Planaturus simpsonensis, K & PešićK, 2024

K, Harry Smit & PešićK, Vladimir, 2024, New records of notoaturine water mites from New Zealand, with the description of five new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Notoaturinae), Acarologia 64 (2), pp. 499-524 : 510-512

Planaturus simpsonensis n. sp.

Zoobank: 174B8C78-258B-45C7-95C7-DFC9BE3E7C70

Figures 7 , 14F

Material examined — Holotype male, South Island , Simpson Creek , interstitial, crossing Haupiri Road, Moana, 42°32.852′ S, 171°39.594′ E, alt. 259 m asl., 15 Febr. 2023, dissected and slide mounted ( NMNZ).

Diagnosis — Hood rectangular with a straight anterior margin; gnathosoma with a distinct dorsodistal protuberance.

Description. Male — Idiosoma dorsally (till tip of hood) 380 long and 253 wide, ventrally 372 long. Eye pigment visible. Dorsal shield typical for the genus Planaturus , smooth and with small pores ( Figure 14F ), 270 long and 191 wide; unpaired anteromedial plate 125 long and 147 wide; unpaired posteromedial plate 145 long and 134 wide; anterolateral platelet 159 long, posterolateral platelet 88 long. Anterodorsal part of ventral shield forming a sub-rectangular hood-like structure with a straight anterior margin ( Figure 7A ), Cx/II and -III pointed and somewhat projecting; gnathosomal bay 75 long; glandularia Cxgl-4 located near Cx-III/IV suture line; projections associated with insertions of fourth legs relatively broad, a pair of glandularia located medial to these projections. Genital field with several acetabula present on each side, gonopore terminal, 47 long; a medially located group of small setae extending anteriorly from gonopore ( Figure 7B ). Ejaculatory complex ( Figure 7C ) 91 long.

Palp: dorsal length/height (ratio in parentheses): P1, 16/12 (1.34); P2, 36/35 (1.02); P3, 27/22 (1.22); P4, 41/22 (1.85); P5, 17/8 (2.2); P2 with ventrodistal extension, none of the setae on P-2 greatly lengthened or thickened, P4 with a median ridge ( Figure 7 D-E). Gnathosoma ventrally 63 long (without apodemes), 86 with apodemes, dorsodistal part of gnathosoma with a pronounced protuberance ( Figure 7F ); chelicera 109 long. Dorsal length of I-leg-2-6 ( Figure 7G ): 42, 34, 42, 42, 46; dorsal length of IV-leg-2-6 ( Figure 7H ): 84, 39, 39, 36, 51; greatest height of IV-leg-2, 50.

Female — Unknown.

Etymology — Named after the type locality.

Remarks — This is the sixth known species of the genus after P. setipalpis Cook, 1983 , P. lundbladi Cook, 1983 , P. rugosus Cook, 1991 , P. pileatus Smit, 2017 and P. serratus Smit, 2017 . Due to the gnathosoma with a distinct dorsodistal protuberance, the new species resembles P. lundbladi , a species known from North Island only ( Cook 1983). In comparison with the new species, P. lundbladi is larger, ventrally 775-851µm long and with a broader hood with a slightly concave anterior margin (see Cook 1983 fig. 249).

Distribution — Known only from the locus typicus on South Island.

Figures

Figure 7 Planaturus simpsonensis n. sp., male, Simpson Creek. A – idiosoma, dorsal view; B idiosoma, ventral view; C – photograph of ejaculatory complex; D-E – palp; F – gnathosoma; G – I-leg-2-6; H – IV-leg-2-6. Scale bars = 100 μm.

Figure 14 Photographs of dorsal shield. A – Evidaturus scopticus Cook, 1983, male holotype, stream on Wainui Rd (from: <https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/125039>); B –Kritaturus sornus Cook, 1983, female, Longbeach Creek; C – K. jacundusCook, 1983,