Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis, Hugo, Elizabeth A., 2008

Austrocarabodes vernoncrookensis View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 4–5 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5

Specific diagnosis. Small, light brown to yellowish species; sensillus with long, slender peduncle, head strongly recurving, surface distinctly spinose; notogastral and prodorsal setae long, narrow, phylliform, strongly serrated; surface of prodorsum and notogaster finely foveate, punctate between foveae; setae 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a short, smooth, setae 1b, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c long, smooth.

Dimensions. Length: Females (n = 13) 627 µm (range 560–710), males (n = 16) 549 µm (range 510–630). Width: Females 346 µm (range 300–400), males 306 µm (range 270–360). Holotype (male): Length 530 µm, width 300 µm.

Prodorsum ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 A). Surface finely foveate, punctate between foveae, foveae not clearly visible; surface of lamellae smooth; rostrum rounded, ro curving slightly medially, inserted on tubercle on translamella, with strong midrib and minute barbs, apex pointed, same length as le; le with midrib, apex pointed, its anterior margin serrated; in with strong midrib, edges strongly serrated, directed outwards, longest of prodorsal setae, shorter than mutual distance; ss with long, slender peduncle, head strongly recurving back to peduncle, surface distinctly spinose; bothridium internally with strong vertical ribs.

Notogaster ( Figs 4 View FIGURE 4 A, 4B). Surface finely foveate, punctate between foveae, similar to structure on prodorsum; humeral region strongly developed; notogastral setae long, narrow with midrib, strongly serrated, tips pointed ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 B); seta c1 almost reaching alveolus of da, seta da and dm far apart, distance c1-c1 shorter than c1-c2.

Coxisternal region ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C). Epimeral surface and mentum finely punctate; punctation on mentum finer than on epimeres; setae 1a, 1c, 2a, 3a short, smooth; setae 1b, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c smooth, long; seta 1b longest, 4a shortest.

Anogenital region ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 C). Surface foveate, finely punctate between foveae, similar to structure on notogaster, although foveae more clearly visible; genital and anal plates very finely punctate; genital and anal setae short, spiniform; aggenital seta slender, long, smooth; adanal setae thin phylliform, finely serrated, similar to notogastral setae, but much smaller.

Legs ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Setation of legs I–IV (solenidia in parentheses) (including famulus): trochanters 1-1-2-1, femora 4-4-3-2, genua 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2, tibiae 4(2)-3(1)-2(1)-2(1), tarsi 16(2)-15(2)-15-11 (see Table 1 View TABLE 1 for setation detail); setae ( u) proximally dilated, tapering abruptly into short, slender tip; seta d on genu of legs I- IV bladelike, strongly serrated; seta l” on femur of legs I-III bladelike, strongly serrated.

Material. The holotype (3480.11.1) and paratypes are deposited in the National Museum, Bloemfontein. The holotype and paratypes were sampled in the Savanna biome ( Rutherford et al. 2006), at Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in soil and leaf debris under shrubs ( 30º22’S, 30º35’E).

Collection data. Savanna biome: Greytown ( 29º03’S, 30º55’E, moss under trees next to the road), Kranskop/Stanger ( 29º05’S, 31º06E; 29º24’S, 31º06’E; 29º24’S, 31º17’E, soil with decomposed grass and leaves), Inchanga ( 29º34’S, 30º34’E, soil with ferns under trees), Hillcrest ( 29º39’S, 30º37’E, soil with ferns). Grassland biome: The Downs ( 24º06’S, 30º08’E, soil with decomposed leaves in indigenous forest), Ladysmith ( 33º22’S, 21º36’E, decomposed leaves under shrubs), Sabie ( 25º06’S, 30º53’E, soil in dense indigenous forest), Mtubatuba ( 28º24’S, 32º09’E, soil underneath Acacia karoo trees). Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome: Penicvik ( 28º35’S, 32º08’E, soil of coastal forest) Lower Umfolosi flats ( 28º31’S, 32º19’E, soil of coastal forest), Port Shepstone ( 30º42’S, 30º14’E, soil with plant debris). Fynbos biome: Betty’s Bay ( 34º21’S, 18º55’E, decomposed plant debris under shrubs). For distribution see map ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality – Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.

Remarks. Other species with similar ornamentation on the prodorsum and notogaster as A. vernoncrookensis , as well as phylliform setae include A. maculatus Hammer, 1966 ( New Zealand), A. nodosus Hammer, 1966 ( New Zealand); A. obscurus Aoki, 2006 ( Japan) ; A. curvisetiger Aoki, 1982 ( Japan) and A. schauenbergi Mahunka, 1978 ( Reunion) . However, none of these species have the strongly serrated phylliform notogastral and prodorsal setae as seen in A. vernoncrookensis .