Introduction

At present, the oribatid mite fauna (Acari, Oribatida) of Côte d’Ivoire is almost unknown. Only one species, Phyllochthonius aoutii Travé, 1967 was described and registered from this country (Trave 1967). Our work is based on material collected from the Oumé region in 2007. The primary goal of this paper is to present a list of the identified taxa.

During taxonomic identification, we found one new species of the genus Arcoppia Hammer, 1977 (Oppiidae). The secondary goal of the paper is to describe this new species.

Arcoppia was proposed by Hammer (1977) with Arcoppia brachyramosa Hammer, 1977 as type species. The genus comprises 58 species and nine subspecies, which are distributed in the tropics and subtropics (Subías 2004, online version 2018). The generic characters were summarized by Hammer (1977) and Rodríguez and Subías (1984). Identification keys to selective species of Arcoppia were given by Rodríguez and Subías (1984), Balogh and Balogh (1986, 2002) and Sanyal et al. (2000).

Material and methods

Material

Material was collected by Julien K. N’Dri, precisely in the middle of village of Goulikao of the Oumé region of mid-West Côte d’Ivoire from two localities:

#1: 6°31’N, 5°30’W, 200 m a.s.l., primary forest, ferralitic soil, June 2007 (rainy season).

#2: 6°31’N, 5°30’W, 199 m a.s.l., 3–5 year old fallow dominated by Chromolaena odorata (Asteraceae), ferralitic soil, September 2007 (rainy season).

Methods

Soil samples were collected with a steel corer (5 cm diameter) at two extreme layers (0–5 cm and 35–40 cm). Soil mites were extracted with Berlese’s funnels using electric lamp (25 W) over the course of 7–10 days in the laboratory.

Specimens were mounted in lactic acid on temporary cavity slides for measurement and illustration. Body length was measured in lateral view, from the tip of the rostrum to the posterior edge of the ventral plate. Notogastral width refers to the maximum width of the notogaster. Lengths of body setae were measured in lateral aspect. All body measurements are presented in micrometers. Formulas for leg setation are given in parentheses according to the sequence trochanter–femur–genu–tibia–tarsus (famulus included). Formulas for leg solenidia are given in square brackets according to the sequence genu–tibia–tarsus.

Drawings were made with a camera lucida using a Leica transmission light microscope “Leica DM 2500”.

Morphological terminology used in this paper follows that of F. Grandjean: see Travé and Vachon (1975) for references, Norton (1977) for leg setal nomenclature, and Norton and Behan-Pelletier (2009), for overview.

The following abbreviations are used: cos – costula; r – prodorsal lateral ridge; ro, le, in, bs, ex – rostral, lamellar, interlamellar, bothridial and exobothridial setae, respectively; c, la, lm, lp, h, p – notogastral setae; ia, im, ip, ih, ips – notogastral lyrifissures; gla – opisthonotal gland opening; h, m, a – subcapitular setae; or – adoral seta; v, l, d, cm, acm, ul, sul, vt, lt – palp setae; ω – palp and leg solenidion; cha, chb – cheliceral setae; Tg – Trägårdh’s organ; Pd I – pedotectum I; 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c – epimeral setae; dis – discidium; g, ag, an, ad – genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae, respectively; iad – adanal lyrifissure; p.o. – preanal organ; σ, φ – leg solenidia; ɛ – leg famulus; v, ev, bv, l, d, ft, tc, it, p, u, a, s, pv, pl – leg setae.

The following abbreviations of collections are used: SMNH – Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, Görlitz, Germany; TSUMZ – Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology, Tyumen, Russia.

List of identified taxa

Distribution: mostly from Subías (2004, updated 2018). All species (except holotype of the new species) are deposited in TSUMZ.

Hypochthoniidae

Eohypochthonius vilhenarum (Balogh, 1958). Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region, India.

Epilohmanniidae

Epilohmannia minuta Berlese, 1920. Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions.

Epilohmannia (Neoepilohmannia) neotricha Wallwork, 1962. Locality: 1 (2 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Lohmanniidae

Javacarus jocelynae Judson, 1991. Locality: 1 (12 ex.). Distribution: Cameroon.

Meristacarus africanus Balogh, 1958. Locality: 2 (6 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Trhypochthoniidae

Allonothrus monodactylus Wallwork, 1960. Locality: 1 (5 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian and Oriental regions, Venezuela.

Allonothrus (pseudonothrus) hirtus (Balogh, 1958). Locality: 1 (15 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Archegozetes magnus (Sellnick, 1925). Locality: 1 (26 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions.

Malaconothridae

Tyrphonothrus heterotrichus (Mahunka, 1992). Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Senegal.

Nanhermanniidae

Bicyrthermannia nigeriana Badejo, Woas & Beck, 2002. Localities: 1 (4 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Cyrthermannia tuberculata Balogh, 1958. Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region, eastern Mediterranean, Java.

Masthermannia extrema (Balogh, 1958). Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Neoliodidae

Neoliodes terrestris (Wallwork, 1963). Locality: 1 (9 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian, Neotropical, Oriental and southern Palaearctic regions.

Teleioliodes ghanensis Wallwork, 1963. Localities: 1 (14 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions.

Plateremaeidae

Paralopheremaeus legendrei (Balogh, 1962). Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region, Ceylon.

Aleurodamaeidae

Aleurodamaeus africanus Mahunka, 1984. Locality: 2 (2 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Otocepheidae

Dolicheremaeus borbolai Mahunka & Mahunka-Papp, 2009. Localities: 1 (3 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Kenya.

Dolicheremaeus giganticus (Wallwork, 1962). Localities: 1 (13 ex.), 2 (12 ex.). Distribution: Ghana.

Dolicheremaeus hirsutus (Wallwork, 1962). Locality: 1 (14 ex.). Distribution: Ghana.

Basilobelbidae

Basilobelba retiaria (Warburton, 1912). Localities: 1 (9 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions, Japan.

Machadobelbidae

Machadobelba symmetrica Balogh, 1958. Localities: 1 (10 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region, India.

Oppiidae

Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n. Locality: 1 (4 ex.). Distribution: Côte d’Ivoire.

Lasiobelba gibbosa (Mahunka, 1985). Locality: 1 (20 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Neoamerioppia africana (Kok, 1967). Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian and Subantarctic regions.

Oppiella nova (Oudemans, 1902). Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Ramusella hainardorum (Mahunka, 1992). Locality: 1 (3 ex.). Distribution: Senegal.

Tectoppia nigricans Wallwork, 1961. Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ghana, Ecuador.

Granuloppiidae

Granuloppia conflata Mahunka, 1974. Locality: 1 (20 ex.). Distribution: Cameroon.

Granuloppia kamerunensis Mahunka, 1974. Localities: 1 (14 ex.), 2 (4 ex.). Distribution: Cameroon, Vietnam.

Papillonotidae

Papillonotus maculatus Wallwork, 1961. Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ghana.

Rhynchoribatidae

Eurhynchoribates robinsoni (Balogh, 1962). Localities: 1 (7 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Madagascar.

Gustaviidae

Gustavia aethiopica Mahunka, 1982. Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Eremulidae

Eremulus avenifer Berlese, 1913. Locality: 1 (3 ex.). Distribution: Palearctic, Oriental and Ethiopian regions, Polynesia.

Eremulus southafricanensis Ermilov & Hugo-Coetzee, 2012. Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Damaeolidae

Fosseremus laciniatus (Berlese, 1905). Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Carabodidae

Congocepheus heterotrichus Balogh, 1958. Locality: 2 (8 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Kalloia simpliseta Mahunka, 1985. Locality: 1 (12 ex.). Distribution: Neotropical region.

Machadocepheus leoneae Fernández, Theron, Rollard & Leiva, 2014. Locality: 1 (4 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Tectocepheidae

Tegeozetes tunicatus Berlese, 1913. Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions, Europe.

Microzetidae

Berlesezetes ornatissimus (Berlese, 1913). Locality: 1 (1 ex.). Distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Caloppiidae

Zetorchella sp. Localities: 1 (10 ex.), 2 (1 ex.).

Punctoribatidae

Allozetes africanus Balogh, 1958. Locality: 1 (3 ex.). Distribution: Paleotropical region.

Lamellobates molecula (Berlese, 1916). Locality: 1 (4 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions.

Drymobatidae

Drymobatoides insignis (Balogh, 1962). Locality: 1 (3 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Mochlozetidae

Gephyrazetes sp. Locality: 1 (8 ex.).

Haplozetidae

Magyaria annobonica Pérez-Íñigo, 1982. Localities: 1 (9 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Magyaria ornata Balogh, 1963. Locality: 1 (8 ex.). Distribution: Congo.

Protoribates aethiopicus Ermilov & Rybalov, 2013. Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopia.

Protoribates paracapucinus (Mahunka, 1988). Localities: 1 (1 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Semicosmopolitan.

Protoribates punctatus (Grobler, 1991). Locality: 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: South Africa, India.

Rostrozetes ovulum (Berlese, 1908). Localities: 1 (3 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Tropical and Subtropical regions.

Scheloribatidae

Scheloribates latoincisus Hammer, 1973. Locality: 1 (3 ex.). Distribution: Polynesia, Oriental region, Galapagos Islands.

Scheloribates praeincisus (Berlese, 1910). Localities: 1 (17 ex.), 2 (11 ex.). Distribution: Tropical, Subtropical and Holarctic regions.

Scheloribates sp. Locality: 1 (4 ex.).

Similobates sp. Localities: 1 (31 ex.), 2 (7 ex.).

Tuberemaeus areolatus Balogh & Mahunka, 1967. Localities: 1 (7 ex.), 2 (1 ex.).Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Parakalummidae

Neoribates (Perezinigokalumma) afrum (Pérez-Íñigo, 1969). Locality: 1 (2 ex.). Distribution: Equatorial Guinea.

Galumnidae

Allogalumna vojnitsi Mahunka, 1993. Locality: 1 (2 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Pergalumna frater Balogh, 1960. Locality: 2 (6 ex.). Distribution: Congo, Japan.

Pergalumna grebennikovi Ermilov & Starý, 2018. Locality: 2 (7 ex.). Distribution: Cameroon.

Pergalumna jenoi Ermilov & Starý, 2018. Localities: 1 (18 ex.), 2 (11 ex.). Distribution: Cameroon.

Pergalumna longisetosa Balogh, 1960. Locality: 1 (12 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian, Neotropical and Oriental regions.

Pergalumna nasifera Mahunka, 2011. Localities: 1 (6 ex.), 2 (1 ex.). Distribution: Madagascar.

Pergalumna paraelongata Ermilov & Anichkin, 2012. Locality: 1 (14 ex.). Distribution: Vietnam.

Pergalumna tanzanica Mahunka, 1984. Locality: 2 (3 ex.). Distribution: Tanzania.

Pilizetes dudichi Balogh, 1966. Localities: 1 (21 ex.), 2 (6 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

Galumnellidae

Galumnella apiculata Mahunka, 1992. Localities: 1 (25 ex.), 2 (8 ex.). Distribution: Ethiopian region.

The list of identified oribatid mites includes 67 species from 50 genera and 31 families. All taxa are registered in Côte d’Ivoire for the first time. Three species (Kalloia simpliseta, Scheloribates latoincisus, Pergalumna paraelongata) are recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time.

Description of new species

Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n. (Figs 1–11).

Diagnosis. Body size: 448–481 × 232–249. Rostrum tridentate, median tooth trapezoid, lateral teeth narrowly triangular. Costulae short, poorly visible. Transcostula absent. Rostral, lamellar and interlamellar setae setifrom, barbed; le shortest and thinnest, in longest and thickest. Bothridial setae with well-developed head, having three barbed branches of different length and thickness. Notogaster with ten pairs of setifrom, barbed setae; c short, thin, other setae thicker, long. Epimeral and anogenital (except smooth genital setae) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Trochanters III with posterior tooth.

Description. Measurements. Body length: 448 (holotype, male), 448–481 (three paratypes, three males); notogaster width: 232 (holotype), 232–249 (three paratypes).

Integument (Figs 1, 3). Body color light brown. Body surface smooth, lateral parts of body between bothridia and acetabula I–III tuberculate (diameter of tubercles up to 4).

Prodorsum (Figs 1, 3). Rostrum tridentate, incisions very narrow, median tooth trapezoid, lateral teeth narrowly triangular. Costulae short, not reaching bothridia, slightly developed. Transcostula absent. Lateral ridges distinct, semi-oval. Rostral (41–45), lamellar (24–28) and interlamellar (69–73) setae setifrom, barbed; le thinnest, in thickest. Exobothridial setae (16–20) setae setiform, thin, slightly barbed. Bothridial setae (82–86) with long stalk and short, fusiform head, having three barbed branches of different length and thickness. Postbothridial tubercles, longitudinal rows of muscle sigillae anteriad to bothridia and two pairs of interbothridial muscle sigillae poorly visible.

Notogaster (Figs 1, 3, 4). Ten pairs of setifrom setae present, located on small tubercles; c short (28–32), thin, slightly barbed, other setae long (69–77), thicker than c, barbed. All lyrifissures distinct; ia located posterolateral and close to c, im anterolateral and close to h3, ip between p1 and p2, ih and ips in lateral positions close to circumgastric furrow. Opisthonotal gland openings located posterolateral to h3.

Gnathosoma (Figs 5–7). Subcapitulum longer than wide: 94–102 × 61–69. Three pairs of subcapitular setae setiform, slightly barbed; h (20) and m (20) longer than a (12). Two pairs of adoral setae (6) thin, erect, smooth. Length of palps: 53–61. Palpal setation: 0–2–1–3–9(+ω). Solenidion (2/3 length of palptarsi) bacilliform, pressed to the palptarsi surface. Postpalpal setae (4) spiniform, smooth. Length of chelicerae: 94–102. Cheliceral setae setiform, barbed; cha (28–32) longer than chb (16–20). Trägårdh’s organ of chelicerae narrowly triangular, rounded distally.

Epimeral and lateral podosomal regions (Figs 2, 3). Epimeral setal formula: 3–1–3–3. Setae setiform, slightly barbed; 3c (28–36) located on small tubercles, longer than others (20). Discidia elongate triangular.

Anogenital region (Figs 2–4). Six pairs of genital setae (8) located in one longitudinal row on each genital plate, thin, smooth. One pair of aggenital (24–32), three pairs of adanal (28–36) and two pairs of anal (20) setae setiform, slightly barbed. Adanal lyrifissures distinct, located parallel and close to anal plates.

Legs (Figs 8–11). Claw of each leg smooth. Femora with indistinct porose areas ventrally. Trochanters III with strong, curved posterior tooth. Formulas of leg setation and solenidia: I (1–5–2–4–20) [1–2–2], II (1–5–2–4–16) [1–1–2], III (2–3–1–3–15) [1–1–0], IV (1–2–2–3–12) [0–1–0]; homology of setae and solenidia indicated in Table 1. Setae p setiform on tarsi I, and very short, conical on tarsi II–IV. Famulus of tarsi I short, erect, blunted inserted between ω1 and ft”.

Figs 1–2
figure 1

Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n., adult. 1 Dorsal view (legs except trochanters I–III not shown) 2 Ventral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown)

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Table 1 Leg setation and solenidia of adult Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n
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Figs 3–7
figure 2

Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n., adult. 3 Anterior part of body, lateral view (gnathosoma and legs not shown) 4 Posterior part of body, lateral view 5 Subcapitulum, ventral view 6 Palp, right, antiaxial view 7 Chelicera, right, antiaxial view

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Figs 8–11
figure 3

Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n., adult. 8 Leg I, right, antiaxial view 9 Trochanter, femur and genu of leg II, right, antiaxial view 10 Trochanter, femur and genu of leg III, left, antiaxial view 11 Leg IV, left, antiaxial view

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Material examined. Holotype (male) and three paratypes (all males): Côte d’Ivoire, Oumé region, precisely in the middle of village of Goulikao, 6°31’N, 5°30’W, 200 m a.s.l., primary forest, ferralitic soil, June 2007 (rainy season), collected by Julien K.N’Dri.

Type deposition. The holotype (in ethanol with drop of glycerol) is deposited in the collection of SMNH. Three paratypes (all in ethanol with drop of glycerol) are deposited in the collection of TSUMZ.

Etymology. The specific name goulikaoensis refers to the village of Goulikao (Oumé region, Côte d’Ivoire), where the type material was collected.

Remarks. Arcoppia goulikaoensis Ermilov sp. n. is morphologically most similar to Arcoppia robusta Mahunka, 1988 (Mahunka 1988)  from the Oriental region in having bothridial setae with three branches of different length, lamellar setae shorter than rostral and interlamellar setae, long and barbed notogastral setae, and the absence of transcostula. However, the new species differs from the latter by the well-developed bothridial heads (versus not developed), barbed branches on the bothridial setae (versus smooth) and smooth notogaster surface (versus lineolate).