Hexaxonopsis (Hexaxonopsis) reticulata, Smit, 2016

Smit, H., 2016, The water mite family Aturidae Thor, 1900 from Southeast Asia (Acari: Hydrachnidia) with the description of one new genus and 14 new species, Acarologia 56 (3), pp. 341-365 : 346

Hexaxonopsis (Hexaxonopsis) reticulata n. sp.

( Figure 4 )

Material examined — Holotype male, Slow flowing stream, Nam Nao NP, Thailand, 15°44.422N 101°34.774E, alt. 1190 m a.s.l., 15-xi-2007. Paratypes: one male, one female, same data as holotype .

Diagnosis — Central dorsoglandularia pair closer to each other than other dorsoglandularia pairs.

Description — Male: Idiosoma dorsally 340 (348) long and 293 (300) wide, ventrally 324 (340) long. Dorsal shield anteriorly fused with ventral shield, 270 (283) wide. Dorsal furrow without glandularia. Dorsal shield with A2 and six pairs of glandularia, central pair closer to each other than other pairs; associated setae of this central pair not visible (or lacking?). Excretory pore fused to dorsal shield. Anterior part of dorsal shield reticulated. Coxal suture lines obliterated. First and second coxae drawn into hooks, first coxae not extending to anterior idiosoma margin. An indistinct ridge extending from fourth leg sockets to lateral idiosoma margin. Between fourth leg sockets and genital field two pairs of glandularia, these closer to genital field than to fourth leg sockets. Genital field with thee pairs of acetabula; gonopore 36 long and 28 wide. Length of P1-P5: 28, 40, 24, 70, 24; P2 somewhat bulging anteroventrally. Length of I-leg-4-6: 46, 60, 64. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 64, 74, 70. Swimming setae: II-leg-5 three, III-leg-5 four, III-leg-4 two, IV-leg-5 three and IV-leg-4 two. Legs not modified.

Female: Idiosoma dorsally 366 long and 323 wide, ventrally 364 long. Dorsal shield anteriorly fused with ventral shield, 297 wide. Female similar to male except in shape of genital field and and first coxae almost extending to frontal margin. Gonopore 76 long and 80 wide. Length of P1-5: 31, 44, 24, 70, 24; palp as in male. Length of I-leg-4-6: 50, 64, 66. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 62, 76, 70. Numbers of swimming setae as in male.

Etymology — Named for the reticulate pattern of the anterior dorsal shield.

Remarks — All similar Hexaxonopsis species (e.g. H. bharatensis ( Cook, 1967), H. alpa (Cook, 1997) and H. niraensis ( Cook, 1967)), have two dorsal (third and fourth) pair of glandularia close to each other, while in the new species such closely lying glandularia are absent. Moreover, the fourth pair of dorsal glandularia lying much closer to each other is not found in other Hexaxonopsis species.

Figures

FIGURE 4: Hexaxonopsis reticulata n. sp., A – C holotype male, D – paratype female: A – dorsum; B – venter; C – palp; D – venter. Scale bars = 50 µm.