New records of water mites of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) from South Africa, with descriptions of five new species Author Pešić, Vladimir Author Smit, Harry Author Gerecke, Reinhard text Zootaxa 2011 2986 1 54 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.200656 8953fa4e-6fb6-46bd-8e69-9888bf591f13 1175-5326 200656 Atractides scutelliferus K. O. Viets, 1964 ( Figs. 20–23 ) Material examined. South Africa , Western Cape province: SA 2 0/1/0; SA 1A 1/4/0; SA 7 8/4/0; SA 10 0/2/0; SA 11 0/2/0 (0/1/0 mounted); DC 110 84 1/0/0. KwaZulu-Natal province: SA 12 2/6 /0 (1/1/0 mounted); SA 13 2/1 /0; SA 14 2/0/0; SA 15 0/1/0; SA 16 0/1/0; SA 17 3/1 /0; SA 20 2/2 /0; SA 23 0/1/0; SA 24 0/1/0; DC 92 84 0/1/0; DC 93 84 0/1/0. Mpumalanga province: DC 84 84 1/1 /0; DC 86 84 0/2/0 (I-L-5 and -6 mounted). Eastern Cape province: DC 95 84 11/4 /1; DC 96 84 0/1/0; DC 97 84 74/0; DC 100 84 0/7/0; DC 101 84 12/4 /1 (0/0/1 mounted); DC 102 84 0/1/1. FIGURE 20A–B . Atractides scutelliferus K. O. Viets, 1964 , male, Pholelana River: A = idiosoma, dorsal view; B = idiosoma, ventral view. Scale bar = 100 μm. General features. Dorsal integument striated; muscle attachments sclerotized; extension of sclerotization variable; in specimens from Kwazulu-Natal and the Mpumalanga provinces: prefr fused with Dgl-2, D-1 fused with postocularia, D-2 fused with Dgl-3, D-3 fused with Dgl-4, D-4 fused with Dgl-5, D-5 fused with Dgl-5; in specimens from the Western and Eastern Cape provinces: all dorsalia free, not fused with neighboring glandularia; all plates rather large. Coxal field: posteromedial margin Cx-I+II rounded, apodemes Cx-II short, directed laterally, Cx-IV with extended border of secondary sclerotization. Genital field: Ac in a weakly curved line. Excretory pore sclerotized, lying at posterior margin of sclerite; Vgl-1 fused to Vgl-2. Palp: without sexual dimorphism, P-2, -3, and -4 straight, P-4 with slight elevation near insertion of proximoventral hair, P-4 sword seta nearer to distoventral hair. I-L-5 with S-1 and –2 interspaced, S-1 near ventral seta, long, slightly curved and with truncate tip, S-2 pointed, basally enlarged; I-L-6 very long and slender; leg claws with dorsal and ventral clawlets ( Fig. 21C ). Morphology. Male: (SA 12). Idiosoma L/W 509/428; coxal field L 333; Cx-III W 325; Cx-I+II mL 117, lL 184. Genital field ( Fig. 20B ): anteriorly strongly convex, with a secondary sclerite border, posteriorly medially indented; L/W 123/127; L Ac 1-3: 29, 31, 28; the genital field of the specimen from Pholelana River mis-shapen, with the left Ac-1 completely absent ( Fig. 20B ) Palp ( Fig. 21D ): total L 249, dL: P-1, 22; P-2, 51; P-3, 63; P-4, 80; P-5, 33; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.64; capitulum vL 88; chelicera total L 143. I-L ( Fig. 21A ): I-L-5 dL 155, vL 109, dL/vL ratio 1.42, HB 49, dL/HB 3.16, S-1 L 100, L/ W 9.3 , S-2 L 82, L/ W 5.6 , distance S-1-2, 16, L ratio S-1/2, 1.23; I-L-6 L 131, HB 15, L/HB ratio 8.9; L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.18. Female (SA 12, in parentheses SA 11). Idiosoma L/W 669/544; coxal field L 383 (359); Cx-III W 409 (397); Cx-I+II mL 134 (119). Genital field ( Fig. 22B ): L/W 202 (148)/197 (148); genital plate L 117–119 (92–93); L Ac 1–3: 36–37 (27), 35–39 (28), 36–37 (25). Palp: total L 311 (313), dL: P-1, 29 (29); P-2, 64 (67); P-3, 83 (83); P-4, 96 (95); P-5, 39 (39); L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.67 (0.7); capitulum vL (125); chelicera total L 179. FIGURE 21A–D . Atractides scutelliferus K. O. Viets, 1964 (A, C–D = male, B = female), Pholelana River: A–B = I-L-5 and - 6; C = claw; D = palp, medial view. Scale bars = 100 μm. I-L ( Fig. 21B ): I-L-5 dL 195 (208), vL 126 (151), dL/vL ratio 1.55 (1.38), HB 69 (65), dL/HB 2.8 (3.2), S-1 L 149 (123), L/ W 10.7 (8.9), S-2 L 108 (101), L/ W 6.1 (5.5), distance S-1-2, 29 (17), L ratio S-1/2, 1.38 (1.22); I-L- 6 L 176 (158), HB 16.6 (15.4), L/HB ratio 10.6 (10.3); L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.11 (1.32). Deutonymph (collected together with adults of A. scutelliferus at DC 101 84 and suspected to represent this species): Idiosoma L/W 325/242; integument dorsally striated; muscle attachments sclerotized; coxal field L 169; Cx-III W 189; Cx-I+II mL 57, lL 107; provisional genital field with two pairs of Ac and extended border of secondary sclerotization, L/W 52/60; excretory pore: sclerotized, lying at posterior margin of sclerite ( Fig. 23A ); Vgl- 1 fused to Vgl-2. Palp ( Fig. 23C ): total L 142, dL: P-1, 15; P-2, 32; P-3, 33; P-4, 43; P-5, 19; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.74. I-L ( Fig. 23B ): I-L-5 dL 85, vL 70, dL/vL ratio 1.2, HB 29, dL/HB 2.9, S-1 L 48, L/ W 5.7 , S-2 L 47, L/ W 5.1 , distance S-1-2, 0, L ratio S-1/2, 1.02; I-L-6 L 57, HB 12, L/HB ratio 4.8; L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.49. Remarks. The specimens from this study fit the original description. K.O. Viets (1972) found variation in the degree of sclerotization between the type specimen from Klein Vaal River (Mpumalanga province) and specimens from the Eastern Cape province (Kruis and Storms rivers). Specimens from the Western Cape province (see Fig. 22A, specimen from Bloukrans River) are in good agreement in morphology and measurements with those from the Eastern Cape province (see K.O. Viets 1972 , Figs. 14–15 ), and differ from the specimens from KwaZulu-Natal (see Figs. 20A–B , 22B , specimen from the Pholelana River) and Mpumalanga (see K.O. Viets 1964b , Figs. 15–16 ) provinces in having less sclerotized dorsal and ventral muscle attachment plates. Distribution. South Africa : Mpumalanga province: K.O. Viets (1964b) , present study; KwaZulu-Natal province: present study; Eastern Cape province: K. O. Viets (1964b , 1972 ), present study; Western Cape province: present study. FIGURE 22A–B . Atractides scutelliferus K. O. Viets, 1964 , female (A = Bloukrans River, B = Pholelana River): A = idiosoma, dorsal view; B = posterior part of the idiosoma, ventral view. Scale bars = 100 μm. Atractides cooki sp. nov. ( Figs. 24–26 ) Type series . Holotype , male, dissected and slide mounted, South Africa , Eastern Cape province: DC 101 84, branch of the Hoekraal River (E of main river) near Karatara (NW of Krysna), 2–3m wide, rocks, sand & detritus, stained (8.5ºC), 10.vi.1984 , Cook ( BMSA ). Paratypes : 16/28/0 (1/2/0 mounted), same data as holotype ( SMF ). Further records . Eastern Cape province: DC 94 84 17/27/0 (0/1/0 mounted); DC 103 84 0/1/0 (mounted). Diagnosis. Dorsal integument striated; muscle attachments showing sexual dimorphism; genital field: with three or four pairs of Ac (in some cases with asymmetrical genital field bearing four Ac on one side and three on the other), in triacetabulate genital field Ac arranged in a curved line. Palp: ventral margin of P-2 straight or weakly convex, P-4 sword seta nearer to distoventral hair. I-L-5 elongated, setae S-1 and -2 close to each other, blunt and similar in shape; I-L-6 stout, weakly curved, equal in H from base to claw furrow; leg claws with dorsal and ventral clawlets. Morphology. Male ( holotype , in parentheses measurements of the paratype specimen): Extended dorsal shield including postoc and Dgl-3-6, dorsal shield L/W 377 (361)/309 (284); extended ventral shield including coxae, genital field, excretory pore, all ventralia and Vgl, ventral shield L/W 368 (347)/388 (366); coxal field: completely fused, Cx-III W 262 (245). Genital field ( Fig. 24B–C ): W between outer margins of the most lateral pair of Ac 69 (69), L Ac 1–3: 11–12 (8), 10–11 (12), 12–13 (12); ejaculatory complex ( Fig. 24G ) L 92 (92). FIGURE 23A–C . Atractides scutelliferus K. O. Viets, 1964 , deutonymph, branch of the Hoekraal River: A = posterior part of the idiosoma, ventral view; B = I-L-5 and -6; C = palp, medial view. Scale bars = 100 μm. Palp ( Fig. 24D–E ): total L 210 (198), dL: P-1, 21 (19); P-2, 42 (42); P-3, 40 (38); P-4, 79 (75); P-5, 28 (24); L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.53 (0.56); capitulum ( Fig. 26C ) vL 85 (85); chelicera ( Fig. 26A ) total L 177 (165). I-L ( Fig. 24F ): I-L-5 dL 89 (89), vL 75 (72), dL/vL ratio 1.18 (1.24), HB 31 (30), dL/HB 2.9 (3.0), S-1 L 37 (39), L/ W 9.5 (8.5), S-2 L 39 (35), L/ W 7.0 (5.7), distance S-1-2, 6.0 (4.0–5.0), L ratio S-1/2, 0.96 (1.1); I-L-6 L 59 (58), HB 18 (17), L/HB ratio 3.4 (3.3); L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.52 (1.54). Female (range of measurements based on one smaller triacetabulate and one larger tetracetabulate specimen from DC 101 84, in parentheses tetracetabulate specimen from DC 103 84, in square parentheses some measurements of tetracetabulate specimen from DC 94 84). Idiosoma L/W 416–475/320–375 (n = 4); muscle attachments: postoc on enlarged sclerite, D-2 on small round sclerite (in older specimens, in juvenile specimens visible as granulated areas), D-3-5 not sclerotized but visible as granulated areas in older specimens, Dgl-3-6 and Lgl round, without sclerotized extensions, glandularia maximum diameter 32–36; coxal field with extended borders of secondary sclerite, medioposterior margin of Cx-I+II rounded; medial margin of Cx-III+IV rounded, L 259–284 (378); Cx-III W 291–331 (430); Cx-I+II mL 92-98 (119), lL 183–194 (246). Genital field ( Fig. 25A , 26D ): L/W 105–122 (195)/ 135–116 (195); pregen very robust, with extended secondary sclerotization, genital plate L 53–66 (84), L Ac 1–3: 14, 14, 15, Ac 1–4: 18–19 (29), 19–21 (25–26), 15–18 (26–28), 15–14 (26–25); excretory pore: sclerotized, Vgl-1 fused to Vgl–2. FIGURE 24A–G . Atractides cooki sp. nov. , male: A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = idiosoma, dorsal view; C = genital field, excretory pore and Vgl-1 and -2; D = palp, lateral view; E = P-4, medial view; F = I-L-5 and -6; G = ejaculatory complex. Scale bars = 100 μm. FIGURE 25A–B . Atractides cooki sp. nov. , female paratype: A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = idiosoma, dorsal view. Scale bars = 100 μm. Palp (26B): total L 237–253, dL: P-1, 21–23 (30) [26]; P-2, 52–56 (65) [59]; P-3, 49–54 (65) [58]; P-4, 84–89 (105) [94]; P-5, 31 (35) [33]; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.62–0.63 (0.62) [0.63]; capitulum ( Fig. 26B ) vL 107–113 (142) [121]; chelicera total L 206 (286) [244]. I-L ( Fig. 26E–F ): I-L-5 dL 115–121 (154) [129], vL 95–103 (128) [106], dL/vL ratio 1.18–1.2 (1.2) [1.2], HB 35 (43) [39], dL/HB 3.3–3.5 (3.6) [3.3], S-1 L 42–47 (50) [49], L/ W 7.6 –7.8 (8.1) [8.8], S-2 L 46 (52) [49], L/ W 6.4 –6.6 (6.4) [5.9], distance S-1-2, 5–6 (6.0) [5.0], L ratio S-1/2, 0.91–1.02 (0.96) [0.99]; I-L-6 L 66–67 (82) [73], HB 18 (19) [19], L/HB ratio 3.7–3.8 (4.4) [4.0]; L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.75–1.8 (1.88) [1.77]. Etymology. Named for Dr David Cook (Paradise Valley) in appreciation of his studies of South African water mites. Remarks. In terms of the shape of idiosoma, palp and I-L-5 and -6, and the genital field bearing 3–4 pairs of Ac (in the same populations tri or – tetracetabulate specimens can be regularly found), A. cooki is most similar to A. assimilis (see above). The latter species differs from Atractides cooki in having the capitulum with a protruding and slender rostrum and slightly larger Ac arranged in a triangular position (smaller Ac in a curved line in A. cooki ). Further differences regard the relatively longer I-L-5 and slightly more slender I-L- 6 in A. cooki . Distribution. South Africa : Eastern Cape province. Atractides dracomontanus sp. nov. ( Figs. 27–29 ) Type series . Holotype , female, dissected and slide mounted, South Africa , KwaZulu-Natal province, SA 15 Bhoola stream near confluence with Lotheni River, Lotheni, Drakensbergen, 18.xi.2004 , 29° 27.725 S 29° 32.124 E , 1411 m asl., Smit ( BMSA ). Paratypes : 0/1/0, same data as holotype ( RMNH ); SA 21 0/1/0 (mounted) ( RMNH ); DC 89 84 0/2/0 ( SMF ); DC 90 84 1/3 /0 (1/0/0 mounted) ( SMF ). FIGURE 26A–F . Atractides cooki sp. nov. (A, C = male holotype, B, D–F = female paratype): A = chelicera; B = capitulum and palp (medial view); C = capitulum; D = genital field; E–F = I-L-5 and -6. Scale bars = 100 μm. FIGURE 27A–B . Atractides dracomontanus sp. nov. , female (A = holotype, B = specimen from Qedimbuzi stream): A = idiosoma, dorsal view. Scale bar = 100 μm. Further records. Mpumalanga province: DC 78 84 0/1/0. Diagnosis . Dorsal integument striated; muscle attachments showing sexual dimorphism; genital field: with three pairs of Ac in a triangular arrangement. Palp: weak sexual dimorphism, P-2 weakly convex, P-3 straight, P-4 sword seta nearer to distoventral hair. I-L-5 little thickened, S-1 and -2 homoiomorphic, slender and blunt, narrow setal interspace; I-L-6 stout, curved; claws strong, with ventral and dorsal clawlets. Description. Female ( holotype , in parentheses paratype specimen from SA 21). Idiosoma L/W 508 (513)/341 (322); muscle attachments: postoc + D-1 fused to large, triangular separate platelets, D-2 and Dgl-3 fused, D-4 adjacent to each other at the median line, but not fused, the remaining elements separate (D-5 partly fused with Dgl-5 and - 6 in the holotype , but separated in the specimen from Qedimbuzi stream), all plates rather large; coxal field: Cx-I tongue-shaped protruding, apodemes Cx-II short, directed laterally, Cx-IV with extended border of secondary sclerotization, coxal field L 306 (292); Cx-III W 259 (275); Cx-I+II mL 125 (125), lL 188 (188). Genital field ( Fig. 28B ): pregen very robust and strongly curved, with extended sclerotized sclerite, W 130 (108); genital plates completely surrounded by an extended border of secondary sclerotization, outline of primary sclerite triangular, L 77 (74), with secondary sclerite 119 (88); L Ac 1-3: 25–26 (27–29), 25 (25), 23–24 (26). Palp ( Fig. 28C ): total L 197 (213), dL: P-1, 22 (22); P-2, 44 (47); P-3, 42 (46); P-4, 60 (66); P-5, 29 (32); L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.73 (0.71); capitulum ( Fig. 28E ) vL 91 (95); chelicera total L (166). I-L ( Fig. 28D ): I-L-5 dL 92 (100), vL 68 (69), dL/vL ratio 1.35, HB 28 (31), dL/HB 3.3 (3.3), S-1 L 48 (51), L/ W 9.5 (8.2), S-2 L 45 (47), L/ W 7.4 (7.7), distance S-1-2, 3.0 (4.0), L ratio S-1/2, 1.07 (1.08); I-L-6 L 72 (75), HB 16 (17), L/HB ratio 4.4 (4.4); L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.29 (1.33). Male: Extended dorsal shield including postoc and Dgl-3–6, dorsal shield L/W 299/206; extended ventral shield including coxae, genital field, excretory pore, all ventralia and Vgl, ventral shield ( Fig. 29B ) L/W 338/261; coxal field: completely fused. Genital field: W between outer margins of the most lateral pair of Ac 88; L Ac 1–3: 33–34, 33–34, 31–34; ejaculatory complex ( Fig. 29 F) L 62. FIGURE 28A–E . Atractides dracomontanus sp. nov. , female (A, C–E = holotype, B = specimen from Qedimbuzi stream): A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = posterior part of the idiosoma, ventral view; C = palp, medial view; D = I-L-5 and -6; E = capitulum. Scale bars = 100 μm. FIGURE 29A–E . Atractides dracomontanus sp. nov. , male, unnamed stream on road to Catlin Park: A = idiosoma, dorsal view; B = idiosoma, ventral view; C = I-L-5 and -6; D = palp, medial view; E = ejaculatory complex. Scale bars = 100 μm. Palp ( Fig. 29D ): total L 265, dL: P-1, 17; P-2, 35; P-3, 34; P-4, 55; P-5, 24; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.64; chelicera total L 116. I-L ( Fig. 29C ): I-L-5 dL 75, vL 55, dL/vL ratio 1.37, HB 25, dL/HB 3.1, S-1 L 44, L/ W 11.9 , S-2 L 42, L/ W 9.0 , distance S-1-2, 4.0, L ratio S-1/2, 1.06; I-L-6 L 62, HB 15, L/HB ratio 4.0; L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.22. Etymology. Named for its occurrence in the Drakensbergen. Remarks. Due to the similar shape of the muscle attachment plates (postoc on large, triangular separate platelets), sclerotized excretory pore, fused Vgl-1+2, and I-L-6 relatively more stout and curved, A. dracomontanus resembles A. immodestus Walter & Bader, 1952 , a species described from a single female from Mount Elgon, Kenya (in the following, in parentheses). The new species differs from A. immodestus in the ventral hairs of P-4 approaching each other (inserted at a large distance from each other, distoventral hair near distoventral edge), I-L-5 with homoiomorphic setae S-1 and -2 (heteromorphic) and with the Ac arranged in triangular position (in a curved line). Further differences are found in Dgl-3 fused with postoc + D-1, D-4 fused with Dgl- 5 in A. immodestus (see Walter & Bader 1952 ). The male differs from other Atractides species (i.e., A. thoracatus , A. pulcher , A. assimilis , A. capensis ) in having dorsal and ventral shields and I-L-5 with rather homoiomorphic S-1 and -2 and small interspace (<10 μm) and a stout I-L-6, in its minor idiosoma and gnathosoma dimensions and relatively longer I-L-6 (I-L-5/6 <1.3). Distribution. South Africa : KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. Atractides meridianus sp. nov. ( Figs. 30–31 ) Type series . Holotype , male, dissected and slide mounted, South Africa , Western Cape province, SA 1 Rondgat River at Algeria , Cederberg Wilderness Area, 490 m asl., 1.xi.2004 , 32° 22.491 S 19° 0 3.742 E , Smit ( BMSA ). Paratypes : 2/2/0 (1/1/0 mounted), same data as holotype ( BMSA ); SA 8 5/15 /0 ( RMNH ). Further records . South Africa , KwaZulu-Natal province: SA 24 0/1/0; DC 92 84 0/1/0. Mpumalanga province: DC 78 84 1/7 /0 (1/1/0 mounted). General features. Dorsal integument striated; muscle attachments unsclerotized. Genital field: Ac in a weakly curved line. Excretory pore smooth; Vgl-1 not fused to Vgl-2. Palp: weak sexual dimorphism (more slender in females than in males), ventral margin P-2 distally protruding, P-3 ventral margin straight, P-4 sword seta between ventral hairs. I-L-5 S-1 and -2 distanced, distally narrowed, but with obtuse tips, S-2 enlarged basally; I-L-6 slen- der, curved, basally slightly thickened, with parallel dorsal and ventral margins. Description. Male ( holotype , in parentheses measurements of the paratype , in square parentheses DC 78 84). Idiosoma L/W 563 (569–573)[550]/434 (438–441) [400]; glandularia maximum diameter 26 (25); coxal field L 322; Cx-III W 372; Cx-I+II mL 123, lL 215. Genital field ( Fig. 30B ): anterior margin slightly concave or straight, L/W 88 (99)/108 (98); L Ac 1-3: 25–33 (32), 30–32 (34), 30–38 (35); ejaculatory complex L 125 (130). Palp ( Fig. 30A ): total L 306 (293) [312], dL: P-1, 31 (31) [32]; P-2, 70 (68) [69]; P-3, 75 (66) [77]; P-4, 96 (94) [99]; P-5, 34 (34) [35]; L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.73 (0.72); P-2 distal protrusion rounded; capitulum vL 133; chelicera total L 225 (206). I-L ( Fig. 30C ): I-L-5 dL 202 (200) [226], vL 115 (115) [140], dL/vL ratio 1.76 (1.74) [1.6], HB 48 (46) [47], dL/HB 4.2 (4.3) [4.8], S-1 L 102 (107) [115], L/ W 8.9 (8.9) [10.9], S-2 L 78 (74) [91], L/ W 5.8 (5.3) [5.8], distance S-1-2, 38 (38) [32], L ratio S-1/2, 1.3 (1.45) [1.26]; I-L-6 L 160 (154) [173], HB 15 (15) [15], L/HB ratio 10.4 (10.3) [11.2]; L ratio I-L-5/6, 1.26 (1.3) [1.31]. Female ( paratype , in parentheses DC 78). Idiosoma L/W 900 (625–1200)/667 (503–1044); glandularia maximum diameter 26; coxal field L 419; Cx-III W 513; Cx-I+II mL 133, lL 266. Genital field ( Fig. 31C ): genital plates medially concave, slightly indented between Ac; L/W 180/180; pregen W 85; genital plates L 131; L Ac 1–3: 35, 40, 40; maximum diameter egg (128). Palp ( Fig. 31A ): total L 405 (348–425), dL: P-1, 39 (33–35); P-2, 85 (76–86); P-3, 114 (92–129); P-4, 125 (107–133); P-5, 42 (40–42); L ratio P-2/P-4, 0.68 (0.65–0.71); P-2 ventrodistal protrusion less developed than in males, P-4 more slender; capitulum vL (131–153); chelicera total L 264 (202–272). I-L ( Fig. 31B ): I-L-5 dL 285 (222–317), vL 148 (147–195), dL/vL ratio 1.93 (1.51–1.63), HB 65 (51–73), dL/ HB 4.4 (4.3), S-1 L 142 (104–150), L/ W 10.2 (9.6–12.9), S-2 L 94 (89–109), L/ W 4.5 (5.0–5.7), distance S-1–2, 64 (26–57), L ratio S-1/2, 1.5 (1.2–1.4); I-L-6 L 217 (166–242), HB 17 (17), L/HB ratio 12.8 (9.8–14.2); L ratio I-L- 5/6, 1.3 (1.31–1.34). Etymology. Named for its southern occurrence. FIGURE 30A–D . Atractides meridianus sp. nov. , male (A, C–D = holotype, B = paratype): A = palp, medial view; B = genital field; C = I-L-5 and -6; D= idiosoma, ventral view. Scale bars = 100 μm. FIGURE 31A–C . Atractides meridianus sp. nov. , female paratype: A = palp, medial view (P-1 missing); B = I-L-5 and -6; C = genital field, excretory pore and Vgl-1 and -2. Scale bar = 100 μm. Remarks. In the striated integument, unsclerotized dorsal muscle attachments and excretory pore, unfused Vgl-1/2, S-1 and S-2 with relatively wide setal interspace, and a long and slender I-L-6, the new species resembles Atractides lundbladi Halík, 1947 known from East Africa (Kilimanjaro—Halík 1947, Lundblad 1952 ), A. tenuipes tenuipes Lundblad, 1952 and A. tenuipes ambiguus K.O. Viets, 1971 , known from a female from East Africa ( Lundblad 1952 ), and southern Zimbabwe ( K. O. Viets 1971 ), respectively and A. contemptus Lundblad, 1951 known from East Africa ( Lundblad 1952 ). Atractides lundbladi differs in I-L-5 being stouter and protruding near the insertion of S-1 and the male having an apple- shaped genital field (see Lundblad 1952 ); A. tenuipes tenuipes and A. tenuipes ambiguus differ in the ventral margin of P-2 being straight in the latter (see K.O. Viets 1971 ), ventrodistally slightly thickened in the former (see Lundblad 1952 ), in a short pregenital sclerite and relatively longer I-L-6 (I-L-5/6 L ratio 1.07 in A. tenuipes tenuipes , 1.1 in A. tenuipes ambiguus , ratios calculated from Lundblad 1952 and K.O.Viets 1971 , respectively); A. contemptus differs in P-2 ventral margin not protruding (weakly S- shaped, convex in the distal part in the male; ventrodistally slightly thickened in the female and anterior margin of male genital field medially indented ( Lundblad 1952 ). Distribution. South Africa : Western Cape, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.