Arrenurus (Rhinophoracarus) comorosensis Pešić & Smit, 2015

Pešić, Vladimir, Smit, Harry & Mary, Nathalie, 2015, Fourth contribution to the knowledge of water mites from the Comoros, with the description of two new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 4052 (5), pp. 589-594 : 593

Arrenurus (Rhinophoracarus) comorosensis Pešić & Smit n. sp.

( Figs. 2A–E , 3A–B )

Type material. Holotype female ( MNHN), Comoros, Mayotte, River Koualé, upstream, 12°48'46,5"S, 45°09'40,9"E, alt. 192m asl., 26-vii-2014.

Diagnosis (Male unknown). Genital plates indistinct, relatively broad, not reaching lateral idiosoma margin.

Description. Female: Dorsal shield large ( Figs. 2A , 3A ), covering nearly complete dorsum; Dgl-2 close to margin of dorsal shield; dorsal furrow complete. Anterior coxae extending beyond anterior idiosoma margin; Cx-III and Cx-IV lying medially close but not touching; coxae with long, heavy setae, especially near lateral margins of Cx-III and Cx-IV. Genital field: genital plates indistinct, relatively broad, not reaching lateral idiosoma margin. P-2 medially with three setae in anteroventral corner and one seta more dorsally ( Fig. 2D ). Legs: swimming setae numbers: III-L-5, 1; IV-L-4, 2; IV-L-5, 3.

Measurements. Ventral shield L/W 588/450; dorsal shield L/W 517/384, ratio 1.35; genital field W 339, gonopore L/ W 81/103, ratio 0.79. Palp: Total L 250; dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 24/26, 0.91; P-2, 77/55, 1.39; P-3, 46/52, 0.88; P-4, 66/ 40, 1.67; P-5, 37/15, 2.46; L P-2/P-4 ratio 1.16. Gnathosoma vL 113. Chelicera total L 138, H 39, L/H ratio 3.5, basal segment L 74, claw L 68, L basal segment/claw ratio 1.0 9. Legs: dL of I-L-1-6: 49, 50, 59, 74, 74, 95; I-L-6 central H 37.5, I-L-6 dL/central H ratio 2.5; dL of IV-L-1-6: 74, 89, 88, 120, 134, 154.

Male: unknown.

Etymology. Named after the archipelago ( Comoros) where the new species was found.

Remarks. In contrast to all species described from SE Asia, the genital plates of Rhinophoracarus comorosensis n. sp. are in an anterior position with respect to the gonopore. In contrast to the new species, in all known African species the genital plates are longer and narrower, and reach the lateral idiosoma margin.

Distribution. Comoros ( Mayotte), known only from the locus typicus.

Figures

FIGURES 2 A – E. Arrenurus (Rhinophoracarus) comorosensis n. sp., female: A = dorsal shield; B = ventral shield; C = I – L; D = palp; E = gnathosoma. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURES 3 A – B. Photographs of Arrenurus (Rhinophoracarus) comorosensis n. sp., female: A = dorsal shield; B = ventral shield.