Bharatohydracarus debilis, Gerecke, 2004

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2004, Water mites from spring- and ground-water habitats in the Sultanate of Oman, Journal of Natural History 38 (22), pp. 2833-2849 : 2846

Bharatohydracarus debilis sp. nov.

( figure 9 )

Type series. HOLOTYPE: ”, OMAN 96-49. Wadi Taww , S of Halban, 1.25 m below sediment surface; UTM 0604748/2606459 (23‡34'N 58‡01'E), 28.4‡C, 566 M S cm 21, 28 March 1996. PARATYPE: ”, OMAN 96-51. Same site and date, 1.00 m below sediment surface (water loamy), 28.4‡C, 568 M S cm 21.

Diagnosis. Female (male unknown) idiosoma roundish in shape and minute in dimensions (L 450–470, dorsal shield L 400–435); genital field and gonopore slender, with 12 or fewer pairs of acetabula; palps minute in dimensions and with a reduced setation.

Description. Female (male unknown): measurements of holotype, paratype in parentheses: idiosoma ( figure 9A ) roundish, with suture lines of coxae partially

indistinct, L/W 470/390 (450/370); dorsal shield L/W 435/295 (400/270); maximum W Cx-3 300 (265), Cx-4 320 (285); leg claws with ventral clawlet and small claw blade, setation of III-L and IV-L as shown in figures 9B and C , respectively; measurements of segments 1–6, L/H: III-L 35/25, 40/25, 42/22, 55/22, 70/ 22, 80/25; IV-L 55/33 (55/33), 55/22 (60/20), 55/20 (55/18), 75/20 (72/28), 87/22 (80/18), 100/20 (87/18); genital field slender, with 12 z 12 (6 z 8) acetabula and three to four pairs of setae, gonopore slender, L 120; gnathosoma L 63, palps ( figure 9D, E ) with few setae, measurements of segments P-1–5 L/H 15/15 (17/15); 44/26 (42/24), 24/24 (23/21), 43/26 (40/25), 26/13 (26/13).

Discussion. Bharatohydracarus debilis differs from all previously described Bharatohydracarus species in the very narrow gonopore surrounded by few acetabula. Further characteristics of the species are found in the idiosoma, roundish in shape and minute in dimensions, and the reduced number of palp setae. In view of this character combination, it is clearly not conspecific with B. robustus , known only by the male.

Figures

FIG. 9. Bharatohydracarus debilis sp. nov., female (OMAN 96-51). (A) Idiosoma, ventral view; (B) III-L; C IV-L; D right palp, medial view; (E) left palp, lateral view. Scale bars: 100 Mm.