Zelandopsis Imamura, 1977

Smit, Harry, 2019, New and rare species of hyporheic water mites from New Zealand (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Aturidae, Momoniidae with the description of two new genera, one new subgenus and one new species, Acarologia 59 (3), pp. 364-373 : 369

Zelandopsis Imamura, 1977

The genus Zelandopsis was described by Imamura (1977) based on one male only, collected from the Twin Forks Creek, Paturau, South Island, New Zealand. According to Imamura, this male should have no acetabula. I visited this area in December 2018 but was unable to find the stream itself and an unnamed stream in this area was without water mites. However, in the Marlborough Sounds area I was able to collect several males and females of Zelandopsis morimotoi Imamura , which makes it possible to redescribe this species, including the first description of the female.

Revised diagnosis. Lateral eye pigment absent in males, but in one female specimen eyes with red pigment, lying beneath integument. Idiosoma dome-shaped in lateral view, posteriorly tapering. Dorsum with anterior plate much narrower than wide, with the postocularia. Posterior dorsal plate unpaired, with two pairs of glandularia. Two pairs of lateral dorsal platelets present, the anterior ones with a pair of glandularia, the posterior ones without glandularia. Dorsum with one pair of “free” glandularia, located between the pair of lateral platelets and the posteromedial plate. Coxae extending slightly beyond frontal idiosoma margin. Suture lines of coxae indistinct, lateral to Cx-III a short ridge. Gonopore in male away from posterior margin, in female near posterior idiosoma margin. Acetabula in male posterior to gonopore in two irregular rows, in female in two groups flanking the gonopore. P2 ventrally with small denticles. I-III-leg-2 longer than other segments. Legs without swimming setae. Excretory pore located dorsally.