Procorticacarus paulaae, Smit, Harry, 2015

Smit, Harry, 2015, The water mite genus Procorticacarus K. O. Viets in Australasia (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae), Zootaxa 3956 (1) : -

Procorticacarus paulaae n. sp.

( Figs. 7A–C )

Type material. Holotype male, Carey Brook at crossing with Vasse Highway, Western Australia, Australia, 34º 24.876 S 115º 48.717 E, alt. 20 m a.s.l., 20-iv-2008 ( WAM).

Diagnosis. Palp very long, P2 and P3 without papillae.

Description. Male: Idiosoma with hair-like papillae, dorsally 348 long and 325 wide, ventrally 413 long. Dorsum with a large anteromedial plate, slightly indented laterally and pointed posteriorly, 227 long and 186 wide. Posterior to anteromedial plate three pairs of glandularia platelets, the most anterior pair a bit further apart than posterior two pairs. Apodeme of capitulum very long. First coxae fused medially, posterior margin of fourth coxae indistinct. Cxgl–4 located in the middle of fourth coxae, Vgl–2 with glands and associated setae. Genital field fused with ventral shield, terminal, with three pairs of acetabula lying close to each other. Pre-genital sclerite moustache-like and without small setae, anterior to genital field 15 small setae. Length of P1–P5: 26, 90, 134, 170, 56. P2 with a large, blunt-tipped extension, P2 and P3 without papillae, P4 very long and without peg-like seta. Length of I-leg-4–6: 122, 102, 74. Length of IV-leg-4–6: 164, 150, 116. Legs without swimming setae.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named after my sister Paula Smit-Aelbers, for mending and repairing my dip net after almost every collecting trip.

Remarks. The new species is close to P. longipalpis , but differs in the absence of papillae on P2 and P3, while the acetabula are lying close to each other (far from each other in P. longipalpis ).

Figures

FIGURE 7. A – C. Procorticacarus paulaae n. sp., holotype male: A = dorsum; B = venter; C = palp + capitulum. Scale bars = 50 µm.