Rhynchohydracarus (Rhynchohydracarus) mirabilis Smit & Pešić, 2022

K, Harry Smit, Pešić, Vladimir, K & K, Simon Clavier, 2022, Water mites from French Guiana, with the description of 14 new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Acarologia 62 (4), pp. 1119-1153 : 1121

Rhynchohydracarus (Rhynchohydracarus) mirabilis Smit & Pešić sp. nov.

Zoobank: 81103BE2-D51B-45B5-B4FB-9A49DB847012

( Figures 1 A-C)

Material examined — Holotype male, Petit-Saut Lake near dam, French Guiana, 5.058891°N, 53.050829°W, 12 Mar. 2018, leg. S. Clavier ( RMNH).

Diagnosis (Female unknown) — Posterior to the large postocularia plate two pairs of smaller plates present.

Description — Male – Idiosoma dorsally 616 long and 494 wide, ventrally 680 long. Dorsal shield 567 long and 437 wide, with tightly fitting plates and platelets, consisting of a relatively small, anteriorly pointed plate with one pair of glandularia (dc-1), a large central plate (dc-2+3), 288 long and 275 wide, with the anteriorly located postocularia. These two unpaired plates surrounded by six platelets without glandularia and three pairs of small platelets, each with a glandularium ( Figure 1A). Venter with five pairs of tightly fitting plates as well as two pairs of platelets. Genital field on an unpaired, anteriorly pointed plate with one pair of glandularia (pregen). Posterior to the latter plate a pair of small elongated plates without glandularia or setae, an unpaired elongated platelet with the excretory pore (postgen) and more posterior a small unpaired platelet ( Figure 1B) and Vgl-3. Genital field 98 long and 129 wide, with numerous small acetabula. Near posterior margin of venter two pairs of bar-shaped sclerites, each with a glandularium. Length of P1-5: -, -, 50, 34, 18. P4 stocky ( Figure 1C). Length of I-leg-4-6: 80, 90, 77. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 150, 102, 82. Legs without swimming setae.

Female – Unknown.

Etymology — Named for its wonderful appearance.

Discussion — In males of this genus the genital field is lying on a plate with one pair of glandularia (Cxgl-2), in females Cxgl-2 are lying each on a small platelet. The new species is most close to R. testudo Lundblad, 1936 , R. dividuus Lundblad, 1941 and R. armiger De Castro, Proctor & Lofego, 2022 . From these species the new species differs in the presence of two pairs of dorsal plates posterior to the large postocularia plate. Rhynchohydracarus testudo has only one pair of plates, R. dividuus and R. armiger have one pair of plates and an unpaired plate posteriorly to the postocularia plate. Moreover, the pair of small platelets without glandularia or setae posterior to the genital plate is absent in the forementioned species.