Unionicola (Kovietstax) crassiseta, Smit, Harry, 2008

Smit, Harry, 2008, Australian Unionicola (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Unionicolidae), with the description of two new subgenera and eight new species, Zootaxa 1674, pp. 1-26 : 18

Unionicola (Kovietstax) crassiseta n. sp.

( Figs. 27–35 )

Material examined. Holotype female, Geikie Gorge, western part, Geikie Gorge NP, Western Australia, Australia, 18° 7’23.92”E 125° 39’42.47”E, 28 September 1998 ( WAM). Paratype: 1 male, same data as holotype ( WAM).

Diagnosis. Medial flap-like extensions of anterior genital plates with heavy setae; fourth leg with numerous heavy setae, PV stocky.

Description. Female: Idiosoma soft, 1246 long and 864 wide. Apodemes of anterior coxal plates extending well beyond anterior margin of third coxal plates. Cx3+4 583 long, posterior margin of fourth coxal plates. Posterior margin of fourth coxal plates directed obliquely to lateral idiosoma margin. Posterior margins of fourth coxal plates with blunt, short extensions. A pair of glandularia near the posteriomedial corner of fourth coxal plates. Genital field terminal, with two pairs of genital plates. Anterior genital plates with three pairs of acetabula, ending in a short, blunt flap-like medial extension with two enlarged seta, one of which is stout, broad at its basis and contracted. Posterior pair of genital plates with three pairs of acetabula, ending medially in a blunt flap-like extension, with a stout seta. Lengths of PI-PV: 22, 235, 74, 190, 86. Palp stocky, medial side of PII with two setae, ventral margin of PIV with one very small setal tubercle, and one larger setal tubercle, which is situated at the anteroventral corner of segment. Peg-bearing tubercle small, in illustrated palp hidden behind setal tubercle. Terminal setae of PV bifurcate. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 300,?, 182. First legs modified, especially I-leg-4 enlarged. I-leg-6 with a dorsodistal spoon-shaped seta; I-leg-2-4 with very long setae, without papillae. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 365, 462, 365; fourth leg with numerous heavy setae, especially IVleg-5. Claws with large clawlet, without claw blade. IV-leg-4 and -5 distally with three very long setae, which probably act as swimming setae.

Male: Idiosoma soft, 1196 long and 745 wide. Apodemes of anterior coxal plates extending well beyond anterior margin of third coxal plates. Cx3+4 583 long, posterior margin of fourth coxal plates. Posterior margin of fourth coxal plates directed obliquely to lateral idiosoma margin. Posterior margins of fourth coxal plates with blunt, short extensions. A pair of glandularia near the posteriomedial corner of fourth coxal plates. Genital field terminal, five pairs more or less close to each other, and one pair more distanced, lying dorsally (one acetabula could not be seen in fig. 34, due to its skewed position). Genital field with 4-5 long setae and 3- 4 shorter setae. Lengths of PI-PV: 20, 227, 104, 184, 80; palp as in female. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 292, 192, 194. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 348, other segments lost. Legs as in female.

Etymology. Named after the stout setae of the female genital field.

Remarks. The new species is close to U. cirrosa , but differs in the stockier PV. The enlarged setae of the female genital field have a different shape (compare figs. 24 and 28). Moreover, the acetabula of the male of U. cirrosa are smaller, while the most dorsal pair is much more distanced from the other pairs than in the new species.

Figures

FIGURE 27 – 31. Unionicola crassiseta n. sp., holotype female, 27, ventral view, Scale bar = 200 µm.; 28, genital field; 29, palp; 30, IV-leg- 5 - 6; 31, I-leg- 6. Scale bars = 50 µm.

FIGURE 32 – 35. Unionicola crassiseta n. sp., paratype male, 32, ventral view, Scale bar = 200 µm; 33, genital field, ventral view; 34, genital field, posteromedial view; 35, I-leg- 4 - 6. Scale bars = 50 µm.