Ecpolus dorsofenestratus Lundblad, 1949

Smit, Harry, 2021, Water mites from West Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Acarologia 61 (3), pp. 700-746 : 726

Ecpolus dorsofenestratus Lundblad, 1949 – new syn.

New records. The Gambia. 0/5/0, pool Prufu Swamp, Basse, Upper River Division,

10 Feb. 1998 ; 0/1/0, pond ± 5 km W of Basse, along road Basse-Bansang, Upper River

Division, 12 Feb. 1998. Ghana. 1/1/0, pool 2 Ankasa NP, 5°17.250′ N 2°38.092′ W, 66 m

a.s.l., 26 Feb. 2011 ; 0/1[young]/0, shallow roadside pond, along road Axim-Elubo, 5°09.080′

N 2°37.354′ W, 46 m a.s.l., 27 Feb. 2011 ; 0/7/2, First pond, Ankasa NP, 5°17.415′ N 2°38.384′

W, 89 m a.s.l., 14 Feb. 2013 ; 0/3/0, Avu Lagoon, 5°59.244′ N 0°42.476′ E, 13 m a.s.l., 18

Feb. 2013; 0/2/0, Inlet Volta River at Kpong, 6°09.183′ N 0°03.709′ E, 25 m a.s.l., 27 Feb. 2013.

Remarks. Cook (1966) suggested that Neumania marginata K. Viets, 1916 might belong to the subgenus Alloneumania . Males of Neumania dorsofenestrata (Lundblad) and females of N.

marginata have been collected together in this study, and I consider them belonging to the same species (both with hook-like lateral extensions of coxae and extensive secondary sclerotization).

Therefore, the suggestion of Cook (1966) was correct. I do not see any differences between the males from Ghana and Congo, and therefore I propose to synonymize N. dorsofenestrata with

N. marginata . Young males do not have a dorsal shield.

Walter (1935) reported this species from Niger and Burkina Faso. His illustration of the female shows a narrow strip of secondary sclerotization along Cx-IV. However, N. marginata has very broad and distinct secondary sclerotization along Cx-IV, almost completely filling the medial space between Cx-IV. In my opinion the specimens of Walter (1935) must be assigned to N. separata Cook, 1966 . The female of this species has a genital field which is very similar to that of N. marginata , but lacks the broad secondary sclerotization. Walter & Bader (1952)

reported N. marginata from Kenya, but they illustrated the deutonymph only. Therefore, it is not clear to which species their material belongs.

Distribution. Cameroon ( Viets 1916), the Gambia, Ghana (this study).