Unionicola (Downesatax) latiseta, Smit, Harry, 2008

Smit, Harry, 2008, Australian Unionicola (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Unionicolidae), with the description of two new subgenera and eight new species, Zootaxa 1674, pp. 1-26 : 8

Unionicola (Downesatax) latiseta n. sp.

( Figs. 5–7 )

Material examined. Holotype female, Middle Claudie River, Iron Range NO, Queensland, Australia, 7 September 2000 (QM).

Diagnosis. PIV with a very broad setal tubercle; palp small.

Description. Female: Idiosoma soft, 340 long and 227 wide. Posterior apodemes of anterior coxal plates extending onto third coxal plates. Length of third + fourth coxal plates 132. Posterior margin of fourth coxal plates without projections. All coxal plates with a reticulate pattern. A pair of glandularia in the secondary sclerotisation of the posteriomedial corner of fourth coxal plates. Genital field with two pairs of genital plates. Each anterior plate with two acetabula, extending medially in a short flap-like extension with two enlarged setae. Each posterior genital plate with three acetabula, and one enlarged seta. Lengths of PI-PV: 16, 50, 18, 54, 28. Palp small, medial seta of PIII large, extending beyond PV. PIV with one unusual large, broad setal tubercle, and one small setal tubercle. Ventrodistal peg-like seta of PIV small, not on a tubercle. Lengths of Ileg-4-6: 117, 116, 66. I-leg-6 almost straight, first leg with setae of moderate length, without papillae. IV-leg- 4 152 long, IV-leg-5 and -6 lost. Claws of legs with a clawlet, without claw blade.

Male: Unknown.

Etymology. Named after the broad seta of PIV.

Remarks. The unusual setal tubercle of PIV is not found in any other member of the genus.

Figures

FIGURE 5 – 7. Unionicola latiseta n. sp., holotype female, 5, ventral view; 6, palp; 7, I-leg- 4 - 6. Scale bars = 50 µm.