Djeboa globulipalpis Pešić, Cook & Gerecke, 2013

Pešić, Vladimir, Cook, David, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2013, The water mite family Mideopsidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia): a contribution to the diversity in the Afrotropical region and taxonomic changes above species level, Zootaxa 3720 (1), pp. 1-75 : 41-43

Djeboa globulipalpis Pešić, Cook & Gerecke sp. nov.

( Figs. 23A–F , 38A–B )

Type series: Holotype female, dissected and slide mounted, South Africa, DC 83 84 Eastern Transvaal, Blyde River somewhat S of Pilgrim’s Rest, 20 m wide – rocks with sand and detritus, 16 ˚C, 25.v.1984 Cook. Paratypes: same data as holotype, 2/1/0 (slide mounted).

Further records: South Africa, DC 76 84 Eastern Transvaal, Sterkspruit on Rt. 539 at border between Nelspruit & Belfast districts, 5–10 m wide, swift-cear-rocks, coll. in area of detritus, 12 ˚C, 23.v.1984 Cook, 2/2/0 (mounted).

Diagnosis: Dorsal shield oval (L/W ratio 1.1–1.2), with medial depression; muscle scars with well pronounced thickenings, at nearly equal distance anterior and posterior to the postocularia, second pair of muscle scars extending to the edge of dorsal depression; dorsal colour pattern consisting of a large blue patch (well visible in one mounted male, Fig. 38B ); gnathosomal bay V-shaped; tips of Cx-I slightly posterior to frontal margin; medial margin of Cx-IV reduced to a median angle, posterior margin extending posterolaterally. Palp ( Fig. 23D ): P-1 without dorsal seta; P-2 inflated, ventral margin straight, dorsal margin strongly convexly bowed; P-3 much higher proximally than ventrally, dorsal margin strongly convex; P-4 slender, basally thickened. Legs: I-L ( Fig. 23E ), with I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.2, ventral margin distally convexly protruding; IV-L: Fig. 23F ; swimming setae numbers: III-L-4, 3-5; III-L-5, 6-8; IV-L-4, 3-5; IV-L-5, 4-9.

Description:

Male (paratypes n = 2; in parentheses some measurements of specimens from DC 76 84, n = 2): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 23A ) L/W 422-453 (416-434)/458-459 (406-425). Dorsal shield ( Fig. 38B ) L/W 375 (367)/338- 347 (336), ratio 1.1 (1.1); gnathosomal bay L 69 (75-77). Gonopore L/W 91 (84-92)/12 (11-17); ejaculatory complex L 134 (101-119). Palp: total L 164 (162-169); L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 17/23, 0.74 (15-16/19-22, 0.7-0.9); P- 2, 42/41, 1.03 (42-45/39-41, 1.02-1.16); P-3, 44/34, 1.3 (42/32, 1.3); P-4, 49/20, 2.5 (51-52/17, 3.0-3.1); P-5, 12/8, 1.6 (12-14/7-9, 1.6-1.7); chelicera total L 79-83 (88); gnathosoma vL 74-79 (82). Legs: dL of I-L: 39, 42 (52), 40 (39), 39 (39), 56 (55), 69 (69); I-L-6 H 32 (31), I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.2 (2.2); dL of IV-L: 65, 69, 62, 75, 88, 102.

Female (holotype, measurements in parentheses, paratypes, in square brackets, specimens from DC 76 84, n = 2): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 23C ) L/W 442 (463) [456-463]/497 (453) [433-434]. Dorsal shield ( Figs. 23A , 38A ) L/W 409 (413) [409]/373 (366) [347], ratio 1.1 (1.13) [1.2]; gnathosomal bay L 79 [77]. Gonopore L/W 114 [109]/66 [68], ratio 1.7 [1.6]. Palp: total L 178 (172) [173]; L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 17/23, 0.7 (17/22, 0.8) [16/25, 0.65]; P-2, 43/42, 1.02 (44/44, 1.0) [44/44, 1.0]; P-3, 49/35, 1.4 (45/35, 1.3) [45/35, 1.3]; P-4, 55/21, 2.7 (52/20, 2.6) [54/19, 2.9]; P-5, 14/8, 1.7 (14/7, 2.0) [14/8, 1.8]; chelicera total L 83 (75) [91]; gnathosoma vL 77 (72) [83]. Legs: dL of I-L: 39, 45, 40, 46, 55, 71; I-L-6 H 32, I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.2; dL of IV-L: 74, 74, 61, 77, 100, 106.

Etymology: This epithet is based on a combination of the Latin adjective globular (spherical) and the noun palp, and refers to shape of dorsal margin of P-2.

Discussion: Within the group of species sharing a V-shaped gnathosomal bay and P-1 lacking dorsal seta ( D. gledhilli sp. nov. and D. nzia sp. nov. from Côte d’Ivoire, D. ghanaensis sp. nov. and D. wondergemi sp. nov. from Ghana and D. crocodilorum sp. nov. from South Africa), D. globulipalpis sp. nov. is most similar to D. wondergemi sp. nov. in shape of P-2 (dorsal margin equally rounded) and P-3 (much higher proximally than ventrally), coxae lacking longitudinal striation, and a similar morphology of dorsal shield. The latter species differs from D. globulipalpis sp. nov. in proportionally much shorter and stockier I-L-6 (compare Figs. 23E with 36C) and tips of Cx-I extending beyond frontal margin.

Distribution: South Africa (Eastern Transvaal).

Figures

FIGURE 23 A – F. Djeboa globulipalpis sp. nov. (B, D = male, A, C, E – F = female): A = dorsal shield; B – C = idiosoma, ventral view; D = palp; E = I-L; F = IV-L.

FIGURE 38 A – L. Photographs of dorsal shield. A – B. Djeboa globulipalpis sp. nov.: A— holotype female; B—paratype male; C Djeboa wondergemi sp. nov., female holotype. D – F. Djeboa nzia sp. nov.: D – E— female paratype, Fetekro, Côte d’Ivoire; F — paratype male, Kolomikro, Côte d’Ivoire. G Djeboa crocodilorum sp. nov., holotype male. H – J. Djeboa amethystica sp. nov.: H — female from Madagascar 135 a. I— holotype male; J— paratype female. K – L. Djeboa turmalinica sp. nov.: Kfemale holotype; L— female paratype.