Salina (Salina) striata

Salina (Salina) striata (Handschin, 1928) Figs 10E, 12–13, Table 1 Cremastocephalus striatus Handschin, 1928: 10, 245–270. Salina striata Handschin, 1929: 245 (combination). Mitra, 1973: 173 (redescription). Examined material. 3 females on slides, 8 specimens in alcohol: India, Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang district, Near Cona County Crossing, collected from leaf litter; 27°34'32.4"N, 91°52'37.6"E; 2538 m a.s.l.; G.P. Mandal leg., 02.IV.2023; reg no.– 3460/H14. • 1 female, 1 male on slides, 3 specimens in alcohol; Arunachal Pradesh, Tawang district, Kharsa basti, collected from leaf litter; 27°34'44.7"N 91°58'33.3"E; 2267 m a.s.l.; G.P. Mandal leg., 02.IV.2023; reg no.– 3703/H14. Complements to the description. Ground colour creamy white, with dark blue pigment on frontal head, behind eyes and lateral side of head, continuing to Th. II–Abd. II (Fig. 10E). A single ‘M’ shaped patch present between the eyes (Fig. 12B). Brown pigment patches forming four parallel discontinuous lines from head to dorsal Abd. II. Symmetrical distinct patch of pigment present on Abd. III–Abd. VI. (Figs 10E, 12A) Average adult body length (head+trunk) 2.5 mm (n=5). Antennae 1.45 times the length of body (average). Ratio of Ant. I: II: III: IV= 1: 1.29: 1.06: 1.72. Ant. IV slightly annulated, with an apical bulb. Ant. I with six dorsal mac and 10–13 smooth spine-like chaetae at the basal dorsum (Fig. 13A). Head dorsal chaetotaxy as in Fig. 13B. Labral chaetae formula 4/5,5,4, prelabral chaetae ciliated, labral chaetae smooth. Md. teeth asymmetrical, left one with 4 apical and 5 basal teeth. Ventral head chaetotaxy not seen. Dorsal chaetotaxy of half body as in Figs 13C and 13D. Th. II with 16 mac (m1, m4, m4i, m4p, m7, p1–5, p1a, p1i, p1e, p2p, p3e, p4a, 1 unnamed), one ms and one sens al. Th. III with two ‘a’ (a1, a3) and nine ‘p’ mac (p1–5, p1ip, p1p, p3p, p3a), plus one lateral ‘m’ mac (m7). Abd. I with six mac (m2, m3, a3, m4, m5, one unnamed). Abd. II with four mac (m3, m3e, m5, m6) and two bothriotricha (m2, a5). Abd. III as in Fig. 13D. Abd. IV with 14 central mac (A1, A3–6, Ae1, B3–5, Be1, Be2, C1, D1) and 9 lateral mac (E1–3, F1–3, F3p, Fe2–3, Fe6) (Fig. 13B). Ratio of unguis: tenent hair 1: 1.17. Unguis with basal paired and a single inner teeth (Fig. 12D). Trochanteral organ with 51–54 spine-like chaetae. VT with anterior 3+3 large ciliated mac, 1+1 mes and 15–16 anterior smooth chaetae on each side, each lateral flap with 6 mes and 26 mic, posterior side with 10–12 mic on each side (Fig. 13E). Manubrium: dens ratio 1: 1.28. Manubrial plaque with 3 chaetae and 2 psp. Mucro lobed into three distinct teeth (Fig. 12C). Remarks. S. (S.) striata closely resembles S. (S.) tricolor (Handschin, 1928) in color pattern (Fig. 10G) and chaetotaxy (Mitra 1973), being difficult to distinguish these two species. Here we provide S. (S.) striata chaetotaxy and image of a characteristic ‘M’ shaped mark on its head (Fig. 12B), which could ease in separating this species from close relative S. (S.) tricolor and S. (S.) vietnamensis Stach, 1965.Although, S. (S.) vietnamensis has a s/2/s/1 central mac pattern on Abd. II and 3+3 mac on Abd. I, it differs from S. (S.) tricolor and S. (S.) striata, which exhibit s/2/s/2 pattern on Abd. I (see Table 1).