Africasia vietnamitica, Pešić, Vladimir & Gerecke, Reinhard, 2014

Pešić, Vladimir & Gerecke, Reinhard, 2014, Water mites from caves of the Ha Giang province, northern Vietnam (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 3774 (4), pp. 367-380 : 376

Africasia vietnamitica sp. nov.

( Figs. 8A–F , 9D–E )

Type series. Holotype female, dissected and slide mounted, Vietnam C20, DV 0 9, Ha Giang, Dong Van, Sang Tung, Dragon Cave, small lake - siphon in right arm, 23°12'41.8'' N, 105°14'12.9'' E, 1047 m asl., 04.ii.2010 Tomasin.

Diagnosis. Ocular pigment absent; dorsal shield without colour pattern; integument of dorsal shield with eight very lightly developed areas of radiating lines on inner surface; Cx-IV posterior to IV-L insertion without a longitudinal ridge; genital field with 70–75 pairs of acetabula on well-defined genital plates; III/IV-L-4/5 each with one short swimming seta.

Description. Female (male unknown)—Dorsal and ventral shields present; dorsal shield L 533, W 500, with eight very lightly developed areas of radiating lines on inner surface (two pairs laterally, one pair each anteriorly resp. posteriorly, see Fig. 9D ); ventral shield L 569, W 538; tips of Cx-I ending posterior to frontal margin; genital field L 238, W 166, gonopore L/W 125/106, ratio 1.18, genital plates well defined, with 70–75 pairs of acetabula ( Fig. 8B ); palp ( Figs. 8C–D ) total L 216–223, L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 32/31, 1.04; P-2, 60–62/45–46, 1.3–1.4; P-3, 39–40/42–43, 0.91–0.93; P-4, 66–70/34–38, 1.86–1.94; P-5, 19/8, 2.4; L P-2/P-4 ratio 0.88–0.91; palpal segments rotated, distal end of the uncate P-4 with one long, thin seta; gnathosoma vL 115; chelicera total L 112; dL of I–L- 4–6 ( Fig. 8E ): 62, 77, 97; dL of IV–L: 75, 69, 71, 95, 110, 110; III/IV–L-4/5 each with one short swimming seta ( Fig. 8F ).

Etymology. Named after the country where the new species was detected.

Remarks. In addition to probable adaptations to the subterranean habitat (the absence of ocular pigment and of a colour pattern on the dorsal shield), the new species is characteristic in the presence of an increased number of acetabula located on well-defined acetabular plates, the Cx-IV without lateral ridges posterior to leg insertions, and presence of one short swimming seta on III–IV–L each. This species has no close relatives among recent congeners, but a decision about its eventual taxonomic status above species level can be made only when the presently unknown male of A. vietnamitica is described.

Distribution. Vietnam; only known from the locus typicus.

Figures

FIGURE 8 A – F. Africasia vietnamitica sp. nov., female: A = dorsal shield; B = ventral shield; C = gnathosoma and palp medially; D = palp, lateral view (P- 1 missing); E = I – L- 4 – 6; F = IV – L- 4 – 6. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 9 A – E. A – C Photographs of dorsal shield. A – B Stygotorrenticola coniseta sp. nov., male: A = holotype; B = paratype. C Torrenticola anophthalma sp. nov., female. D – E Photographs of Africasia vietnamitica sp. nov., female: D = dorsal shield; E = ventral shield.