Rutacarus annae, Valdecasas, Antonio G., 2008

Valdecasas, Antonio G., 2008, Revision of the genus Rutacarus (Acari, Parasitengona, Hydrachnidia) with the description of a new species from Central America, Zootaxa 1693, pp. 62-68 : 66-67

Rutacarus annae n. sp.

Figs 7–11

Female. Body elliptic, truncated anteriorly. Length of body from dorsal view 630 (615), width 450 (435). Length of dorsal shield 570 (570), width 345 (330). The dorsal shield has three pairs of glandularia, the postocularia are located slightly posterior the first pair. Dorsal shield ridges as illustrated ( Fig. 7 ). Dorsal furrow with six pairs of glandularia. Eyes in lateral position on the ventral shield. Length of the ventral shield 600 (610), width 440 (435). First and second coxae projecting beyond the anterior end of the ventral shield ( Fig. 8 ). One glandularia on a small chitinous islet between the second and third coxae, a second glandularia is located nearby on the third coxae. The genital area has three pairs of acetabula covered by genital flaps. Length of the genital field (outline of the genital flaps) 135, width 80. One female had six eggs and the other five. Palps with a single ventral setae on P-II and four or five setae on P-IV; the longest is on a small tubercle. Dorsal length of palp segments: P-I 19; P-II 80; P-III 42; P-IV 98; P-V 22. Length of capitulum 115. Length of chelicera 205 ( Fig. 11 ). Length of chelicera claw 60. Length of subterminal seta at IV-leg-6 50 ( Fig. 10 ). I- to III-leg with simple claws. Length of the last segments of legs: I-Leg-4 110; I-Leg-5 90; I-Leg-6 90; II-Leg-4 80; II-Leg-5 80; II-Leg-6 75; III-Leg-4 105; III-Leg-5 100; III-Leg-6 90; IV-Leg-4 100; IV-Leg-5 120; IV- Leg-6 90.

Type material. Holotype: female, 8-viii-1994, Rio Escondido, immediately above waterfall. Coiba Island, Panama. Dissected and slide mounted in glycerin jelly.

Paratype: female same locality and date as holotype. Undissected in Koenike´s fluid.

At this location the Rio Escondido is a stony stream, at 1.800 m distance from the sea; 3.6 m wide and 30 cm deep; 25ºC water temperature, pH 7.9 and 131 µS/cm conductivity.

Etymology. The species is dedicated to my colleague Dr. Ana I. Camacho for her tireless encouragement and continuous help.

Habitat. Interstitial habitat.

Discussion. Rutacarus annae n. sp. is close to R. angelieri and R. ferradasae . It is distinguished from R. angelieri by the lack of a chitinized strip connecting the posterior glandularia of the dorsal shield and the coxae projecting beyond the ventral shield. R. ferradasae is differentiated from R. annae n. sp. by its more elongated body shape and having four glandularia besides the postocularia on the dorsal shield. Additionally, the sizes mentioned by Cook (1980) for the chelicera and the capitulum of the female of R. sasonus must be a misprint, or they will be another difference between R. annae n. sp. from R. sasonus not presented in the key.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 11. Rutacarus anna e n. sp. (holotype). 7, dorsal shield; 8, ventral shield; 9, palp; 10, last segment of fourth leg; 11, chelicera.