Procorticacarus quadriscutatus, Smit, Harry, 2015

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

Procorticacarus quadriscutatus n. sp.

( Figs. 8A–G )

Type material. Holotype female, Unnamed creek near Carruthers Peak, Mt Kosciuszko NP, New South Wales, Australia, 36º 24.621 S 148º 18.338 E, alt. 1931 m a.s.l., 6-xii-2003 (AMS). Paratypes: three males, two females, same data as holotype (AMS); 2 males, 2 females, Snowy River, Mt Kosciuszko NP, New South Wales, Australia, 36º 25.836 S 148º 19.303 E, alt. 1736 m a.s.l., 5-xii-2003 ( RMNH); one male, one female, Blue Lake Creek, near outlet in Blue Lake, Mt Kosciuszko NP, 36º 24.270 S 148º 18.745 E, alt. 1893 m a.s.l., 6-xii-2003 ( RMNH); 3 males, 5 females, Clublake River before confluence with Snowy River, Mt Kosciuszko NP, New South Wales, Australia, 36º 25.785 S 148º 19.290 E, alt. 1727 m a.s.l., 7-xii-2003 ( RMNH); one male, Small unnamed stream below summit of Mt Kosciuszko , Mt Kosciuszko NP, New South Wales, Australia, 36º 27.322 S 148º 15.929 E, alt. 2178 m a.s.l., 7-xii-2003 (AMS); one male, Swampy Plains River at crossing with Alpine Way, Mt Kosciuszko NP, 36º 23.121 S 148º 10.837 E, alt. 425 m a.s.l., 9-xii-2003 ( RMNH). Other material. Queensland. 0/1/0, Charmillin Creek, Tully Falls NP, 17º 41.968 S 145º 31.423 E, alt. 794 m a.s.l., 6-xi-2014.

Diagnosis. Dorsum of female with a large anteromedial plate which tapers posteriorly, anteromedial plates of male with a pair of glandularia; anteromedial plate flanked by a pair of elongated plates; posteriorly of anteromedial plate a large plate which is bulging posteriorly.

Description. Idiosoma colour yellowish, lineated with hair-like papillae. Cxgl-3 lying near suture line of third and fourth coxae. Female: Idiosoma dorsally 494 (462-624) long, ventrally 527 (502–672) long and 470 (421–559) wide. Dorsum with a large anteromedial plate, 494 long and 470 wide, slightly indented anteriorly, tapering posteriorly and with a pair of postocularia. The large anteromedial plate flanked by a pair of large, somewhat elongated plates each with a glandularium, posterior to the large anteromedial plate a smaller plate with a pair of glandularia, which is bulging posteriorly. A pair of much smaller plates present posterolaterally of anteromedial plate. All other dorsal glandularia on small platelets. Three pairs of dorsal glandularia with enlarged associated setae. First coxal plated fused medially. Genital field with three pairs of large acetabula, anterior pair 70–72 long. Acetabula lying free in the integument. Length of PI–PV: 28, 90, 142, 160, 50. PII with a large ventral projection with minute papillae, ventral margin of PIII with numerous papillae. Length of I-leg-4–6: 118, 122, 90. Length of IV-leg-4–6: 166, 180, 152. Legs without swimming setae.

Male: Idiosoma dorsally 437 (389–470) long, ventrally 518 (450–526) long and 413 (356–421) wide. Dorsum with a large anteromedial plate, in the illustrated paratype male more irregularly shaped compared to holotype, 284 long and 324 wide. On one side a pair of glandularia incorporated in anteromedial plate, on the other side this pair of glandularia not lying in this plate. In other paratypes both glandularia fused with anteromedial plate, but in a teneral male this pair of platelets completely separated from anteromedial plate. Flanking platelets of anteromedial plate smaller than in female. First coxae fused medially. Posterior margin of fourth coxae obliterated. Genital field 207 wide, fused with ventral shield, with three pairs of acetabula; anterior acetabula 50 long. Length of PI–PV: 24, 72, 103, 116, 42; palp as in female. Length of I-length-4–6: 102, 106, 82. Length of IV-leg-4–6: 156, 162, 134. Legs without swimming setae.

Etymology. Named for the presence of four large dorsal plates.

Remarks. The shape of the antero- and posteromedial plate will separate the new species from all other species of the genus. The male of the new species differs from P. pachydermis , which has a pair of glandularia also in the anteromedial plate, in the presence of a pair of enlarged platelets flanking the anteromedial plate.

Figures

FIGURE 8. A – G. Procorticacarus quadriscutatus n. sp., A – D = holotype female, E – G = paratypes male: A = dorsum; B = venter; C = palp; D = detail of P 2; E = dorsum; F = dorsum; G = venter. Scale bars = 50 µm.