillus densely covered with granules, sensillus with spine-like cerotegument; body surface smooth, exuvial scalp present on two paratypes.   
 Prodorsum (Fig. 11 A, D). Rostrum rounded in dorsal view, slightly projecting forward in lateral view; ro (55) and le (49) thick, smooth, ro inserted ventrally to le almost in the same line; in (6) spiniform, thickened; ex (19) thicker than notogastral setae, inserted anterio-laterally to bothridium; le, in, ex on distinct tubercles; ss (87) slender, smooth; distinct internal apophyses present between the interlamellar and lamellar regions, in the form of parentheses “((” and backward slashes “\\”.   
 Notogaster (Fig. 11 A, C, D). Convex in lateral view; anteriorly a slight furrow present (only seen in lateral view); lyrrifissures im, ip, ih and ips present, similar length (5), ia could not be observed; four pairs of thin, smooth, notogastral setae on posterior edge, setae not twisted, only recurving at the tip, h1 (40) longest, p1 shorter (27), p2, p3 shortest (11), barely visible in dorsal view; distinct discidium present between insertion of leg III and IV.   
 Gnathosoma. Subcapitulum longer than wide; hypostomal setae a, m and h with small barbs; chelicera and palp similar to A. vicinus sp. nov. (Fig. 6 E, F).   
 Epimeral region (Fig. 11 B). Sejugal apodeme, apodeme 4 well developed, other apodemes shorter; number of setae on epimeres (from I to IV) 3-1-3-3, all epimeral setae very thin, smooth, setae 1b, 1c, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c longer (18-25) than 1a, 2a, 3a (7-11); Sp present.   
 Anogenital region (Fig. 11 B). All setae smooth, genital setae spiniform, almost in a straight line, g1 slightly longer (9) than the other setae (7); an spiniform, an1 (20) slightly longer than an2 (16); ad, ag similar to epimeral setae, ad2 (16) longer than ad3 (11), ag (16) inserted laterally to genital plates.   
 Legs (Fig. 8 C). Leg IV (298)> leg I (245)> leg III (218)> leg II (197); claws of leg I smallest, become progressively larger to leg IV; legs similar to A. salvadordalii sp. nov. (Table 1, Fig. 3 A–D) except setae on tarsi, tibiae and genua with small barbs; setae on trochanters of medium length.   
 Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin word ‘minutus’ meaning ‘small’ and refers to the small size of the individuals of this species.   
 Type material and collection data. The holotype and 10 paratypes were sampled in the Fynbos biome in the Western Cape, Wilderness National Park (34º00’S, 22º41’E) in a forest by L. Grobler on 27.ii.2005. The holotype (NMB 4206.25.1) and six paratypes (NMB 4206.25) are deposited in the Acarology collection of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Four paratypes are deposited in the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe, Germany (SMNK-ORIB 0499).   
 Aleurodamaeus minutus sp. nov. is scarce and was only found in three places (including the type locality) in the southern regions of South Africa. Other localities: Albany Thicket biome: near Patterson EC (33º21’S 25º57’E, slightly moist soil and decomposed leaf litter under dense indigenous shrubs); Fynbos biome: between Sedgefield and Karatara WC (33º58’S, 22º49’E, in dense wooded vegetation on the edge of the forest). For distribution of A. minutus sp. nov. see Fig. 10, indicated by filled eclipses.
description: Published as part of Hugo-Coetzee, Elizabeth A., 2013, New species of Aleurodamaeus Grandjean, 1954 (Oribatida: Aleurodamaeidae) from South Africa, pp. 531-556 in Zootaxa 3670 (4) on pages 547-549, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3670.4.7, http://zenodo.org/record/217577