Brachypodopsis (Brachypodopsis) pusilla (Viets, 1914)

Smit, Harry, 2017, New species of aturid water mites from southern Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Aturidae), Zootaxa 4273 (2), pp. 287-295 : 288

Brachypodopsis (Brachypodopsis) pusilla (Viets, 1914)

( Fig 1 A)

Material examined. South Africa. 0/1/0, Rondgat River at Algeria, Cederberg Wilderness Area , Western Cape Province, 32° 22.491 S 19° 0 3.742 E, alt . 490 m asl, 1-xi-2004; 0/1/0, Rondgat River at Bos Herberge, Cederberg Wilderness Area , Western Cape Province, 32° 24.044 S 19 0 5.264 E, alt . 665 m asl, 2-xi-2004; 0/3/0, Wolwekloof River at Tweede Tol, Limietberg Nature Reserve , Western Cape Province, 33° 34.115 S 19° 0 8.255 E, alt . 285 m asl, 3-xi-2004; 4/2/0, Grobbelaar’s River N of Oudtshoorn , Western Cape Province, 33° 25.603 S 22° 15.053 E, alt . 492 m asl, 11-xi-2004; 1/1/0, Injisuti River at crossing with main road 331, Drakensbergen , Kzwazulu-Natal Province, 29° 0 7.578 S 29° 26.435 E, alt . 1461 m asl, 19-xi-2004; 3/3/0, Delmhlwaziwe River, Injisuti, Drakensbergen , Kwazulu-Natal Province, 29° 0 7.058 S 29° 26.313 E, alt, 1453 m asl, 19-xi-2004 ; 1/0/0, Mahai River , Royal Natal NP, Kwazulu-Natal Province, 28° 41.479 S 28° 56.711 E, alt. 1423 m asl, 20-xi-2004 .

Remarks. K.O. Viets (1964) reported the species from several locations in Mpumalanga and Western Cape Provinces. His male specimens were 347–373 long and 330–353 wide, the males from this study ( Fig. 1 A) measure dorsally 300–344, the width is 275–324. The females from this study are 324–356 long and 284–316 wide. The species is widespread, and known from Cameroon, Kenya and South Africa ( K. Viets 1953, K.O. Viets 1970).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Brachypdopsis pusilla (Viets), male. A = dorsum. Scale bar = 50 µm.