Atractides virginalis, TUZOVSKIJ, 1977

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2003, Water mites of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Parasitengona: Hygrobatidae) in the western Palaearctic region: a revision, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 138, pp. 141-378 : 341

ATRACTIDES VIRGINALIS TUZOVSKIJ, 1977

Syn. to A. moniezi Motaş, 1927 : syn. nov.

Type series: Holotype ♀, prep. 1292 in coll. Russ. Institute Hydrobiol., 22.10.1975 river Sit near village Sit-Pokrowskoje, district Breitowsk , Jaroslawl . Paratypes: 2 ♀, same site, one ♀ 8.7.1975, one ♀ in coll. Gerecke, 10.10.74 PcuTb 4267 Atractides virginalis ♀. State of conservation: desiccated and crushed, right III/IV-L damaged, with distal segments lacking, one chelicera lacking (all details were depicted, then the specimen remounted, separating both I-L, the gnathosoma, chelicera (damaged) and palps).

Discussion: Tuzovskij (1977) compared A. virginalis with A. lacustris and A. rectipes ( Sokolow, 1934) , and found differences in the shape of the gnathosomal bay (in A. virginalis oviform, with maximum width on the level of the centre of the anterior coxal plates, and rostrally considerably narrowed). This character is a preparation artefact, often observed in Atractides specimens crushed during mounting (see E. Angelier 1954b; fig. 98, for A. pavesii ). When the two median lobes of the Cx-1 flanking the gnathosoma, normally directed dorsally, become bent medially, a characteristic ‘oviform’ shape of the gnathosomal bay is produced. A. virginalis agrees from all important points of view with my redescription of A. moniezi : narrow setal interspace, all leg claws with dorsal clawlets, II-IV-L-5 bearing paired, long swimming hairs, chelicera with relatively short claw (basal segment/claw ratio calculated from Tuzovskij’s fig. b: 3.0), P-4 with an enlarged sword seta, P-5 lacking ‘cheeks’, but with a strong, long claw.