Sperchon cf. indicus N. Kumar, K. Kumar & Pesic, 2007

Pesic, Vladimir & Smit, Harry, 2007, First records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Bhutan, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 1613, pp. 45-56 : 47-50

Sperchon cf. indicus N. Kumar, K. Kumar & Pesic, 2007

( Figs. 8–14 )

Material examined. Buthan: Pele La, 01.iii.2002, 3200 m asl., one female ( ZMAN), dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid.

Morphology. Female: Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 9 ) L 862, W 669. One pair of fused dorsocentral plates (Dc-3) ( Fig. 8 ). Coxal field: L between anterior end of first coxae and posterior end of fourth coxae 428; L of genital valves 155; genital valves not covering the genital acetabula; posterior acetabula rounded; L of acetabula 1–3: 58-65-33. Capitulum ( Fig. 13 ) L 218; chelicera ( Fig. 14 ) L 232, H 56, L/H ratio 4.1, basal segment L 167, claw L 68, ratio chelicerae basal segment/claw L 2.5; palp ( Fig. 12 ) total L 560, dL and %L (in parentheses, given as % of total L): P-1 25 (4.5), P-2 128 (22.9), P-3 163 (29.1), P-4 200 (35.7), P-5 44 (7.9); P-2/P-4 ratio 0.64; Ambulacrum ( Fig. 11 ) with slightly developed claw blade, claws with clawlet. L of IV–L ( Fig. 10 ) segments: IV – 125, 125, 139, 259, 265, 219.

Remarks. Due to the presence of glandularia on Cx-3, P-2 with a long ventrodistal projection, and excretory pore surrounded by sclerotized ring, the specimen from Bhutan shows a general conformity with Sperchon indicus Kumar et al. Differences (in parentheses data taken from Kumar et al. 2007) are found in its major idiosoma and gnathosoma dimensions (e.g., S. indicus idiosoma L 694, genital valves L 124, capitulum L 158–181, palp total L 515–544). Furthermore the specimen from Bhutan has P-4 less elongated and the claw blade less developed (strongly developed in S. indicus – see Kumar et al. 2007). The variability of further specimens from Bhutan needs to be known and studies on male specimens of S. indicus are necessary before we can assess the taxonomic status of this specimen.

Distribution. India. New for Bhutan.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 14. Sperchon cf. indicus Kumar et al., female: 8 = idiosoma, dorsal view; 9 = idiosoma, ventral view; 10 = IV – L- 3 – 6; 11 = claw; 12 = palp, medial view; 13 = capitulum; 14 = chelicera. Scale bars = 100 m.