Lebertia Neuman, 1880

Martin, Peter, 2006, On the morphology and classification of larval water mites (Hydrachnidia, Acari) from springs in Luxembourg, Zootaxa 1138, pp. 1-44 : 22-23

Genus Lebertia Neuman, 1880

Diagnosis: Character states of the family, such that: idiosoma oval, bearing 20 pairs of setae, dorsal plate covered entirely with reticulation in form of a network forming a honeycomb­shaped pattern, membranous integument surrounding Dp bearing 8 pairs of setae, shape of Expp various.

Characters valid for the genus: Dp bearing 4 pairs of setae; setae Lp2 thick and long; eye plates on each side fused; membranous integument surrounding dorsal plate bearing 8 pairs of long and thick setae; coxal plates closely adpressed to one another, plates I being clearly delineated, with suture lines complete and distinct or indistinct medially; plates II and III fused, with suture lines obliterated except laterally; plates II bearing 1 pair of setae, C3, posterolaterally; plates III bearing 3 pairs of setae, C4 anteriorly, V1 posteromedially and V2 near posterior edges; excretory pore plate diamond­shaped with rounded apices, broadly convex or attenuated posteriorly, substantially larger than excretory pore; bearing 2 pairs of setae, E1 anteriorly and E2 near lateral apices; membranous integument surrounding plate bearing 2 pairs of setae, V3 and V4, with V1 and V2 on coxal plates III; numbers of setae and solenidia on distal leg segments: I­L4 9se+2so, I­L5 14se+1so; II­L2 7se, II­L4 9 se+2so, II­L5 14se+1so; III­L3 4se(+1so), III­L4 9se+1so, III­L5 11se; cheliceral bases slender, medially separated and divergent; palpal claws undivided, with 4 thick proximoventral setae and longer than the palp.

Remarks: Only a few accurate descriptions of Lebertia larvae are available (e.g. in Ullrich 1976; Wainstein 1980; Smith 1982; Martin 2000, 2003) and therefore the differential morphology of this genus is little known.