Pseudotorrenticola borneoensis, Pešić & Smit, 2014

Pešić, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2014, Torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Torrenticolidae) from Malaysian Borneo, Zootaxa 3840 (1), pp. 1-72 : 32-35

Pseudotorrenticola borneoensis n. sp.

( Figs. 21A–D , 22E–F , 23H )

Type series. Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Malaysia, Borneo , Little Lumotok stream, Sayap, Mt Kinabalu, 6º09.497 N, 116º34.027 E, alt. 1065 m asl., 17.ix.2012 Smit.

Diagnosis (Female unknown). Large in size (idiosoma length 900 µm); anterolateral platelets of dorsal shield extending posteriorly to level of D2; excretory pore on the margin of primary sclerotization; L/H P-4 ratio 1.8.

Description

Male. General features —Dorsal shield with two pairs of anterolateral platelets, shoulder platelets much longer than frontal platelets, extending posteriorly to level of D2 ( Fig. 21A ); Cxgl–4 absent; genital field subrectangular in shape; ejaculatory complex conventional in shape ( Fig. 23H ); suture lines of Cx-IV extending posteriorly beyond posterior margin of genital field; excretory pore on the margin of primary sclerotization, embedded in the area of primary sclerotization, Vgl–2 posterior to the line of primary sclerotization; gnathosoma long and narrow ( Fig. 21D ), located at the end of an extrusible membranous tube. Palp segments short, ventral margin of P-2 and P-3 each with a short, slender ventral seta ( Fig. 21C ).

Measurements —Idiosoma (ventral view: Figs. 21B , 22F ) L 906, W 531; dorsal shield ( Figs. 21A , 22E ) L 606, W 469, L/W ratio 1.29; dorsal plate L 525; shoulder plate L 288–297, W 75–78, L/W ratio 3.8; frontal plate L 184, W 84, L/W ratio 2.19; shoulder/frontal plate L 1.56–1.61. Gnathosomal bay L 48, Cx-I total L 356, Cx-I mL 308, Cx-II+III mL 125; ratio Cx-I L/Cx-II+III mL 2.8; Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 2.5. Genital field L/W 166/128, ratio 1.29; ejaculatory complex L 172; distance genital field-excretory pore 184, genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 239. Gnathosoma vL 270; chelicera total L 295, basal segment L 249, claw L 49, L basal segment/claw ratio 5.1; palp total L 193–194, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 21–22/26-29, 0.7–0.8; P-2, 65/38.5, 1.68; P-3, 35/32, 1.1; P-4, 45/25, 1.77; P-5, 27/14, 1.9; P-2/P-4 ratio 1.45. Legs: dL of I-L-2–6: 97, 88, 121, 150, 133; I-L-6 H 40, dL/H I-L-6 ratio 3.3; dL of IV-L: 100, 116, 103, 148, 175, 158.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named after the island where the new species was found.

Discussion. In the general characters, Peudotorrenticola borneoensis n. sp. closely resembles P. sharpae Wiles, 1997 . The latter species was described by Wiles (1997) based on material from Thailand (holotype male), Peninsular Malaysia (one male and one female) and North Brunei (one male). Wiles (1997) mentioned that the specimen from Brunei differs in having more slender palps and anterolateral platelets extending posteriorly to the level with D2. He stated that this may be a separate species. In the light of the new record from northern Borneo, these morphological differences cannot be attributed to intraspecific variability. The specimen examined from Borneo differs from the original description of P. sharpae in larger dimensions (idiosoma length 670–740 µm in male of P. sharpae ), anterolateral platelets extending more posteriorly, approaching to the level with D2, a more slender palp especially P-4, and excretory pore lying on the margin of primary sclerotization (away from the margin of primary sclerotization in P. sharpae , see Wiles 1997: fig. 20f). In our opinion the specimen from this study warrant the erection of a new species.

Habitat. Sandy/bouldery stream, shaded by rain forest.

Distribution. Borneo (“ P. sharpae ” Wiles 1997 , our study).

Genus Monatractides K. Viets, 1926

Subgenus Monatractides K. Viets, 1926

Figures

FIGURE 21A–D. Pseudotorrenticola borneoensis n. sp., male holotype, Little Lumotok stream: A = dorsal shield; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = palp, medial view; D = gnathosoma. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURE 22A–F. Photographs of dorsal (A,C,E) and ventral shield (B,D,F). A–B Neoatractides sundaensis n. sp., female holotype, Kemantis stream. C–D Neoatractides uniscutatus n. sp., male holotype, Kemantis stream. E–F Pseudotorrenticola borneoensis n. sp., male holotype, Little Lumotok stream.

FIGURE 23A–H. Photographs of ejaculatory complex. A Torrenticola borneoensis n. sp. B T. kinabaluensis n. sp.. C T. longipalpis Wiles, 1997. D T. sabahensis n. sp. E Torrenticola minuta (Lundblad, 1941). F T. neoindica n. sp. G Neoatractides uniscutatus n. sp. H Pseudotorrenticola borneoensis n. sp.