Quartusmichaelia lanceolata, Uusitalo, 2025

Quartusmichaelia lanceolata sp. nov.

( Figs. 31A–E, 32A–E)

Laminamichaelia sp.2 .— Vázquez-Rojas et al. 2016: 21.

Description. Dorsum (n= 1 female, Fig. 31A, B). Length 500 µm; primary pattern comprising rosettes of subpolygonal cells around a seta, lamellae of secondary pattern almost equal in size, ca. 150 dorsal lanceolate setae, a seta resembling a hair brush with a short handle, consisting of setules or bristles set into a block on upper side, a few densely ciliate setae among them on E-segment’s midline; on prodorsum: four lanceolate setae in sublinear row along lateral margin of soft integument on both sides of fingertip-like naso; crista eminent with sidelines and reticulation; sensilla ve fork-like; one pair of ciliated setae in on sclerotised integument.

Venter ( Figs. 31E, 32E). Setae sparsely ciliated; 7–8 genital setae per valve; 5 anal setae per valve.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 31C, D). Chelate chelicera elongated into stylet-like elements; 4 pairs of ciliate setae on subcapitulum; medially constricted palpal solenidion in contact with 2 eupathidia.

Legs ( Fig. 32A–D). Solenidial formula for tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora on legs I, II, III and IV, respectively: 2B-2B-0-0, 2B1P-2B2P-2B-1B, 5P-1B1P-1P-1P, 2P-1B-0-0, ω1 and ω2 on tarsus I bent adaxially, φ1 on tibia I bent abaxially, abaxial famulus I ventrodistal.

Type material. Holotype female (on slide) from litter (hojarasca), medium to high-sized forest (selva mediana alta), JBPM ( Jardin Botánico de Puerto Morelos), 20°50’49,5’’N 86°54’02,8’’W, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, 18 September 2014, María Magdalena Vázquez. GoogleMaps

Additional material. 1 female from litter (hojarasca), Islet Canche Balam, Espiritu Santo Bay ( Islote Cance Balam , Bahia Espiritu Santo ), Sian Ka’an , Quintana Roo , Mexico, 25 June 1993, José L. Range. Both the holotype and 1 adult are deposited in the LAAH (Laboratorio de Acarología ” Anita Hoffmann ”), Faculty of Sciences at UNAM ( Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México), Mexico City .

Differential diagnosis. Quartusmichaelia lanceolata sp. nov. can be differentiated from Q. setigera by having fewer ciliate setae on the shoulders and dorsal midline, fewer lanceolate setae on the prodorsum, and the lanceolate setae having many short barbs instead of scales on upper side; sensilla ve are forked; setae in ciliated; solenidion ω1 is bent adaxially; a piliform solenidion on genu III; and a few lanceolate setae also on legs III and IV. In comparison to Q. plumata sp. nov. (see below), the lanceolate setae with scales are broad and with a clear central shaft; sensilla ve have a grooved stalk and a distal bunch of scales; piliform solenidia are absent on tibia I and II; and lanceolate setae are on all legs.

Etymology. The species name is a feminine gender of the Latin word lanceolatus and refers to the lanceolate forms of dorsal setae.