Kongsbergia (s. str.) albanorum 2014

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2014, Studies on European species of the water mite family Aturidae Thor (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 3841 (1), pp. 1-46 : 29-32

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

Figs 21–22

Material examined. Type series: NHMW, Italy: Sicily, holotype ♂, I 495 Int, Sicily (PA) Piana degli Albanesi , stream Lumi i Varfrit , 620 m, UC 50 0 6, 11.09.1986. Karaman-Chappuis dig. Paratypes: Same site as holotype (11/ 14/0).

Further material. Italy: Sicily, I 470 Int (1/1/0), I 493 (2/3/0).

Uncertain records. Italy: Sicily, I 472 Int2 (0/1/0), I 489 Int1 (0/2/0).

Diagnosis. Colour yellowish, lateral eyes little developed, with red pigmentation. Dorsal shield without sculpturation and simple setae, venter without a medial suture line. Male IV-L-5 with an obtuse proximoventral projection, proximal (shorter) and central (longer) seta strong, smooth, distal seta short, pointed. Palp stout, P-2 ventrally in centre with several short, rounded projections, in males more inflated than in females; P-4 shortened, ventral margin in males in distal quarter with a bluntly protruding extension near setae insertions, in females slightly convex, without particular projections; P-5 slender, claws in males strong, weakly curved, nearly as long as segment base, in females short and more curved.

Description. Colour yellowish brown, lateral eye pigment red. Dorsal shield without sculpturation, setae simple, venter with suture lines separating coxae developed only laterally; lateral extensions covering IV-Linsertions with acute-angled, posteriorly directed tips. Leg claws with narrow claw blade, dorsal and ventral clawlets shorter than main tooth. Genital field with about 15 pairs of acetabula. Palp stout. Male: Idiosoma moderately elongate, frontal margin obtuse triangular, between Dgl-1 straight, lateral margins slightly convex posteriorly rounded, with slightly projecting gonopore lips. IV-L-4 ventral and dorsal margins distally slightly diverging, distoventral margin with three longer setae inserting near two pointed projections. IV-L-5 with a narrow base, dorsal margin weakly curved, but strongly convex in proximal quarter; ventral margin with an obtuse projection in proximal part, bearing the proximal (shorter, horn-shaped) and the central (longer, slightly undulating) setae, in distal part subparallel to dorsal margin, distal seta well developed, but short; several long and slender setae scattered around distal margin. IV-L-6 basally narrow, weakly curved, with an obtuse angled proximoventral projection. P-2 enlarged, with equally rounded dorsal and protruding ventral margins, the latter in the centre bearing a group of short, rounded projections arranged in a line, flanked by an obtuse, flat hump; P-4 shortened, ventral margin in distal quarter forming a bluntly protruding extension near setae insertions, distoventral sector concave. P-5 slender, forming a pointed dorsodistal tip and bearing two very strong and long, only slightly curved claws flanked by several fine and slender setae. Female: Idiosoma slender oval in shape, posterior margin slightly projecting in the gonopore area. P-2 less enlarged than in male, ventral margin in the centre bearing a group of 3–4 rounded projections; P-4 stout, ventral margin in proximal quarter concave, from here to tip slightly convex, without extension near setae insertions. P-5 slender, claws short and weakly curved.

Measurements: Male: Idiosoma L/W 400–490/232–290 (ratio 1.6–1.8); dorsal L 360–440, W including projections at IV-L- insertion 244–272; IV-L (L/H, L/H ratio): IV-L-4, 100–125/50–61, 2.0–2.3; IV-L-5, 84–110/ 48–60, 1.7–1.9; IV-L-6, 120–150/44–58, 2.6–2.9; L ratio IV-L-4/5, 1.1–1.25, IV-L-4/6, 0.8–0.9, IV-L-5/6, 0.7–0.8. IV-L-5 ventral setae L: proximal 42–48, central 70–76, distal 14–17. Palp total L 316–393; segments (L/H, L/H ratio, relative L % total L): P- 1 24–33 /28–35, 0.9–1.0, 7–8; P-2, 90–113/72–93, 1.2–1.3, 28–29; P-3, 50–63/50–63, 0.9–1.1, 15–16; P-4, 100–125/38–48, 2.6–2.9, 31–32; P-5, 52–68/18–25, 2.6–3.3, 16–17. L ratio P-2/P-3, 1.7–2.0; P-2/P-4, 0.9; P-3/P-4, 0.5; P4/P-2+3, 0.7. Female: Idiosoma L/W 500–580/460–520 (ratio 1.7–1.8); dorsal L 460–520, W including projections at IV-L- insertion 248–288. Palp total L 279–323; segments (L/H, L/H ratio, relative L % total L): P- 1 23–28/25 –29, 1.2–1.3, 8–9; P-2, 75–85/61–68, 1.2–1.3, 26–28; P-3, 40–48/38–43, 1.0–1.1, 14–15; P-4, 90–100/30–33, 2.9–3.2, 32–33; P-5, 48–53/15–20, 2.5–3.2, 16–18. L ratio P-2/P-3, 1.8–2.1; P-2/P-4, 0.8–0.9; P-3/P-4, 0.4–0.5; P4/P-2+3, 0.7–0.8.

Discussion. In the shape and setation of the male IV-L (IV-L-5 with a ventral projection bearing a short proximal and a long central seta, both smooth, distal seta short, IV-L-6 with a blunt proximoventral projection), K. albanorum is very similar to K. clypeata Szalay, 1945 , described from Hungary, and later recorded from various parts of S Europe and the British isles. Minor differences are found in the shape of the ventral margin of IV-L-5 (in the centre and distal part only slightly concave, distal seta shorter in K. clypeata , the proximoventral extension more distinctly set off from distal margin by a deeper concavity, and distal seta longer in K. albanorum ). In most aspects, K. clypeata is similar also in the general shape of the palp, but differences are found in P-4 (ventral projection less prominent, more distanced from distal margin in males, ventral margin in the centre, proximal to ventral setae, convexly protruding in females) and in first line in the male P-5 (with short claws, less than 20 % of segment length). The attribution of females to males is well supported by the high number of representatives found together and the distinct differences to the species found associated, K. jaentschi sp. nov. (see below).

Habitat and distribution. Most specimens derive from interstitial samples. A weak coloration and little developed lateral eyes suggest that K. albanorum is a hyporheobiont species. All records come from the semi-arid western part of Sicily, but at the time of the investigation all collecting sites were characterized by a year-round flow at least in the interstitial.

Derivatio nominis. The type locality is located near Piana degli Albanesi, a place inhabited by a population originating from Albania and conserving traditional costumes since hundreds of years.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Kongsbergia albanorum n. sp., paratype male. A. dorsum; B. IV-L- 4 – 6 anterior; C. IV-L- 4 – 6 posterior; D. palp; E. P- 5 medial; F. P- 5 lateral; G. venter. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURE 22. Kongsbergia albanorum n. sp., paratype female. A. dorsum; B. palp; C. venter. Scale bars = 100 µm.