Hydrodroma moralesi, Wiles, 2005

Wiles, P. R., 2005, First collections of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Honduras: descriptions of six new species, Journal of Natural History 39 (3), pp. 253-263 : 255

Hydrodroma moralesi n. sp.

( Figure 1 )

Male. Small red species. Epimera typical, heavily sculptured: each genital plate narrow with 22–24 acetabula and 13 genital plate setae: genital plate length 123, maximum width 42; genital pore length 90; ejaculatory complex without distal horns. Pedipalps short, P4 short and broad, P3 distal setae of similar length approximately 127 long; length P1–5 26, 38, 27, 75, 37. Legs typical, without swimming setae.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: „. Honduras: ( Site 2) R. El Carago, small stream, near Cusuco National Park entrance, Merendon mountains, altitude 640 m, 6 April 2003. Slide: holotype: H17 „.

Etymology. Named after E. Morales for services to conservation in Honduras.

Discussion. The palp and the genital plate are the shortest and the number of acetabula per plate the fewest of all the species of Hydrodroma described. It is the only species without swimming setae or distal horns on the ejaculatory complex. The nearest species in size is H. liberiensis Cook, 1966 . It has less than 30 acetabula on a single genital plate that is 50% longer than that of H. moralesi n. sp., a slender pedipalp with P4 is of typical proportions and legs with swimming setae.

Figures

Figure 1. Hydrodroma moralesi n. sp. „. (a) Venter showing epimera, genital field and anal plate; (b) ejaculatory complex, arrow indicates location of ‘horns’ on other species; (c) palp. Scale bar: 66 Mm (a); 28 Mm (b); 17 Mm (c).