Neophyllobius ornatus Womersley 1940

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

Neophyllobius ornatus Womersley, 1940 Neophyllobius ornatus Womersley, 1940: 248; Bolland, 1991: 219. The status of this species remains unresolved. Dr. David Hirst, Collection manager of Department of Invertebrates of SAM, and the senior author checked the Acari collection but found the type was lost, as stated by Bolland (1991). According to Womersley’s (1940) original description and illustration, this mite is reddish in life, 250 long and 175 wide. Setae on palp (from trochanter to tarsus): 0, 2, 2, 2 + 1claw, 2 + 2 eupathidia (solenidion was not shown). Dorsal idiosomal setae 54 long, on small papillae, ciliated, coarse, curved, and pointed [h2 were not shown]. Legs longer than body, length: I 445, II 391, III 391, IV 432. Setae on genua whip­like, lengths: I 148, II 148, III 175, IV 175. Based on Womersley’s illustration this mite has the following numbers of setae on leg segments (Table 2). It is obvious that he had missed some setae. Bolland (1991) guessed the number as: trochanters 1, 1, 1, 1, femora, 4, 2?, 2?, 1?, genua 1, 1, 1, 1, tibiae?, 8, 8, 7, tarsi (midventral) 2, 2, 2, 2. Setal numbers of leg segments shown in Womersley’s Figure 7 are listed in Table 2. Counts of setae and solenidia on legs I–IV: coxae 1a + 2, 1,?,? (originally described as 1, 1, 1, 1); trochanters 1, 1, 1, 1; femora 4?, 2?, 2?, 1?; genua 1 + 1, 1 + 1, 1, 1; tibiae 9? + 1, 8 + 1, 8 + 1, 7 + 1; tarsi 10? + 1, 10? + 1, 8?, 8?. Material examined Holotype, adult male, from soil under rocks, 12°50'S, 132°52'E, Gubara Walk, Baroalba Gorge, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia, coll. D.E. Walter & H.C. Proctor, 13 May 1996. In QM. Diagnosis Adult male. Peritremes with 2 loops; palptarsus with 2 + 2 eupathidia + 1; pdx absent; idiosomal setae palmate or bud­like, sci, sce, c1, d1, d2, e1, f1 and h1 much shorter than others; c1: c2 = 0.5, d1: d2 = 0.6, e1: e2 = 0.6, c1: d1: e1: f1 = 1.3: 1.0: 1.4: 1.3; femora (I–IV) with 4, 3, 2, 1; setae on genua clavate, ratio I: II: III: IV= 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0; tibia I with an additional long apical solenidion and each tarsus with an enlarged and elongate solenidion. 47; counts of setae and solenidia from trochanter to tarsus: 0, 2, 1, 3 + 1 claw, 2 + 2 eupathidia + 1 solenidion (). Subcapitular setae m 18, distance m–m, 8. Idiosoma. Nearly circular in shape, 227 long, 205 wide. Prodorsum bearing 1 pair of eyes, 7 in diameter, 1 pair of postocular bodies, 13 in diameter, and 5 pairs of palmate or bud­like setae, vi, ve, c2, e2 and f2 obviously larger than others, vi 20, ve 19, sci 12, sce 12, pdx absent; ratio vi: ve = 1.1; distances: vi– vi 32, vi–ve 16, ve–sci 40, sci–sce 40. Hysterosoma bearing 10 pairs of setae, ratios c1: c2 = 0.5, d1: d2 = 0.6, e1: e2 = 0.6, c1: d1: e1: f1 = 1.3: 1.0: 1.4: 1.3; lengths: c1 10, c2 20, d1 8, d2 14, e1 11, e2 18, f1 10, f2 18, h1 5, h2 10; distances: c1–c1 12, c1–c2 80, c1–d1 42, d1–d2 50, d1– e 1 25, e1– e 1 15, e1– e 2 52, e1–f1 20, f1–f1 10, f1–f2 43, f1–h1 27, h1–h2 15. Venter with 3 pairs of setae, 1a 18, 3 a 23, 4 a 15; coxal setae 1c 1.7x of 1b, 1b 11, 1 c 19. Genito­anal valves with 4 pairs of setae, g 9, ps3 8, ps2 8, ps1 9. Legs. Length (from base of trochanter to tip of tarsus): leg I 428, leg II 353, leg III 372, leg IV 421. Setae on genua clavate, subequal, length: I 22, II 20, III 20, IV 20, ratio I: II: III: IV= 1.1: 1.0: 1.0: 1.0. Tibiae I with 2 solenidia, I 1 18, I 2 25; tibiae II–IV each with 1 solenidion: II 25, III 7, IV 7; ratio I 2: I 1 = 1.4, I 2: II = 1.0. Tarsi I–IV each with 1 enlarged and elongate solenidia: I 34, II 35, III 33, IV 34. Counts of setae and solenidia on legs I–IV: coxae 1a + 2, 1, 2, 2; trochanters 1, 1, 1, 1; femora 4, 3, 2, 1; genua 1 + 1, 1 + 1, 1, 1; tibiae 9 + 2, 8 + 1, 8 + 1, 7 + 1; tarsi 10 + 1, 10 + 1, 7 + 1, 7 + 1. ADULT FEMALE. Unknown. Remarks This species is unique in having 2 loops of peritremes. Some dorsal setal pairs are not symmetrical: sci at the left hand side, and d1 and h1 at the right hand side are missing. Etymology The specific name comes from the Latin word “variegatus”, meaning variously marked, in reference to the irregular pattern of the dorsal idiosomal setation.