Capricornella, Błoszyk, Jerzy, Halliday, Bruce, Adamski, Zbigniew & Książkiewicz-Parulska, Zofia, 2017

Błoszyk, Jerzy, Halliday, Bruce, Adamski, Zbigniew & Książkiewicz-Parulska, Zofia, 2017, Capricornella bicornuta, a new genus and species of mite from eastern Australia (Acari: Uropodina), Zootaxa 4244 (3), pp. 321-338 : 322

Genus Capricornella gen. nov.

Type species Capricornella bicornuta sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Mites of small size (<650 µm), idiosoma well sclerotised, square-shaped, colour yellowish-brown ( Figs 2, 3 ), with wide, gently rounded anterior margin. Marginal shield rather narrow, anteriorly fused with dorsal shield. Marginal and submarginal setae numerous. Opisthosoma short, constituting about one-third of body length. Pedofossae IV parallel to posterior opisthosoma, their anterior margins directed forward. Tritosternum with base amphora-shaped, covered by coxae I. Tarsal claws of leg I smaller than those of legs II–IV. Sternal region with five pairs of setae. Poststigmatal part of peritreme absent, pre-stigmatal part convoluted. Two pairs of adanal setae, Ad2 longer than Ad1, postanal seta absent. Genital operculum of male circular, at level of coxae IV.

Etymology. The name of the genus is derived from the word Capricorn, goat, and refers to the epigynal shield of the female, which resembles the head of a goat with a pair of horns. Gender feminine.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 3. Capricornella bicornuta, ventral habitus. 2, Female; 3, Male. Scale bar 100 µm.