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)
Author
Smit, H.
text
Zootaxa
2012
2012-02-09
3187
1
31
journal article
1175-5326
Arrenurus (Arrenurus) rudiferus
Koenike, 1898
Material examined.
GHANA
. 0/1/0, pool
Ankasa NP
,
5° 17.407 N
2° 38.378 W
, alt.
59 m
a.s.l.
,
26-ii-2011
.
Remarks.
Although my specimen agrees well with the specimen illustrated by K.
Viets (1916
, fig.52a), I consider its assigment as provisionally. Males have not been found in West Africa and
Arrenurus
females are notoriously difficult to identify. Moreover, the females from West Africa do no completely match the description of
Koenike (1898)
. Females from
Madagascar
have genital plates which are gradually enlarged laterally, while those from West Africa have the genital plates of the same width over their whole length, with only a small widened area at the posterior margin. Moreover, females from
Madagascar
have a rounded posteromedial corner of the fourth coxal plates, while those of West Africa have an angular posteromedial corner.
Arrenurus rudiferus
is known from
Madagascar
,
Cameroon
and
Ivory Coast
.