Atractides jenniferae, Wiles, 2005

Wiles, P. R., 2005, First collections of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Honduras: descriptions of six new species, Journal of Natural History 39 (3), pp. 253-263 : 260-261

Atractides jenniferae n. sp.

( Figure 5 )

Male. R2, D1–4, g3 located on large single dorsal plate length 410, width 310; A1–2, R1, L1–4 and lyrifissures g1, g2, g4, g5 free in dorsal integument. Venter with well-developed ventral shield length 430, width 350, which incorporates epimera, genital field and V3. V1, V2, V4 and anal plate separate and free in integument. Posterior margins of EpIV convex. Length gonopore 33. Pedipalp slender with lateral flanges at the distal margin of P4: length P1–P5 26, 48, 47, 71, 26; P4 latero-median seta slender. Infracapitulum slender length 131, rostrum long, length 36. I-Leg-6 short, only slightly bowed; I-Leg-5 ventral distal setae typical; swimming setae absent. Lengths I-Leg-3–6 71, 105, 102, 79; II-Leg-3–6 56, 75, 79, 88; III-Leg-3–6 53, 86, 86, 96; IV-Leg-3–6 105, 123, 123, 117.

Female. Dorsum with all setae free in integument and some secondary sclerotization, length 697, width 431. Muscle platelets absent. Venter with secondary sclerotization of epimera and genital plates; epimera typical, EpI+II separate from EpIII+IV. Genital plate broad, length 92, width 42; gonopore length 92. V1–V4 free in integument, V3 and V4 located lateral to genital plates. Pedipalp slender, P4 with lateral flanges distally, P4 lateromedian seta slender; length P1–4 38, 64, 87, 97, 31. Infracapitulum length 174, rostrum 62. I-Leg-6 short, only slightly bowed; I-Leg-5 ventral distal setae typical; swimming setae absent. Lengths I-Leg-3–6 97, 127, 124, 82; II-Leg-3–6 67, 87, 92, 95; III-Leg-3–6 70, 104, 102, 114; IV-Leg-3–6 127, 142, 149, 130.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: „. Honduras: (Site 1) Piedra Muqlu, El Paraiso, Merendon Mountains , altitude 100 m, 11 February 2003. Slide: holotype H7 „, paratype 1 H 4♀.

Etymology. Named after Jennifer Spelling who collected the specimens on the Glamorgan University Tropical Ecology field course to Honduras in 2003.

Discussion. Similar to other ‘megapoid’ forms. Males can be distinguished by the absence of V4 on the ventral plate, the large dorsal plate and the lateral flanges to the pedipalp P4. Females are similar to A. tembolus Cook, 1980 (males unknown) from Mexico but lack muscle platelets on the dorsum and have a lateral flange on P4 that is lacking in A. tembolus .

Figures

Figure 5. Atractides jenniferae n. sp. (a) Venter „; (b) dorsum „; (c) pedipalp „; (d) I-Leg „; (e) lateral view infracapitulum; (f) pedipalp ♀; (g) dorsum ♀; (h) venter ♀, note scales of male and female idiosoma are different. Scale bar: 101 Mm (a, b); 28 Mm (c); 41 Mm (d); 50 Mm (e); 34 Mm (f); 69 Mm (g, h).