Copidognathus rhombognathoideus Bartsch, 2006

Chatterjee, Tapas, Marshall, David J & Pešić, Vladimir, 2012, New records of Copidognathus mites (Acari: Halacaridae) from mangroves in Brunei Darussalam with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 3269, pp. 18-30 : 27

Copidognathus rhombognathoideus Bartsch, 2006

( Figures 7–8 )

Copidognathus rhombognathoideus Bartsch, 2006a , 88–92, Figs. 21–41.

Material examined: Three ƤƤ and two 33 from algal turf growing on Rhizophora mangrove pneumatophores at Batu Marang (4°58’N, 115°1’ E), Brunei Darussalam, 16. iii. 2011, leg. T. Chatterjee & D. J. Marshall.

Brief description: Idiosomal length of females, 365–444 µm, and of males, 375–391 µm. Areolae and costae on dorsal plates with porose panel. AD with a fused (three large areolae fused) porose areola. PD with four costae, middle and paracosta joined anteriorly. Area between two middle costae about five panels wide. Pair of ds 1 in middle of AD. Setae ds2 located at anteromedial edge of OC, setae ds3-ds5 on PD. AE with three pairs of setae and a pair of ovate epimeral pores. GA with three pairs of setae in female, distance between 2nd and 3rd pair more than the distance between 1st and 2nd pair in one female ( Fig. 7 B) while these distances are subequal in the other individuals. Gnathosoma, rostrum and palps short; palps extending beyond tip of rostrum. Chaetotaxy of legs: trochanters I–IV, 1-1-1-0; basifemora I-IV, 2-2-2-2; telofemora I–IV, 5-5-2-2; genua I–IV, 4-4-3-3; tibiae I–IV, 7-7-5-5; tarsi (PAS excluded) I–IV, 7-4-4-3. Telofemora III and IV lacking a ventral seta. Tibiae I–II with one long, smooth ventral seta and two thick pectinate ventromedial setae. Tibia III–IV with one thick, bipectinate ventromedial seta. Tarsus I with three dorsal setae, one solenidion, three ventral setae and two doublet eupathidia PAS. Tarsus II with three dorsal setae, one solenidion and two single eupathidia PAS. Tarsus III with four dorsal setae and one lateral PAS. Tarsus IV with three dorsal setae and one lateral PAS. Lateral claws ventrally smooth, without pecten.

Remarks: This is the first record of this species from Brunei Darussalam and outside its type locality. This species was previously described from mangroves in Singapore. Four similar species, Copidognathus balakrishnani Chatterjee, 2000 , C. caloglossae Procheş, 2002 , C. lutarius Bartsch, 2003 and C. rhombognathoideus Bartsch, 2006 can now be assigned to a natural group ( Chatterjee 2000; Procheş 2002; Bartsch 2003, 2006a). Detailed comparisons of these species will be prepared in a future paper by the first author.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Copidognathus rhombognathoideus Bartsch, 2006 (A, B, D – F, female; C—male) A—idiosoma dorsal female B — idiosoma ventral female C— idiosoma ventral male, D—gnathosoma, E—part of the costae showing porose panels, F—area between two costae on PD showing foveae. (Scale bars: A – C = 100 µm, D = 40 µm, E, F = 20 µm)

FIGURE 8. Copidognathus rhombognathoideus Bartsch 2006 (female) A – C –– legs I – III. (Scale bar = 20 μm)