Djeboa bomiensis (Cook, 1966)

Pešić, Vladimir, Cook, David, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2013, The water mite family Mideopsidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia): a contribution to the diversity in the Afrotropical region and taxonomic changes above species level, Zootaxa 3720 (1), pp. 1-75 : 22

Djeboa bomiensis (Cook, 1966)

( Figs. 10A–F )

Mideopsis (Djeboa) bomiensis Cook 1966: 239 .

Material examined: Type series: FMC, Liberia; holotype female, Suehn road, approximately four miles north of Bomi Hills Road, 30.xi.1957 Cook (Coll. 84); paratypes: same site and date as holotype 3/3/0; Coll. 36, 1/0/0; Coll. 41, 1/0/0; Coll. 76, 0/1/0; Coll. 83, 3/1/0; Coll. 88, 1/4/0; Coll. 89, 0/2/0; Coll. 91, 0/1/0; Coll. 93,3/2/0; Coll. 94, 2/ 3/0; Coll. 95, 1/2/0; Coll. 96, 1/2/0 (see Cook 1966 for more details).

General features: Dorsal shield oval (L/W ratio 1.1–1.2), with medial depression ( Fig. 10A ); muscle scars with slightly pronounced thickenings, located anterior and posterior to the postocularia; dorsal shield blue in colour except periphery; gnathosomal bay of a modified Y-shape, noticeably narrowing in posterior half; tips of Cx-I ending posterior to frontal margin; medial margin of Cx-IV reduced to a median angle; Cx-III and -IV with a few longitudinal striae (two pairs on Cx-IV). Palp ( Fig. 10D ): P-1 without a dorsal seta; P-2 with straight ventral and convexly bowed dorsal margin; P-3 maximum height proximally, ventral margin concave; P-4 equally narrowing from the base to tip. Legs: I-L ( Fig. 10E ) with I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.6; IV-L: Fig. 10F .

Discussion: In shape and setation of palp (with P-1 lacking seta), Djeboa bomiensis is similar to D. rotundata K. Viets, 1914 . The latter differs most noticeably in the rounded shape of the idiosoma, and also in a more slender P-3 and P-4 (Cook 1966). A re-examination of type material shows that the statement of Cook (1966) that swimming hairs are absent in D. bomiensis (followed later in the key of K.O.Viets 1970) is erroneous.

Distribution: Liberia, widely distributed and numerous.

Figures

FIGURE 10 A – F. Djeboa bomiensis (Cook, 1966), L- 99 (B, F = male, A, C – E female): A = dorsal shield; B – C = idiosoma, ventral view; D = palp; E = I-L; F = IV-L.