Two new and one known marine water mite (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) from South-East Africa
Author
Wiles, P. R.
Author
Chatterjee, Tapas
Author
Troch, Marleen De
text
Journal of Natural History
2002
2002-11-30
36
16
1987
1994
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222930110068583
journal article
7022
10.1080/00222930110068583
7b9247eb-d72a-41dd-9fb3-cd061c3fbeaa
1464-5262
4747647
Litarachna denhami
Lohmann, 1909
(gure 3)
Female
. Idiosoma 546 long, 410 broad; glandularia free in integument; eye pigment well developed. Venter with epimera I–IV fused and EpI–EpI separated medially; suture EpI/EpII and EpIII/EpIV complete, EpII/EpIII incomplete; EpIV with two pairs of apodemes, the posterior pair extending beyond the gonopore. Gonopore surrounded by sclerotized ring 87 long, 63 broad, and lacking setae. Anus located near posterior margin of body, posterior to V1 and V2. Three wheellike structures present behind posterior epimera, V3 (gland and seta) fused to L3 (5acetabular plates of
Cook, 1986
) and located posterolateral to V1. Pedipalp slender, not tapering distally, with no tubercles ventrally on PIV; length PI–PV, 35, 122, 65, 152, 70. Chelicera with claw-like chela. Legs with two short distal (swimming?) setae on IV-Leg-5; length I-Leg-3 –6, 73, 89, 124, 111; II-Leg-3 –6, 73, 90, 127. 132; III-Leg-3–6, 76, 94, 143, 108; IV-Leg-3–6, 91, 142, 165, 172.
FIG. 3.
Litarachna denhami
Lohmann, 1909
. (A) Venter; (B) pedipalp. Scale lines: (A) 111; (B)569
m
m.
Material examined
.
S346, S347,
Republic of South Africa
,
Park Rynie
,
Durban
,
29 June 1999
.
Remarks
. The specimens from
South Africa
diVer from the
holotype
from
Western Australia
(Lohman, 1909) and from the Red Sea (
Viets, 1959
) in the shape of the pedipalp PIV, which does not taper distally. The pedipalp is, however, slender and has the same length proportions as
L. denhami
, tting the type description in all other respects. The distribution of this species extends from
Australia
to
South Africa
.