Lebertia (s. str.) subtilis Koenike, 1902

Esen, Yunus, Dilkaraoğlu, Sibel, Erman, Orhan & Gerecke, Reinhard, 2013, Two new water mite species of the genus Lebertia (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Lebertiidae) from Turkey, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 47 (15 - 16), pp. 1083-1092 : 1090-1091

Lebertia (s. str.) subtilis Koenike, 1902

Material examined

Bingöl Province, Karlıova , 39 ◦ 21 ′ 18 ′′ N 41 ◦ 08 ′ 29 ′′ E, 2800 m asl.; 17 July 2009, (7 / 40 / 0) ; ibid., 19 July 2009, (1 / 4 / 0) ; ibid., 5 August 2010 , (4 / 14 / 0).

Diagnosis

Integument finely striated with short irregular lines. Medial suture Cx-I relatively long (L ratio Cx-I / II 1.3-1.7, Figure 5A ). Legs without swimming setae, IV-L-6 with two short ventral setae. Male genital field with high numbers of medial setae (about 50), in posterior part arranged in double rows. Excretory pore smooth. Dorsal setae on P-3 separate, mediodistal and dorsodistal setae close to each other; P-4 parallel-sided, peg-like mediodistal seta long, robust and pointed.

Description

Both sexes. Colour yellow; IV-L-1 with one dorsal and two dorsodistal setae, IV-L-5 with four ventral setae; palp ( Figure 5B ); P-3 slightly enlarged distally P-4 ventral sectors 1:1:2, P-5 with curved claws; sexual dimorphism in shape of genital field. Male: Idiosoma L / W 684–948 / 530–771, Cx-I / II mL 174–186 / 110–120 (ratio 1.6), posterior margin Cx-II W 30–41; genital flap L 1160–171, genital field W 148–163; Ac-1-3 L 53–55 / 44–49 / 40–42; gnathosoma L 202–217, chelicera L 285–290; palp: L / H P-1, 32–34 / 42–43; P-2, 90–93 / 60–61; P-3, 101–110 / 43–46; P-4, 98–108 / 34–36; P-5, 27–30 / 15–17; total L 348–375; L / H IV-L-4, 223–237 / 50–52; IV-L-5, 231–252 / 48–50; IV-L-6 220–228 / 46–47.

Female. Idiosoma L / W 683–1003 / 521–798, Cx-I / II mL 177–215 / 119–135 (ratio 1.5–1.6), posterior margin Cx-II W 38–40; genital flap L 200–217; genital field W 173–194; Ac-1-3 L 59–67 / 53–55 / 47–48; gnathosoma L 214–224, chelicera L 293–320; palp ( Figure 5B ): L / H, P-1, 34–37 / 41–43; P-2, 92–98 / 66–68; P-3, 105–117 / 41–47; P-4, 101–113 / 35–37; P-5, 30–31 / 16–17; total L 362–396; L / H IV-L-4, 228–257 / 50–56; IV-L-5, 242–269 / 45–54; IV-L-6 221–240 / 50–52.

Discussion

Lebertia subtilis has been recorded several times since the first description, but all later records remained doubtful owing to unclear diagnostic characters and the lack of deposited material ( Gerecke 2009). The specimens collected from Bingöl Mountains agree in all details with the type series as described by Gerecke (2009). The most important distinctive feature, a high density of medial setae on the male genital flaps (resulting in double-row arrangement in posterior part) was observed in all 12 male specimens. As this character state is unknown in any other Lebertia species and the type series consisted only of a single male and a single female, Gerecke proposed that this particular morphology could be the effect of individual malformation. Furthermore, he stated that the absence of swimming setae should be verified because of the damaged type series. On the base of this record, all the aforementioned diagnostic characters can be verified.

Distribution

Alps ( Switzerland [ Gerecke 2009]), Asia Minor. New for Turkey.

Habitat

The first description was based on material from a lake, while the Turkish population derives from a high altitude rheocrene rich in gravel substrata and moss vegetation, and with strong exposure to sunlight. As absence of swimming setae is a feature often found in spring-dwelling species, it is well possible that also the type locality was a groundwater-influenced habitat.

Figures

Figure 5. Lebertia (s. str.) subtilis female. (A) Ventral view; (B) palp, medial view; (C) IV-L-5-6 (scale bars = 100 µm).