Hygrobates bucharicus Sokolow, 1928

Pesic, Vladimir, 2004, New records of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from Iran, with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 726, pp. 1-8 : 3

Hygrobates bucharicus Sokolow, 1928

( Figs. 1–10 )

Material examined: Iran (without site and sampling date identification), leg. Schwoerbel (1/1/0); Lorestan Province, Borujerd (33°53'47N, 48°45'21E), leg. R. Vafaei (0/4/0); Markazi Province, Darband (35°4'39N, 49°42'32 E), leg. R. Vafaei (0/1/0).

Description: Female (from Darband, in parentheses some measurements of the female from Schwoerbel collection): Idiosoma L/W 971/878, integument striation well visible; setae Fch 3 times longer than their insertion sclerite ( Fig. 2 ). Coxal field ( Fig. 1 ) L 450, Cx­1+2 W 464, Cx­3 W 614. Genital field ( Figs. 5–6 ): L 211 (172), W 319 (247), pregenitale very large W 138 (119); genital plate L 156 (133), W 94 (72); maximum diameter of Ac­ 1­3 47 (25)­56 (31)­40 (26); 16–17 (15) hairs on each plate. Measurements of mouthparts: chelicera ( Fig. 4 ) L 367, claw L 131; gnathosoma L 269; Palp ( Fig. 3 ): total L 514 (449), dorsal L of segments: P­1 41 (35), P­2 136 (119), P­3 106 (86), P­4 175 (156), P­5 56 (53); relative L (given as % total L) of segments: P­1 8.0 (7.8), P­2 26.5 (26.5), P­3 20.6 (19.2), P­4 34.0 (34.7), P­5 10.9 (11.8); L ratio P­2/P­4 is 0.78 (0.76); P­2 with concave ventral margin, ventrodistally protruding in a short projection, covered by fine denticles; distal part of P­3 ventral margin convexely protruding and with about 12 strong dents; proximoventral hair on P­4 thicker than distoventral hair.

Leg segments ( Figs 9, 10 ): I­L­4 194; I­L­5 208; I­L­6 186, IV­L­4 330; IV­L­5 344; IV­L­6 297; claws ( Fig. 8 ) with well developed claw blade, internal clawlet about 50% L of external clawlet.

Male (from Schwoerbel collection): Idiosoma L/W 686/600. Coxae and legs as described for the female: coxal field L 322,Cx­1+2 W 294, Cx­3 W 414. Genital field ( Fig. 7 ): L 150, W 182, roundish­triangular in shape;acetabula arranged in a curved line, L Ac­ 1­3 22­27­25, separated by extended interspaces of genital plate sclerite; 13–15 genital hairs on each side. Palp: total L 353, dorsal L of segments and relative L (in parentheses, given as % total L): P­1 30 (8.5), P­2 84 (23.8), P­3 70 (19.8), P­4 124 (35.1), P­5 45 (12.7); L ratio P­2/P­4 is 0.68; shape and chaetotaxy as in female.

Remarks: The original description of this species was based on a single male from the Uzbekhistan (village Rasid in Stara Buhara, Sokolow 1928). This is the second record of the species since the orginal description, and the first discovery of the female. The female from the Schwoerbel collection is in good agreement with the specimens from Markazi Province. Differences are found inrelatively smaller acetabula arranged in a curved line (in females from Markazi in an obtuse triangle), and a more slender pre­ and post genital sclerite ( Fig. 6 ). In view of the good agreement in other measurements these differences are most probably age­depending and/or due to geographical variability.

Distribution: Uzbekhistan, Middle East (first record from Iran).

Biology: Obviously, this species preferably inhabits lentic habitats.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Hygrobates bucharicus Sokolow, 1928, (1 – 6 = female, 7 = male): 1 = coxal and genital field; 2 = seta Fch; 3 = palp; 4 = chelicera; 5 = genital field (female from Darband); 6 = genital field (female from Schwoerbel collection); 7 = genital field. Scale Bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 8 – 10. Hygrobates bucharicus Sokolow, 1928, female: 8 = claw; 9 = IV­L­ 5 ­ 6; 10 = I­L­ 4 ­ 6. Scale Bars = 0.1 mm.