Oxus, Kramer, 1877

Smit, H., 2011, New Species Of Water Mites From New Guinea (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Halacaridae), Acarologia 51 (3), pp. 321-345 : 323

Oxus orientalis Walter, 1915

Material examined — 14/10, pool along road to Baliem Valley Resort, 4°04.070’ S; 138°59.876’ E, alt. 1662 m a.s.l., 25-iii-2010.

Description — Female: Lengths of PI-PV: 62, 68, 64, 97, 28. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 138, 186, 156. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 224, 290, 306; distal seta of IV-leg-6 120.

Remarks — The specimens from New Guinea are morphologically similar to the specimens from New Caledonia and Australia, but differ in dimensions of palp and leg segments. Most dimensions of the specimens from New Guinea are larger, but length of IV-leg-5 is intermediate between specimens from New Caledonia and Australia. As there is much variation in lengths of leg segments ( Cook 1986), I assigned the specimens from New Guinea to O. orientalis. There are two more species known with only one pair of glandularia on the coxal field (sensu Cook 1986), i.e. O. pictus (Daday, 1898) from India and O. dahli Piersig, 1903 from the Bismarck Archipelago and Aru Islands. Both species have a very shallow genital bay compared to O. orientalis. New for the fauna of New Guinea.