Djeboa granatica Cook, Pešić & 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 : 43

Djeboa granatica Cook, Pešić & Gerecke sp. nov.

( Figs. 24A–E , 39A–B )

Type series: Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Madagascar 0 90, Ambohimahavelona (Tulear), spring stream W school complex at the village, 50 m asl., 23.ix. 2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt. Paratypes: Madagascar 153, Andrafialava (Ambilobe, Antsiranana), River Antsahamylokmylok (right affl. of river Mananjeba at bridge R.N.5a), 50 m asl., 26.8 ˚C, 0.068 mS/cm, 14.ii.2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt, 1/0/0 (dissected and slide mounted).

Further records: Madagascar 211, Ambohimahasoa (Fianarantsoa), R.N. 7, km 378, spring area with meadow swamps Exp. E, 1500 m asl, 21°15'41.5'' S, 047°14'10.9'' E, Gerecke 16.iv.2011 0/0/1 (dissected in pure ethanol).

Diagnosis: Dorsal shield oval (L/W ratio 1.1–1.2), with medial depression; muscle scars anterior and posterior to the postocularia, with moderately pronounced thickenings, second pair located well within the concavity ( Figs. 39A–B ); gnathosomal bay Y-shaped, in posterior part widened; tips of Cx-I ending slightly posterior to frontal margin; medial margin of Cx-IV comparatively well developed; Cx-II-IV with a few longitudinal striae (two pairs on Cx-IV). Palp ( Fig. 24C ): P-1 with a dorsal seta; P-2 with straight ventral and convex dorsal margin; P-3 ventral margin with a basal kink, distally straight; P-4 slender, ventral margin concave. Legs: I-L ( Fig. 24D ) with I-L-6 L/ H ratio 3.0-3.1, ventral margin basally slightly concave, distally convex; IV-L: Fig. 24E ; swimming setae numbers: III-L-4, 4; III-L-5, 4-5; IV-L-4, 3-4; IV-L-5, 4.

Description:

Male (holotype, in parentheses paratype from Madagascar 153): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 24B ) L/W 488 (459)/456 (410). Dorsal shield ( Figs. 24A , 39A–B ) L/W 409 (388)/356 (328), ratio 1.15 (1.18); gnathosomal bay L 79 (80). Gonopore long and narrow, L/W 79/18.5; ejaculatory complex L 149 (126). Palp: total L 177 (169); L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 20/23, 0.87 (19/20, 0.92); P-2, 45/35, 1.26 (45/35, 1.26); P-3, 43/24, 1.8 (40/23, 1.7); P-4, 54/15, 3.5 (51/16, 3.2); P-5, 15/7, 2.2 (14/7, 2.0); chelicera total L 93 (91); gnathosoma vL 75? (88). Legs: dL of I-L: 45 (39), 45 (40), 49 (46), 52 (51), 72 (68), 95 (88); I-L-6 H 31 (29), I-L-6 L/H ratio 3.1 (3.0); dL of IV-L: 68 (62), 72 (65), 61 (57), 85 (82), 100 (95), 113 (109).

Female: Unknown.

Etymology: Named after the mineral granat (bluegreen-red colour, found in Madagascar).

Discussion: Due to the relatively long and narrow palpal segments and generally less extensive dorsal shield concavity, with the lateral ridges not extending to frontal and caudal margin, the new species resembles Djeboa dinosaurophila sp. nov. from South Africa from which it can be distinguished by the gnathosomal bay comparatively wider proximally, a proportionally thicker distal segment of I-L and by the morphology of dorsal shield with medial depression rounded in its posterior half (compare Figs. 39A–B with 39C–D).

Distribution: Madagascar, recorded from areas with patchy lowland forest remnants in the northwest and southwest.

Figures

FIGURE 24 A – E. Djeboa granatica sp. nov., male: A = dorsal shield; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = palp; D = I-L; E = IV-L.

FIGURE 39 A – L. Photographs of dorsal shield. A – B. Djeboa granatica sp. nov.: A— holotype male; B — paratype male. C – D. Djeboa dinosaurophila sp. nov.: C— female holotype; D— female paratype. E – F. Djeboa harrisoni (K. O. Viets, 1970): E — female holotype (SMF 53066); F — paratype male (SMF 53068). G – I. Djeboa ferruginea K. Viets, 1914: G — female lectotype (SMF 43194); H— female, Ouokoukro, Côte d’ivoire; I— female, Akaa Falls, Ghana. J – L. Djeboa rotundata K. Viets, 1914: J — female (SMF 43200); K — female (SMF 43201); L — male lectotype (SMF 43199).