Litarachna marshalli, Wiles & Chatterjee & Troch, 2002

Wiles, P. R., Chatterjee, Tapas & Troch, Marleen De, 2002, Two new and one known marine water mite (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) from South-East Africa, Journal of Natural History 36 (16), pp. 1987-1994 : 1988-1989

Litarachna marshalli new species

(gure 1)

Male. Idiosoma 322 long, 282 broad; glandularia free in integument; eye pigment well developed. Venter with epimera I–IV fused and EpI–EpI separate medially; suture EpI/EpII complete, EpII/EpIII and EpIII/EpIV incomplete; EpIV with two pairs of apodemes, the medial pair extending posteriorly beyond the gonopore. E2 absent, large V3 gland without seta located between E4 and g3 behind EpIV. V3 seta fused with L3 glandularium (5acetabular plates of Cook, 1986). Gonopore surrounded by sclerotized ring 24 long, 22 broad; four small pairs of genital setae on sclerotized ring and three pairs of perigenital setae free in integument lateral to the gonopore. Anus on posterior margin of body, posterior to V1 and V2. Two pairs of wheel-like structures present behind posterior epimera. Pedipalp PIV with strongly developed ventral tubercle; length PI–PV 17, 48, 26, 70, 27. Infracapitulum 80 long, chelicera with claw-like chela. Legs with two long distal (swimming?) setae on IV-Leg-5; length I-Leg-3–6, 39, 39, 63, 87; II-Leg-3–6, 36, 43, 67, 87; III-Leg-3 –6, 37, 48, 70, 89; IV-Leg-3–6, 48, 78, 85, 91.

Female. Similar to male but larger, body 336 long, 250 broad. Gonopore oval surrounded by sclerotized ring 57 long, 40 broad and lacking genital and perigenital setae. Distribution of setae and glands similar to the male but with three pairs of wheel-like structures arranged in a convex horizontal row behind posterior epimera. Length PI–PV, 22, 76, 30, 96, 28. I-Leg-3–6, 39, 46, 67, 91; II-Leg-3 –6, 43, 52, 76, 98; III-Leg-4–6, 46, 70, 96; IV-Leg-3–6, 54, 78, 100, 113.

Nymph. Similar to adults but smaller. Medial apodeme of EpIV much shorter than in the adult, similar in length to the outer lateral apodeme of EpIV. Gonopore absent. Distribution of setae and glands similar to the female with two pairs of wheel-like structures present between posterior epimera and anus.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE S341, Republic of South Africa, Sardinia Bay , Durban , 30 December 1996, paratype 1 S340, paratype 2 S342; paratype 3 S343 Park Rynie , Durban , 29 June 1999, paratype 4 S344, paratype 6 S345N, paratype 7 S348N; Mtakatye Estuary, Durban, 31 May 1999 paratype 8 S349N, paratype 9 S 350N.

Etymology. This species was named after Dr David J. Marshall, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Durban-Westville, P/Bag X54001 Durban 4000, South Africa, who collected the type material.

Remarks. Litarachna marshalli is most similar to L. duboscqi Walter, 1925 ( Tuzovskij, 1977) but E4 and V3 gland are separate, not fused, and the male genital eld has fewer genital setae.