Arrenurus (Micruracarus) bechuanicus, Smit, 2012

Smit, H., 2012, New records of the water mite family Arrenuridae from the Afrotropical region, with the description of 11 new species and two new subspecies (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 3187, pp. 1-31 : 17-20

Arrenurus (Micruracarus) bechuanicus n. sp.

( Figs. 44–49)

Material examined. Holotype male, tributary of Okavango River near Drotsky’s Camp, south of Shakawe, Botswana, 23-vii-1996 ( RMNH) . Paratypes: 12 males, 6 females, same data as holotype ; six males, nine females, ditch along Okavango swamp at Drotsky’s Camp, south of Shakawe, Botswana, 18° 25’ 24,2” S 21° 53’ 28,17” E, 23-vii-1996 ( RMNH) .

Diagnosis. Cauda little set off from anterior idiosoma part; petiole tube-like, widened in the middle and narrowed posteriorly.

Description. Male: Idiosoma brownish-green, 802 (745–834) long and 672 (648–705) wide. Dorsal shield complete, 413 (373–462) long and 462 (421–486) wide, posteriorly pointed. Anterior idiosoma margin slightly concave. Cauda little set off from anterior idiosoma part, with a large concavity; anterior margin of this concavity with a hyaline margin. Posterior margin of cauda with a hyaline margin, interrupted in the holotype but complete in the paratypes. Posterior margin with a closed cleft, which widens anteriorly. Petiole hyaline, tube-like, widened in the middle and narrowed posteriorly. Lower margin with a large indentation, upper margin with a shallow to deep indentation with two rounded sclerotized parts or whole structure sclerotized ( Fig. 49). Anterior coxal plates not extending to anterior idiosoma margin. Medial margin of third coxal plates longer than medial margin of fourth coxal plates or more or less of equal length. Medial distance of fourth coxal plates larger than width of gonopore. Genital plates long and narrow, extending far onto dorsum and there widened. Lengths of PI-PV: 32, 80, 44, 84, 38; PII medially with two setae. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 128, 118, 130. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 150, 130, 150.

Female: Idiosoma brownish-green, 980 (810–1013) long and 794 (697–818) wide. Anterior idiosoma margin convex to straight, posteriorly truncated (more strongly in some other paratypes). Dorsal shield complete, 737 (591–786) long and 502 (446–551) wide. Anterior coxal plates not extending to anterior idiosoma margin. Medial margin of third coxal plates shorter than medial margin of fourth coxal plates. Medial distance of fourth coxal plates larger than width of one gonopore valve. Gonopore 122 long and 140 wide, with two pairs of rounded sclerotizations connected by a median strip of sclerotization. Genital plates three times as long as broad, laterally somewhat geniculated, not reaching lateral idiosoma margin. However, variation in shape of genital plates large, in some females the genital plates are longer and reaching lateral idiosoma margin. Lengths of PI-PV: 40, 82, 52, 110, 58; palp as in male, but medial side of PII with three setae. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 136, 132, 112. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 178, 162, 138.

Etymology. Named after the country of the type locality, Bechuanaland is the old name of Botswana.

Remarks. See under the following species.