Platymamersopsis (s. str.) loharano, Goldschmidt, 2008

Goldschmidt, Tom, 2008, Taxonomical, ecological and zoogeographical studies on anisitsiellid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Anisitsiellidae Koenike, 1910) from Madagascar, Zootaxa 1954 (1), pp. 1-120 : 93-95

Platymamersopsis (s. str.) loharano sp. nov.

( Figs 217–223 , Table 11)

Type: Holotype female, MD 71 a, Andohahela (Tulear), Isaka, spring area south pass RIP 118 (km 36), 700 m asl, 16.0-18.4 °C, 55-60 µS/cm, 10.09.2001, mounted.

Habitat: Spring area at 700 m asl.

Distribution: Madagascar (Southern mountain region, Andohahela).

Derivatio nominis: Loharano (Malagasy) — spring; referring to the fact that the species is the only one within the Malagasy representatives of the genus found in a spring.

Diagnosis: Idiosoma relatively small, slender; dorsal shield with complete, clear ridge; Cx-I to -III broad rectangular, medial margins Cx-I as well as Cx-III long; genital field large, elongated; acetabula small, slen- der; legs compact, claws on leg-I to -III with distinct, single ventral and dorsal clawlet; leg-IV-6 with two midsized terminal setae; capitulum compact; palp typical, ventral margin of P2 relatively straight, dorsal margin proximally with distinct knee, ventral seta long.

Description, female (n = 1): Idiosoma elongated-oval ( Fig. 217 ), greyish; dorsal shield slender (L/W 397/245), glandularia marginal, Dgl-3 to -5 with long setae, Dgl-6 and Lgl-4 with shorter setae; dorsal shield centrally with large pores, peripheral ridge complete, undulated, elongated pear-shaped (anteriorly tapering); soft integument in dorsal furrow lined ( Fig. 218 ); ventral shield elongated (L/W 451/284); Cx-I to -III compact, nearly rectangular, appearing raised from caudal and dorsal part of venter, laterally and anteriorly surpassing ventral shield; medial margin Cx-I (54) and Cx-III (47) long ( Fig. 217 ); Cxgl-2 laterally near posterior margin of Cx-II, Cxgl-4 near anterior margin of Cx-III, setae minute; Cx-IV small, slender, oblique rectangular, medial and lateral margins unclear, lateral ridge long, straight ( Fig. 217 ); genital field large, rectangularoval (L/W 125/96), anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly rounded, caudally extended well beyond genital bay; acetabula small, slender, Ac1 far remote from anterior and Ac3 from caudal end of genital flaps, setae on genital flaps tiny ( Fig. 217 ); setae of Vgl-1 and Vgl-3 relatively close to posterior caudal margin of Cx-IV, laterally beside genital field; excretory pore and Vgl-2 remote from caudal margin of ventral shield, Vgl-4 close to caudo-lateral margin ( Fig. 217 ); legs relatively compact, claws on leg-I to -III strong, curved, with simple dorsal and ventral clawlet ( Figs 219-221 ); leg-IV with many broad, heavy setae, terminal segment with two midsized terminal (slightly sub-terminal) setae ( Fig. 222 ); capitulum compact, caudal apodemes very short, rostrum short ( Fig. 223 ); chelicera proximally very slender, dorsal hump smooth; palp compact; P2 with three dorsal setae, proximo-dorsal margin nearly rectangular curved, knee-like; ventral seta long, pointed, ventral margin slightly convex, with very small lateral hump and broad, rounded medial protrusion; P3 with two medio-dorsal and one lateral setae; P4 compact, ventral setae nearly at ventro-distal corner, one dorso-distal, one distal seta; P5 compact with one very heavy claw ( Fig 223 ).

Male: Unknown.

Remarks: See below under P. voanjo .

Figures

FIGURES 217–223. Platymamersopsis loharano sp. nov., female holotype (MD 71a): 217, idiosoma, ventral view; 218, idiosoma, dorsal view; 219, leg-I; 220, leg-II; 221, leg-III-2 to-6; 222, leg-IV; 223, capitulum with left palp and chelicera, lateral view. Scale bars = 100 µm.