Zelandalbia cf. hopkinsi Imamura, 1978

K, Harry Smit & PešićK, Vladimir, 2024, New records of notoaturine water mites from New Zealand, with the description of five new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Notoaturinae), Acarologia 64 (2), pp. 499-524 : 518

Zelandalbia cf. hopkinsi Imamura, 1978

Figure 11

New record — South Island. 1/1/0, Simpson Creek, interstitial, crossing Haupiri Road,

Moana, 42°32.852′ S, 171°39.594′ E, alt. 259 m asl., 15 Febr. 2023, dissected and slide mounted (RMNH). 1/0/0, unnamed stream crossing Haupiri Road, Moana, 42°34.273′ S,

171°45.735′ E, alt. 187 m asl., 14 Febr. 2023.

Remarks — Zelandalbia hopkinsi was originally described from a single female collected from cave water of Upper Selenite Cave in North Island ( Imamura 1978). In regard to the comparatively long and slender palpal segments and the genital field distinctly set off from the reminder of the ventral shield, the examined female from Simpson Creek matches the description of Z. hopkinsi . In the original description, Imamura (1978) did not illustrate the pair of rounded and posterolaterally directed projections associated with the insertion of the fourth leg as well as the pair of long curved ridges that extend posterolaterally on each side from the region of IV-leg insertion. It’s possible that this part of the ventral shield was hidden by legs and therefore not illustrated. Therefore, our assignment of the specimens from South Island is tentative, and should be verified by checking the holotype and/or collecting new specimens from the locus typicus. No further records of Z. hopkinsi were published since the original description. Thus far, the male was unknown, and therefore a description is given below.

Description. Male — Idiosoma dorsally 297 long and 231 wide, ventrally 428 long;

integumental and eye pigment reduced. Dorsal shield typical for the genus Zelandalbia , 297

long and 231 wide; unpaired anteromedial plate 131 long and 169 wide; unpaired posteromedial plate longer than anteromedial plate, 163 long and 156 wide; anterolateral platelets 159 long,

posterolateral platelets 75 long; excretory pore posterior to posterodorsal plate. Anterodistal rim of ventral shield relatively broad with a slightly convex anterior margin ( Figure 11A ); tips of first coxae long and sharply pointed, these extending far beyond the anterior margin of ventral shield; gnathosomal bay 138 long; glandularia Cxgl-4 slightly distanced from Cx-III/IV suture line; projections associated with insertions of fourth leg rounded and directed posterolaterally;

a pair of long curved ridges on each side extending posterolaterally from the region of insertion of IV-leg; two pairs of glandularia on their respective sides located about halfway and at posterior end of these ridges, respectively. Genital field with several genital acetabula on each side; gonopore terminal, 69 long.

Palp: length/height (in parentheses length/height ratio) of palpal segments: P1, 45/10

(4.44); P2, 68/27 (2.55); P3, 115/26 (4.45); P4, 112/22 (5.17); P5, 30/11 (2.6); palpal segments comparatively long and slender ( Figure 11F ), P2 distoventrally slightly concave; ventral setae of P-4 located anteroventrally; gnathosoma ( Figure 11C ) ventrally 89 long (without apodemes),

128 with apodemes; chelicera 114 long; all leg segments high and laterally compressed (Figures

11G-H); dorsal lengths of IV-leg: 42, 44, 45, 44, 48, 59.

Distribution — Previously known from one locality on North Island, and reported here for the first time from South Island.

Figures

Figure 11 Zelandalbiacf. hopkinsi (A-C male, D-H female), Simpson Creek. A – idiosoma, dorsal view; B – idiosoma, ventral view; C – gnathosoma and palp; D – anterodorsal part of ventral shield; E – posterior part of ventral shield; F – palp; G – I-leg-3-6; H – IV-leg-4-6. Scale bars = 100 μm.