Paraschizobates (Paraschizobates) gracilipalpis Smit & Pešić, 2022

K, Harry Smit, Pešić, Vladimir, K & K, Simon Clavier, 2022, Water mites from French Guiana, with the description of 14 new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Acarologia 62 (4), pp. 1119-1153 : 1136

Paraschizobates (Paraschizobates) gracilipalpis Smit & Pešić sp. nov.

Zoobank: 97838BE8-0C9B-4713-BCA0-FA3B260679FD

( Figures 11 A-C)

Material examined — Holotype female, Petit-Saut Lake , French Guiana, date unknown, between 2007 and 2017, 4.939997°N, 53.044167°W, leg. S. Clavier ( RMNH) . Paratypes: Two females, same data as holotype ( RMNH).

Diagnosis (Male unknown) — Genital plates slender; heavy medial seta of P4 not larger than ventral setae of P4.

Description — Female – Idiosoma dorsally 786 (794-875) long and 664 (591-737) wide, ventrally 818 (810-859) long. Idiosoma without plates or platelets. Gnathosoma with a long narrow projection. Cx-I separated medially. Cxgl-4 lying in a bowing of suture line Cx-III/IV ( Figure 11A). Genital field 150 long, slender and only slightly bowed, shorter than gonopore, with three pairs of acetabula; pregenital sclerite 58 wide. Length of P1-5: 30, 82, 90, 120, 38.

P4 slender, ventrally with two setae and one medial seta, all more or less of similar size, claw of P5 downturned ( Figure 11B). Length of I-leg-4-6: 184, 190, 132. I-leg-5 with an arrow-like anteroventral seta ( Figure 11C); downturned distal seta of I-leg-5 probably present, but not in a good position in the slide. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 219, 288, 332. Legs without swimming setae.

Male – Unknown.

Etymology — Named for the slender palp.

Discussion — The two known species of the nominate subspecies have more bowed genital plates and the acetabula are less slender compared to the new species. Moreover, both these species have P4 medially (or ventrally) with a stout, blunt seta, which is larger than the two ventral setae.