Kongsbergia (s. str.) jaentschi, Gerecke, 2014

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2014, Studies on European species of the water mite family Aturidae Thor (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 3841 (1), pp. 1-46 : 32-34

Kongsbergia (s. str.) jaentschi sp. nov.

Figs 23–24

Material examined. Type series: NHMW, Italy: Sicily, holotype ♂, I 495 Int, P. d. Albanesi (PA), stream Lumi i Varfrit, 620 m, UC 50 0 6, 11.09.1986. Paratypes: Same site and date (1/2/0); I 493 Int Corleone (PA), Torrente Batticano near Case Palazzo, 375 m, UB 45 83, 11.09.1986 (0/1/0); I 510 Int 1 Madonie (PA), Fiume Pollina upstr. mouth Fiume Buonanotte, 50 m, VC 27 0 4, 14.10.1986 (0/1/0); I 511 Int, Madonie (PA), Castelbuono, Vallone dei Mulini at bridge S.S. 286, 350 m, VB 23 95, 14.10.1986 (1/1/0); I I 515 Int, Madonie (PA), Polizzi Generosa Piano del Noce, Grotticella, 1050 m, VB 122 903, 14.10.1986 (0/1/0); I 551 Int 1, Iblei (SR), Noto Torrente S. Chiara at bridge S.S. 287, 300 m, WA 0 4 88, 30.08.1987 (0/1/0); I 577 Int 1, Peloritani (ME), stream Fiumedinisi below village Fiumedinisi, 90 m, WC 34 0 7, 20.09.1987 (1/0/0); I 646 Int, Peloritani (ME), Francavilla, Torrente S. Paolo at Borgo Piano Torre, 480 m, WB 100 990, 19.06.1988 (0/2/0); I 1138 Int, Nebrodi (ME), Torrente Saracena at Chiusitta, 1200 m, VB 84 98, 20.10.1990 (0/1/0).

Further material. Italy: Sardinia, I 389 Int (1/0/0); I 1162 Int (1/0/0); I 1165 Int (1/4/0); Venezia Tridentina, I sa 33i (0/1/0).

Diagnosis. Colour yellowish, lateral eyes little developed, with red pigmentation. Dorsal shield with wrinkled sculpturation in lateral parts, dorsal setae simple, venter without a medial suture line. Male IV-L-5 ventrally extended all over its length, with undulating margin, proximal (shorter, on the adaxial side pectinate) and central (longer, smooth) seta strong, distal seta peg-like; IV-L-6 without an angled ventral extension. Palp slender, P-2 with pointed projections on an extension in proximal part, P-4/-5 slender and elongated, one of the ventral setae on P-4 rather long; P- 4 in males with a distinct, pointed, anteriorly-directed extension near ventral setae insertion, in females in the centre convexly protruding.

Description. Colour yellowish brown, lateral eye pigment red. Dorsal shield with longitudinal wrinkles, setae simple, venter with suture lines separating coxae developed only in lateral part; lateral extensions covering IV-Linsertions bent posteriorly, bluntly pointed. Leg claws with narrow claw blade, dorsal and ventral clawlets shorter than main tooth. Genital field with about 15 pairs of acetabula. Palp slender, P-2 ventral margin nearly straight, with a weakly protruding extension in proximal part bearing pointed projections; P-3 very short, P-4/-5 slender and elongated, P-5 claws short, weakly curved. Male: Idiosoma elongate, frontal margin rounded, lateral margins slightly converging between IV-L insertions and lateral edge of acetabular plates, posterior margin parabolashaped, gonopore area in the centre slightly protruding. IV-L-4 with subparallel or distally slightly converging dorsal and ventral margins, distoventrally and distally with several strong, pointed setae; IV-L-5 dorsal margin straight, ventral margin with an extension nearly all over its length, its margin undulating; proximal and central setae bluntly pointed, the proximal one slightly shorter and pennate on the concave surface, the central one smooth, distal seta short, peg-like; IV-L-6 ventral margin in proximal part concave, its distal part subparallel to dorsal margin, without a distinct extension. P-2 with proximoventral extension bearing 2–4 blunt, ventrally-directed projections; P-4 ventral extension near setae insertions very prominent, directed anteriorly and sharply pointed. Female: Frontal margin rounded, lateral margins subparallel, posterior margin parabola-shaped. P-2 with proximoventral extension bearing 1–2 pointed projections often directed proximally; P-4 dorsal margin straight or very weakly concave, ventral margin convexly protruding near setae insertions.

Measurements: Male: Idiosoma L/W 400–432/200–224 (ratio 1.92–2.00); dorsal L 360–392, W including projections at IV-L- insertion 232–256; IV-L (L/H, L/H ratio): IV-L-4, 98–110/36–39, 2.5–2.9; IV-L-5, 82–90/ 40–45, 1.9–2.1; IV-L-6, 98–104/36–40, 2.6–2.9; L ratio IV-L-4/5, 1.20–1.26, IV-L-4/6, 1.00–1.08, IV-L-5/6, 0.81–0.88. IV-L-5 ventral setae L: proximal 35–39, central 48–50, distal 6–8. Palp total L 239–257; segments (L/H, L/H ratio, relative L % total L): P- 1 20–22/18 –20, 1.0–1.2, 8–9; P-2, 76–82/44–48, 1.7–1.8, 31–33; P-3, 20–25/ 24–26, 0.8–1.0, 8–10; P-4, 77–82/28–32, 2.5–2.8, 31–32; P-5, 44–50/11–14, 3.6–4.4, 18–20. L ratio P-2/P-3, 3.2–4.1; P-2/P-4, 1.0; P-3/P-4, 0.25–0.30; P4/P-2+3, 0.8.

Female: Idiosoma L/W 368–464/192–252 (ratio 1.77–1.92); dorsal L 328–408, W including projections at IV- L- insertion 216–276. Palp total L 225–263; segments (L/H, L/H ratio, relative L % total L): P- 1 18–22/16 –21, 0.9–1.3, 8–9; P-2, 68–80/34–56, 1.4–2.2, 30–31; P-3, 20–26/22–24, 0.9–1.1, 9–10; P-4, 74–88/23–26, 3.1–3.6, 32–34; P-5, 44–50/12–22, 3.6–4.2, 18–20. L ratio P-2/P-3, 3.1–3.4; P-2/P-4, 0.9–1.0; P-3/P-4, 0.27–0.32; P4/P- 2+3, 0.8.

Discussion. Common character states in the palps (slender, ventral margin of P-2 with extension in proximal part, P-4 with a pointed extension in males, equally convex in female) and male IV-L (IV-L-5 proximoventral seta pennate on the adaxial surface, central seta smooth and longer, distal seta short, peg-like, IV-L-6 without prominent ventral extension) suggest that K. jaentschi is a sister species of K. dentata (see above). In addition to the development of the name giving small distolateral denticle on Cx-I (lacking in K. jaentschi ), K. dentata differs also in: (1) a less slender idiosoma shape; (2) ventral margin of male IV-L-5 less protruding; (3) palp in both sexes more slender; (4) P- 2 in females without prominent ventral projections; ventral extension of P- 4 in males less prominent, further distal.

Habitat and distribution. All specimens were collected in interstitial habitats. As in K. albanorum , a weak colouration and little developed lateral eyes suggest a preference for the hyporheic habitat. Most records come from middle order streams at low elevation with a year-round flow at least in the interstitial, often under semi-arid climate. The specimens from Sardinia agree well with the type material, the record from Northern Italy, based on a single female, requires confirmation.

Derivatio nominis. To the memory of Werner Jaentsch (Wilkau-Haßlau), pharmacist and outstanding naturalist who deceased in 2012, a few days before his 100th anniversary ( Küttner 2012).

Figures

FIGURE 23. Kongsbergia jaentschi n. sp., paratype male. A. IV-L- 4 – 6 anterior; B. IV-L- 4 – 6 posterior; C. palp lateral; D. palp medial; E. venter; F. dorsum. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURE 24. Kongsbergia jaentschi n. sp., paratype female. A. dorsum; B. palp; C. venter. Scale bars = 100 µm.