Wandesia anjozorobica, Gerecke, 2020

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2020, The early derivative water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia, superfamilies Eylaoidea, Hydrachnoidea and Hydryphantoidea) of Madagascar, Zootaxa 4727 (1), pp. 1-77 : 42

Wandesia (s. s.) anjozorobica sp. nov.

Fig. 22

Type series: Holotype ♂, MNHN Ac 1347. Madagascar, MD 013, 24.07.2001 Anjozorobe (Antananarivo), Ravoandrina, R Ampanakamonty at ford in rice fields, 1230 m, slide mounted . Paratype ♀, same site and date, slide mounted, Ac 1348.

Diagnosis: Both sexes (no remarkable sexual dimorphism): Integument smooth; Cx-I with prominent lateral edges, Cx-IV with very short posterior apodemes. Leg claws simple, with a very fine dorsal clawlet. I-L-6 not inflated, with subparallel dorsal and ventral margins, ventrally bearing only a few, scattered setae, distoventrally two short peg setae, at posterior distal margin an arrow-head-shaped seta. IV-L-6 with fine ventral setae ( Fig. 22 I, l ). Genital field ( Fig. 22 b–c) with three Ac on very short stalks; genital flaps reduced to two pairs of small sclerites, one with one seta between Ac-1 and -2, the other with two setae between Ac-2 and -3. Male genital skeleton with short arms and rather long proximal chamber (about half the length of the organ). Palp ( Fig. 22 e ) stout, with relatively long P-3.

Description: This species is very similar to the preceding one (compare the two diagnoses). Both specimens have Cx-I+II retracted into the collar-like membranous interspace between Cx-II-III as described for W. pelipoda . I-L-2/3 not particularly slender (L/H ratio about 1.5 resp. 1.6–1.9), I-L-6 not particularly stout (2.8–3.0), I-L-6 with slightly diverging dorsal and ventral margins, relatively long and fine setae scattered all over the segment, distal margin ventrally with only 2–3 fine hair-like setae near the two short and stout peg setae slightly set off from distoventral segment edge, a further one, arrow-head-shaped, on the posterior distal margin flanking the claws. IV-L with rather long and slender segments (IV-L-6 L/H 4.3); ventral margin of IV-L-6 with numerous fine, short, hairlike setae. Genital field with very little sexual dimorphism (as typical in the genus, in female larger and at anterior gonopore edge with a small sclerite absent in the male).

Chelicerae ( Fig. 22 d ) slender, maximum H of basal segment in proximal third; proximal tip bent downwards, distal part with subparallel margins, claw straight. Palp ( Fig. 22 e ) short and stout, but with relatively longer P-3 (L/H 0.7–0.8).

Measurements: Male: Idiosoma L/W 1275/250; Cx-I+II L/W 105/55; Cx-III+IV L/W 105/58. Genital field L 80; diameter Ac-1–3, 18–18–20; ejaculatory complex L/W 130/50. Chelicera total L 80, basal segment/claw ratio 3.6, L/H 6.4; palp total L 165; L/H, L/H-ratio, relative L [% total L] palp segments: P-1, 15/23, 0.67, 9; P-2, 48/28, 1.73, 29; P-3, 23/29, 0.78, 14; P-4, 58/19, 3.07, 35; P-5, 23/9, 2.57, 14. Leg segments L/H, L/H ratio: I-L-1, 43/35, 1.2; I-L-2, 50/33, 1.5; I-L-3, 55/29, 1.9; I-L-4, 65/30, 2.2; I-L-5, 73/30, 2.4; I-L-6, 90/30, 3.0. II-L-1, 33/28, 1.2; II-L-2; 40/25, 1.6; II-L-3, 40/25, 1.6; II-L-4, 45/28, 1.6; II-L-5, 58/25, 2.3; II-L-6; 83/25, 3.3. III-L-1, 25/33, 0.8; III-L-2, 35/25, 1.4; III-L-3, 40/20, 2.0; III-L-4, 49/18, 2.8; III-L-5, 68/18, 3,9; III-L-6, 78/21, 3.6. IV-L-1, 43/28, 1.6; IV-L-2, 40/25, 1.6; IV-L-3, 53/20, 2.6; IV-L-4,60/19, 3.2; IV-L-5, 76/20, 3.8; IV-L-6, 80/23, 3.6.

Female: Idiosoma L/W 1200/325; Cx-I+II L/W 120/65; Cx-III+IV L/W 120/60. Genital field L 150; diameter Ac-1–3, 21–21–23; egg L/W 155/135. Palp total L 190; L/H, L/H-ratio, relative L [% total L] palp segments: P-1, 18/25, 0.70, 9; P-2, 55/33, 1.69, 29; P-3, 25/35, 0.71, 13; P-4, 70/23, 3.11, 37; P-5, 23/10, 2.25, 12. Leg segments L/H, L/H ratio: I-L-1, 45/45, 1.0; I-L-2, 55/31, 1.76; I-L-3, 65/30, 2.17; I-L-4, 63/35, 1.79; I-L-5, 76/35, 2.18; I-L-6, 100/40, 2.50. II- and III-L not measured; IV-L-4, 70/23, 3.1; IV-L-5, 88/23, 3.9; IV-L-6, 93/25, 3.7.

Derivatio nominis: Anjozorobe = the isolated, protected forest area N of the capital of Madagascar where the species was collected.

Remarks: Wandesia anjozorobica is obviously a sister species of W. pelipoda (see above). Common features are: (1) Cx-I with prominent anterolateral edges; (2) I-L-6 with two distoventral peg setae and an arrow-head shaped seta on the posterior distal segment margin; (3) Ac on short, but in tangential view well recognizable stalks; (4) genital flaps reduced to two small sclerite platelets between the Ac, bearing one resp. two setae only. Wandesia pelipoda differs from the new species mostly in the shape and setation of I-L (stouter, L/H <2.7, with a dense cover of ventral hair-setae). Further differences concern the more slender I-L-5–6 (L/H> 1.7 resp. 2.0) and IV-L-6 (L/H> 4.0), and the stouter P-3 (L/H <0.7).

Habitat: Interstitial gravels of a middle order stream.

Distribution: Madagascar, endemic, only known from the type locality in the central mountains.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Family Hydryphantidae, Wandesiinae, genus Wandesia, W. anjozorobica (MD 013) (originals, D. Cook). a. female without appendages, habitus; b. female coxae and genital field; c. male Cx-III+IV and genital field; d. female chelicera; e. female palp; f.–i. male I–IV-L; k. female I-L-4–6; l. female IV-L-4–6.