Atractides (Atractides) malayensis, Pesic, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2009

Pesic, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2009, New records of water mites of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) from Thailand, Malaysia and Sulawesi (Indonesia), with the description of four new species, Zootaxa 2240, pp. 1-30 : 10-12

Atractides (Atractides) malayensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 6A–D , 7A–C )

Type material. Holotype: male dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid. Malaysia, unnamed creek crossing Girdle Road, Fraser’s Hill, 15.ii.2009, 3° 42.943 N 101° 44.039 E, alt. 1260 m, leg. Smit. Paratypes: 0/3/0 (0/1/0 mounted), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. Integument dorsally striated; weak sexual dimorphism of P-2; narrower S-1 and -2 interspace (<20 μm in both sexes), S-1 with truncate tip, S-2 stouter and relatively shorter; I-Leg-6 more slender (L/HB 4.8 in male, 6.3 in female).

Morphology. General features. Integument dorsally striated. Muscle attachment plates unsclerotized. Genital field: Ac in triangular arrangement; excretory pore smooth; Vgl-1 separated from Vgl-2. Palp: weak sexual dimorphism; P-2 ventral margin straight, sword seta of P-4 between ventral hair insertions. I-Leg: setae S-1 and -2 with a short interspace, S-1 slender, with truncate tip, S-2 enlarged, bluntly pointed; I-Leg-6 curved, basally slightly thickened, from the centre to the claw furrow with parallel ventral and dorsal margins.

Male. Idiosoma L/W 378/284; glandularia maximum diameter 20. Coxal field ( Fig. 5A ): L 227, Cx-1+2 mL 100, Cx-3 W 253, Cx-1+2 lL 161. Palp ( Fig. 5D ): total L 204, dL and %L (in parentheses): P-1 23 (11.3), P-2 39 (19.1), P-3 49 (24.0), P-4 67 (32.8), P-5 26 (12.8); L P-2/P-4 0.58. Genital field ( Fig. 5B ): anterior margin equally convex, posterior margin strongly indented, L/W 79/91, L Ac-1-3: 26-29-30.

I-Leg ( Fig. 5C ): I-Leg-5 dL 116, vL 84, dL/vL 1.38, HB 33, dL/HB 3.5, S-1 L 60, L/ W 9.8, S-2 L 50, L/ W 6.0, distance of sword setae at I-Leg-5 9, L S-1/2 1.2; I-Leg-6 L 88, HB 18, L/HB 4.8; L I-Leg-5/6 1.32.

Female. Idiosoma L/W 681/519; glandularia maximum diameter 27. Coxal field ( Fig. 6A ): L 320, Cx-3 W 400, Cx-1+2 mL 108, Cx-1+2 lL 218. Palp ( Fig. 6C ): total L 301, dL and %L (in parentheses): P-1 30 (10.0), P-2 59 (19.6), P-3 83 (27.6), P-4 93 (30.9), P-5 36 (12.0); L P-2/P-4 0.63. Genital field ( Fig. 6A ): L 150, genital plate L 105, L Ac-1-3: 40-39-34; egg (n=2) maximum diameter 116.

I-Leg ( Fig. 6B ): I-Leg-5 dL 177, vL 127, dL/vL 1.39, HB 49, dL/HB 3.65, S-1 L 85, L/ W 8.7, S-2 L 73, L/ W 5.7, distance of sword setae at I-Leg- 5 15-17, L S-1/2 1.16; I-Leg-6 L 130, HB 21, L/HB 6.3; L I-Leg-5/6 1.36.

Remarks. Due to the presence of the striated integument, unsclerotized dorsal muscle attachment plates, a weak sexual dimorphism of P-2, a narrow S-1 and S-2 interspace and a thickened I-Leg-6, the new species resembles Atractides propatulus ( K. Viets, 1935) from Sumatra. It differs from A. propatulus in stouter and relatively shorter S-1 and - 2 and more slender I-Leg-6. Furthermore, in the male of A. propatulus , ventral hairs of P-4 are inserted at a short distance from each other (see: K. Viets 1935).

Wiles (1991) reported Atractides conjunctus ( K. Viets, 1935) based on a single female specimen from Selangor, Malaysia. He mentioned that his specimen fits the description of A. conjunctus from Java ( K. Viets 1935), but was larger. Males of Atractides conjunctus can easily be distinguished from A. malayensis sp. nov. in the coxae fused to a coxal shield (see: K. Viets 1935). Due to the presence of stout I-Leg-6 and a narrow S- 1 and -2 interspace, his specimen resembles our new species. Additional specimens and finding of the male are necessary before we can assess the taxonomic status of this specimen ( Wiles 1991).

Etymology. The species is named after the country where this species was collected.

Distribution. Malaysia; known only from the locus typicus.

Figures

FIGURE 6 A – D. Atractides malayensis sp. nov., male holotype: A = coxal and genital field; B = genital field; C = I-Leg- 5 and - 6; D = palp, medial view. Scale bar = 100 μm.

FIGURE 7 A – C. Atractides malayensis sp. nov., female paratype: A = coxal and genital field; B = I-Leg- 5 and - 6; C = palp, medial view. Scale bar = 100 μm.

FIGURE 5 A – D. Atractides propatulus K. Viets, 1935, female, S. Tumokang, at park headquarters, Sulawesi: A = coxal and genital field; B = genital field; C = I-Leg- 5 and - 6; D = palp, lateral view. Scale bar = 100 μm.