Rhynchaustrobates (Rhynchaustrobates) sclerosus, Smit, Harry, 2015

Smit, Harry, 2015, The water mite family Hygrobatidae Koch in Australia. The genera Aspidiobatella Cook, Australorivacarus Viets, Gondwanabates Imamura and Rhynchaustrobates Cook (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 4033 (4), pp. 567-583 : 576-577

Rhynchaustrobates (Rhynchaustrobates) sclerosus n. sp.

( Figs 7 A–C)

Type material. Holotype male, Sugarloaf Creek, at crossing with Misty Mountain Road, Monga NP, New South Wales, Australia, 35º 33’44.70” S, 150º 0’48.61” E, 15-xii-2003 (AMS).

Diagnosis. Venter without shield but with extensive secondary sclerotization, especially around genital field and fourth coxae; P3 with a large projection.

Description. Male. Idiosoma papillate, dorsally 405 long and 332 wide, ventrally 462 long. Dorsum with moderate large glandularia platelets, most posterior pair being the largest. Besides the glandularia platelets a pair of medial platelets without glandularia present. Roof of camerostome with a long pointed process. Venter without shield, but with extensive secondary sclerotization around genital field, fourth coxae and Vgl-2. First coxae fused medially, Cxgl-4 near middle of fourth coxae. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula, gonopore 66 long. Length of P1–P5: 16, 46, 36, 58, 33. P3 with a large ventral projection. Length of I-leg-4–6: 88, 102, 78. Length of IV-leg- 4–6: 110, 128, 92. Legs without swimming setae.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology. Named for the extensive secondary sclerotization.

Remarks. The only other Rhynchaustrobates species with a large ventral projection is R. bandus Cook, 1986 , but this species has a ventral shield, Cxgl-4 are located close to the insertions of the fourth legs and the projection of P3 is pointed.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Rhynchaustrobates sclerosus n. sp., holotype male; A. venter; B. dorsum; C. palp + capitulum. Scale bars = 50 µm.