Aspidiobates pacificus, Smit, Harry, 2004

Smit, Harry, 2004, Water mites from Pacific Islands (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 588, pp. 1-20 : 8-11

Aspidiobates pacificus n. sp.

( Figs. 11–17 )

Material examined

Holotype: male, Wahrur River, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, 15º 17.748 S –167º 0 9.679 E, 14 m a.s.l., 31 October 2003. Paratypes: 2 males, 4 females, same data as holotype; 1 female, Butmas stream, Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, 15º 20.605 S –166º 58.553 E, 419 m a.s.l., 29 October 2003.

Description

Male: ventral and dorsal shields present. Ventral shield ( Fig. 11 ) 518 (429–470) long and 397 (389–417) wide. Dorsal shield ( Fig. 12 ) with one large plate 405 long and 365 wide, and two posterior platelets, each 130 long and 40 wide. Large dorsal plate bearing three pairs of glandularia and the postocularia, the middle pair of glandularia lying much closer to each other than in the posterior and anterior pairs. Anchoral process of capitulum long. First coxal plates extending beyond anterior margin of central shield. Suture lines between coxal plates indistinct. Glandularium of fourth coxal plates extending beyond the suture line of third and fourth coxal plates. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula. Gonopore 50 long. Lengths of PI–PV: 18, 79, 56, 90, 28. PII without ventral projection ( Fig. 13 ), ventral margin of PIII somewhat irregularly shaped. Setal tubercles of PIV small. PII and PIII with a reticulate pattern. Lengths of I­leg­4­6: 130, 118, 82; I­leg­5 distally with a pointed and straight seta ( Fig. 14 ). Lengths of IV­leg­4­6 ( Fig 15 ): 166, 162, 118. Claws of legs with clawlets, legs without swimming setae.

Female: ventral and dorsal shields present. Ventral shield ( Fig. 16 ) 559 (486–583) long and 494 (394–527) wide. Dorsal shield ( Fig. 17 ) with one large plate, 486 long and 429 wide, and two pairs of posterior platelets, the lateral pair 144–149 long and 64–66 wide, the middle pair 152 long and 49–50 wide. Large dorsal plate bearing two pairs of glandularia and the postocularia, the posterior pairs closer to each other than the anterior pair. Posteromedial apodemes short and indistinct. Anchoral process of capitulum long. First coxal plates extending beyond anterior margin of central shield. Suture lines between coxal plates indistinct. Glandularium of fourth coxal plates extending beyond the suture line of third and fourth coxal plates. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula. Gonopore 85 long and 116 wide. Lengths of PI–PV: 20, 92, 61, 100, 32; palp as in male. Lengths of Ileg­4­6: 122, 112, 80. Lengths of IV­leg­4­6: 176, 180, 114; legs as in male.

Etymology

Named for its occurrence in the Pacific.

Remarks

The new species is morphologically very similar to A. vanuaticus , but is smaller, and has a shorter PIV and leg segments. There is only a slight overlap between the two species in size of the ventral shield. The only morphological difference is the distal seta of I­leg­5, which is slightly bowed and truncated in A. vanuaticus , while it is straight and pointed in A. pacificus . As in the previous species, a female from Butmas stream has the lateral platelets divided into two rounded platelets.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 15. Aspidiobates pacificus n. sp., holotype male. 11 = ventral view; 12 = dorsal view; 13 = palp; 14 = I­leg­ 5 ­ 6; 15 = IV­leg­ 5 ­ 6. Scale lines: 12 = 200 µm; 11, 13 – 15 = 50 µm.

FIGURES 16 – 17. Aspidiobates pacificus n. sp., paratype female. 16 = ventral view; 17 = dorsal view. Scale lines: 16 = 50 µm, 17 = 200 µm.