Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966)

Pešić, Vladimir, Cook, David, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2013, The water mite family Mideopsidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia): a contribution to the diversity in the Afrotropical region and taxonomic changes above species level, Zootaxa 3720 (1), pp. 1-75 : 20-22

Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966)

( Figs. 8A–E , 9A–B , 40I –J )

Mideopsis (Djeboa) bimaculata Cook 1966: 238 .

Material examined: Type series: FMC, Liberia; holotype female: eight miles north of Gbarbga, backwater area of a stream, 8.xi.1957, Cook (Coll. 81).

New records: Côte d’Ivoire: River N’zi near Ouokokro, drift night, 11.v.1977 Statzner 1/0/0 (mounted); ibid., drift day, 10.i.1978 1/2/0 (mounted); River N’zi near Fetekro, drift day, 12.vii.1977 Statzner 1/1/0 (mounted); River N’zi near Tinbè, drift day, 12.i.1977 Statzner 0/1/0 (mounted).

General features: Dorsal shield oval (L/W ratio 1.1–1.2), with medial depression ( Figs. 8A , 40I –J ); muscle scars with little pronounced thickenings, located anterior and posterior to the postocularia; colour pattern consisting of small anterior and posterior blue-green patches ( Figs. 40I –J ); gnathosomal bay Y-shaped, noticeably narrowing in posterior half; tips of Cx-I ending posterior to frontal margin; medial margin of Cx-IV reduced to a median angle; Cx-III and -IV with a series of longitudinal striae (four or five pairs on Cx-IV). Palp ( Figs. 8C , 9B ): P-1 with a dorsal seta; P-2 ventral margin in proximal third concave, distally straight, dorsal margin convexly bowed; P-3 proximally thicker than distally, ventral margin proximally with an inflation, from here to distal edge straight; P-4 slender, equally narrowing from the base to tip. Legs: I-L ( Fig. 8D ) with I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.6-2.7, ventral margin distally protruding; IV-L: Fig. 8E .

Description:

Male (from River N’zi near Ouokokro): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 9A ) L/W 428/416. Dorsal shield ( Fig. 40I ) L/W 347/320, ratio 1.1; gnathosomal bay L 76. Gonopore L/W 86/14. Palp ( Fig. 9B ): total L 144; L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 19/20, 0.93; P-2, 35/32, 1.07; P-3, 31/22, 1.4; P-4, 46/15, 3.0; P-5, 13/6, 2.0; chelicera total L 83; gnathosoma vL 82. Legs: dL of I-L-2-6: 38, 46, 51, 62, 82; I-L-6 H 30, I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.7; dL of IV-L: 51, 60, 54, 75, 88, 104; swimming setae numbers: III-L-4, 4; III-L-5, 4; IV-L-4, 5; IV-L-5, 5.

Discussion: Until now, only a single female specimen of this species was known, and this is the first description of the male. Djeboa bimaculata differs from all known species of the genus in the presence of two colour patches on dorsal shield (see Figs. 40I –J ).

Distribution: Liberia; Côte d’Ivoire (first record).

Figures

FIGURE 8 A – E. Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966), female: A = dorsal shield; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = palp; D = I-L; E = IV-L.

FIGURE 9 A – B. Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966), male: A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = palp.

FIGURE 40 A – L. Photographs of dorsal shield. A – B. Djeboa elephantina sp. nov.: A— male holotype; B— male paratype. C – D Djeboa maromandia sp. nov.: C— male paratype; D— male holotype. E – F. Djeboa coelestinica sp. nov.: E— holotype male; F— paratype female. G – H. Djeboa vanilla sp. nov.: G — holotype male; H — female paratype. I – J. Djeboa bimaculata (Cook, 1966): I — male, Ouokoukro, Côte d’Ivoire; J — female, Ouokoukro, Côte d’Ivoire. K – L. Djeboa unimaculata (Cook, 1966), female, Fetekro, Côte d’Ivoire.