Limnesia (Limnesia) kochi, Smit & Pesic, 2010

Smit, H. & Pesic, V., 2010, New Species Of Water Mites From Oman, With Some Zoogeographical Notes (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Acarologia 50 (2), pp. 151-195 : 163-165

Limnesia (Limnesia) kochi n. sp.

( Figures 9 A-E)

Type material — Holotype male, unnamed stream crossing road to Al Fay , near Ray, Oman, 24°38.703 N 56°06.760 E, alt. 562 m, 15-xi-2008 . Paratypes: 2/1/3, same data as holotype; 2/0/0, stream Hatta Pools , Oman, alt. 421 m, 24°41.165 N 56°09.556 E, 15-xi-2008 .

Diagnosis — Ventral setal tubercle of P-2 located far anteriorly, Glandula Limnesiae located near anterior margin of Cx-III; genital field of male indented anteriorly.

Description

Male — Idiosoma soft, L 494 (462-616), W 401 (365-494). Integument lineated. Dorsum with a small posterior platelet, 50 in diameter. Cx-I with short apodemes, not fused medially. Cx-III medially with a narrow, secondary sclerotization. Glandulae Limnesiae located close to anterior margin of Cx-III. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula and 10 small setae, indented anteriorly and posteriorly, L 106, W 98, gonopore L 62, W 26. Palp ( Fig. 9B ): total L 286; L: P-1, 18; P-2, 66; P-3, 66; P-4, 104; P-5, 32; P-2 with a ventral setal tubercle located far anteriorly, peg-like seta on tubercle small; P-4 with three small setal tubercles, two larger and one smaller. L of I-Leg-4-6: 76, 86, 72. L of IV- Leg-4-6: 124, 136, 152; IV-Leg-6 with a large distal seta and two smaller setae ( Fig. 9D ). IV-Leg-5 with four swimming setae, IV-Leg-4 with three swimming setae, III-Leg-4 and III-Leg-5 with three and two swimming setae respectively.

Female — Idiosoma soft, L 429, W 324. Female juvenile, no platelet visible. Cx-I with short apodemes, not fused medially. Cx-III medially with a narrow, secondary sclerotization. Glandulae Limnesiae located close to anterior margin of Cx-III. Genital field L 158, W 110, with three pairs of acetabula and 8-9 small setae, first pair of acetabula distanced from two posterior pairs. Pregenital sclerite slender. Palp: total L 324; L: P-1, 18; P-2, 90; P-3, 74; P-4, 110; P-5, 32; palp as in male. L of I-Leg-4-6: 78, 88, 66 (93 to tip). L of IV-Leg-4-6: 120, 140, 130. IV-Leg-5 with five swimming setae, IV-Leg-4 with two swimming setae, III-Leg-4 and III-Leg-5 with three and two swimming setae respectively.

Etymology — Named after the German acarologist C.L. Koch (1778-1857), who erected the genus Limnesia .

Remarks — The location of the Glandulae Limnesiae is unusual within the genus. Its normal location is medial of the suture line of the Cx-III and Cx-IV. Moreover, the location of the setal tubercle of P-2 is also unusual, as it is normally located in the middle of the segment.

Figures

FIGURE 9: Limnesia kochi n. sp. (A-D: male, E: female): (A, E) – coxal and genital field; (B) – palp; (C) – I-Leg-5-6; (D) – IV-Leg-5-6. Scale bars = 50 µm (A-D).