Kongsbergia, Lundblad, 1953

Radwell, Andrea J. & Smith, Ian M., 2012, North American members of the reticulata-like species group of the water mite genus Kongsbergia (Acari: Hydrachnidiae: Aturidae), Zootaxa 3540, pp. 1-49 : 11-14

Kongsbergia (s.s.) labyrintha Habeeb, 1957

( Figs. 13–17, 83, 84, 110)

Kongsbergia reticulata labyrintha Habeeb, 1957, p. 8 , male.

Kongsbergia labyrintha Habeeb, 1974, p. 2 .

Description. Character states of the reticulata subgroup. Male: Idiosoma in dorsal view elongate and ellipsoidal, usually widest near midlength. Dorsal shield ( Figs. 13, 83) with anterior margin nearly transverse or slightly concave and crenellate with a very small depression medially, lacking a nipple- or dome-shaped projection; with edge linear or slightly convex in area between eyes and humeral region and with a modest humeral angle; with reticulate sculpturing weakly developed and diffuse in area between and anterior to postocular setae; anteromedial hump small, lateral ridges moderately well developed and meeting lateral edges of shield near midlength, posterior depression moderately deep ( Fig. 110); ridge bearing excretory pore moderately well developed; bearing three pairs of slender setae on posterior edge; variable in color from colorless to yellowish with red or purple patches anteriorly and posteriorly. Ventral shield ( Fig. 15) with projections covering insertions of fourth legs well developed; rounded posteriorly and bearing three pairs of slender setae near posterior edge. Pedipalp ( Fig. 16) with femur enlarged and bearing three papillate projections proximoventrally. Fourth leg ( Fig. 17) with segments and setae as illustrated. Female: Dorsal shield ( Figs. 14, 84) similar in shape, sculpturing and color to that of male but with ridges relatively weakly developed. Ventral shield with projections covering insertions of fourth legs smaller than in male. Pedipalp with femur not enlarged and tibia proportionally longer than in male. Measurements: Male (n=5): Length/width dorsal shield 332–358/240–258, length/width ventral shield 370–396/268–280. Lengths pedipalp segments: Tr 22–25, Fe 85–95, Ge 28–34, Ti 101–116, Ta 27–31. Height pedipalp femur 70–92. Lengths leg segments: IGe 61–65, ITi 82–89, ITa 93–99; IIGe 63–71, IITi 85–93, IITa 91–102; IIIGe 75–84, IIITi 86–99, IIITa 95–114; IVTr 72–78, IVBFe80–88, IVTFe 66–68, IVGe 76–87, IVTi 80–94. Female (n=5): Length/width dorsal shield 330–360/260–286, length/width ventral shield 334–360/276–290. Lengths pedipalp segments: Tr 25–30, Fe 64–68, Ge 30–31, Ti 118–123, Ta 30–33. Lengths leg segments: IVTr 55–60, IVBFe 68–78, IVTFe 53–58, IVGe 72–78, IVTi 83–90, IVTa 85–98.

Type designation. Lectotype: Male from Cullesaja River , Highlands, Macon Co., North Carolina, USA, 3 May 1957, HH (slide, NBM) . Paralectotypes: same data as lectotype, 5 males, 5 females (slides, NBM, CNC), 2 males, 3 females (GAW, NBM, CNC) .

Specimens examined. USA: Alabama: Dekalb Co.: small stream beside Rt. 117, 1.4 km from Rt. 11 at Hammondville , Valley Head Park, 19 September 1991, IMS – 1 male, 2 females (slides) . Georgia: Lumpkin Co.: Etowah River beside Forest Road 28-I, 2.8 km south of Wahsega Road , Dahlonega , 1 October 1992, IMS – 1 male, 2 females (slides), 3 males, 1 female (GAW). Dicks Creek beside Forest Road 34 above Waters Creek Campground, 2 October 1992, IMS – 2 males, 2 females (slides), 2 males (GAW). Union Co. : Cooper Creek at Cooper Creek Scenic Area , 3 October 1992, IMS – 1 male, 1 female (slides). White Co. : Chattahoochee River beside Forest Road 44, 1 km from National Forest boundary, Helen, 23 September 1992, IMS – 1 female (GAW). Smith Creek beside road to Anna Ruby Falls north of Unicoi State Park, Helen, 24 September 1992, IMS – 1 male (slide) . Kentucky: Bell Co.: Sugar Run near north boundary of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park , Middlesboro , 9 July 1990, IMS – 2 females (GAW). McCreary Co. : Rock Creek beside Forest Road 556, 2.3 km south of Forest Road 1363, White Oak Junction, 8 July 1990, IMS – 4 females (GAW) . North Carolina: Jackson Co.: Brook at golf course, High Hampton , 15 May 1957, HH – 1 male (slide, NBM, CNC); 17 May 1957, HH – 2 males (slides, NBM, CNC), 2 males (GAW, NBM, CNC). Macon Co. : Cullasaja River north of Highlands , 6 May 1957, HH – 5 males, 2 females (slides, NBM, CNC), 8 males, 34 females (GAW, NBM, CNC); 18 May 1957, HH – 2 males, 2 females (slides, NBM, CNC), 4 males, 2 females (GAW, NBM, CNC). Brook flowing out of Lake Ravenal , Highlands, 9 May 1957, HH – 2 males, 1 female (slides, NBM, CNC), 3 males (GAW, NBM, CNC). Stream beside Turtle Pond Road near Van Hook Glade Campground, 13 May 1961, DRC – 2 males, 1 female (slides). Brook, Highlands, 14 May 1957, HH – 4 males, 4 females (slides, NBM, CNC), 1 male, 6 females (GAW, NBM, CNC). Cullasaja River beside Rt. 106 ca. 1.6 km north of Highlands , 14 May 1961, DRC – 9 males, 8 females (slides), 18 males, 13 females (GAW); 11 September 1968, DRC – 1 male (slide). Cullasaja River beside Rt. 64/28, 4.1 km northwest of Cliffside Lake Road , Highlands, 30 June 1990, IMS – 1 male (slide). Small stream beside Rt. 64, 0.8 km east of Van Hook Glade Campground , Highlands, 20 September 1992, IMS – 7 males, 4 females (slides), 8 males, 16 females (GAW). Swain Co. : Deep Creek at picnic area outside of Bryson City, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 14 September 2009, AJR – 1 female (GAW) . South Carolina: Oconee Co.: stream at Yellow Branch Picnic Area beside Rt. 28, 15 May 1961, DRC – 2 females (slides) . Tennessee: Lewis Co.: Jacks Branch Creek beside Old Trace off Natchez Trace Parkway 0.4 km south of Jacks Branch Picnic Area , 30 September 2006, IMS – 1 male (slide). Lawrence Co. : Jacks Branch Creek at Jacks Branch Picnic Area beside Natchez Trace Parkway, 2 June 1992, IMS – 1 male (slide). Monroe Co. : Turkey Creek on Rt. 35, 2.0 km northeast of road from Rt. 165 to Miller Chapel Church, 5 July 1990, IMS – 4 males, 4 females (slides), 3 males, 29 females (GAW). Turkey Creek on Rt. 35, 2.9 km northeast of road from Rt. 165 to Miller Chapel Church, 20 September 1991, IMS – 12 males, 10 females (slides), 17 males, 9 females (GAW). Turkey Creek on Rt. 35, 2.3 km northeast of road from Rt. 165 to Miller Chapel Church, 3 August, 2008, IMS – 1 male (GAW). Tellico River beside Forest Road 210, 1.8 km east of bridge at Bald River Falls , 5 July 1990, IMS – 1 male, 3 females (slides), 6 females (GAW). Tellico River beside Forest Road. 210, 6.0 km east of bridge at Bald River Falls , 20 September 1991, IMS – 1 male (slide). Wayne Co. : Glenrock Branch Creek beside Natchez Trace Parkway, Lower Glenrock Branch Picnic Area, 2 June 1992, IMS – 1 female (slide) . Virginia: Grayson Co.: East Fork of Chestnut Creek at Hickory Knob beside Blue Ridge Parkway , 7 km northeast of Rt. 89, 11 September 2005, IMS – 2 males, 2 females (slides). Rappahannock Co. : North Fork of Thornton River beside Rt. 612 ca. ½ mile from Rt. 211, Sperryville, 8 September 1968, DRC – 1 male (slide) .

Distribution. Southeastern USA (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia).

Remarks. Males of Kongsbergia labyrintha differ from those of K. reticulata and K. cooki sp. nov. in that the dorsal shield is more elongate and ellipsoidal in outline, the ridges on the shield are more strongly developed and the reticulate sculpturing covers most of the surface of the shield and is more regular. They differ from males of K. crumpae sp. nov. in that the ridges on the dorsal shield are more developed and the tibia of the pedipalp lacks a prominent proximoventral projection.

Habeeb (1957) did not designate a holotype for K. labyrintha either at the time of the original description or when he elevated it in status from subspecies to species (Habeeb 1974). We herby designate one of the cotype specimens as lectotype and the others as paralectotypes.