Kritaturus (Kritaturus) longipalpis, K & PešićK, 2024

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 : 504-507

Kritaturus (Kritaturus) longipalpis n. sp.

Zoobank: DA97DDFD-1ACB-42CD-96D8-A340C2BCF3A5

Figures 3-4 , 14D

Material examined — Holotype male, upper course Waikawa River crossing Waikawa

Valley Road, Catlins Forest Park, 46°29.849′ S, 169°09.764′ E, alt. 65 m asl, 6 Febr. 2023,

dissected and slide mounted ( NMNZ). Paratype: 1/0/0, Longbeach Creek at track to Koropuku Falls, Catlins Forest Park, 46°34.704′ S, 169°13.166′ E, alt. 95 m asl, 7 Febr. 2023 ( RMNH);

0/2/0, Small stream crossing road to Bald Hill, Longwood Forest, South Island, 46°10.948′ S, 167°52.781′ E, alt. 227 m asl., 30 Jan. 2023, one female dissected and slide mounted ( NMNZ),

one female undissected ( RMNH).

Diagnosis — Anterolateral and posterolateral platelets with longitudinal lines; setae associated with glandularia on anterolateral dorsal platelets thickened; Cx-I with a row of long setae (more thickened in male) along lateral margins of gnathosomal bay; palpal segments, especially P4, long and slender, P4 length/height ratio 5.0-5.5.

Description. Male — Idiosoma dorsally 394 long and 300 wide, ventrally 494 long. Eye pigment present. Dorsal shield 353 long and 266 wide; unpaired anteromedial plate 178 long and 194 wide; unpaired posteromedial plate 175 long and 169 wide; anterolateral platelets 163 long, with two pairs of glandularia, setae associated with glandularia thickened as illustrated in Figure 3A (inset); posterolateral platelet 116 long; laterodorsal platelets with longitudinal lines. Cx-I projecting far-forward and sharply pointed, with a row of thickened setae along lateral margins of gnathosomal bay ( Figure 3B ), gnathosomal bay 145 long; glandularia Cxgl-4 located near Cx-III/IV suture line, posterior suture line of Cx-IV poorly developed, projections associated with insertions of fourth legs rounded and directed more or less posteriorly. Genital field with numerous acetabula in two or three rows along posterior margin, gonopore terminal and small, 23 long. Ejaculatory complex ( Figure 3C ) 116 long.

Palp: dorsal length/height (in parentheses length/height ratio): P1, 32/28 (1.15); P2, 97/67 (1.46); P3, 41/44 (0.93); P4, 179/36 (5.0); P5, 45/15 (3.0); P4 elongated and slender (Figure

3D), without medial ridge, ventral setae close to each other in lateral to medial direction. Gnathosoma ventrally 105 long (without apodemes), 141 with apodemes. Dorsal length of I-leg-2-6 ( Figure 3E ): 61, 56, 81, 103, 100; maximum height of I-leg-6, 38; dorsal length of IV-leg-3-6 ( Figure 4D ): 91, 94, 109, 109; maximum height of IV-leg-6, 36.

Female — In most characters similar to male, except genital field ( Figure 4B ). Idiosoma dorsally 434 long and 319 wide, ventrally 513 long. Dorsal shield 376 long and 284 wide; unpaired anteromedial plate 177 long and 206 wide; unpaired posteromedial plate 197 long and 188 wide; anterolateral platelet 159 long, posterolateral platelet 129 long. Gnathosomal bay

143 long. Gonopore terminal and flanked by numerous genital acetabula in two or three rows along posterior margin.

Palp as in male ( Figure 4C ): dorsal length/height (in parentheses length/height ratio): P1, 33/25 (1.3); P2, 97/58 (1.68); P3, 41/37 (1.1); P4, 190/34 (5.52); P5, 48/14 (3.4). Gnathosoma ventrally 94 long (without apodemes), 125 with apodemes. Dorsal length of I-leg-2-6: 55, 52, 72, 95, 91; maximum height of I-leg-6, 33; dorsal length of IV-leg: 72, 63, 73, 88, 103, 103.

Etymology — Named for the long palp.

Remarks — The new species belong to subgenus Kritaturus s.s. characterized by idiosoma without a well-developed cauda and unmodified posteromedial plate. The new species is unique in the combination of long and slender palpal segments (especially P4, length/height ratio 5.0-5.5), a thickened setae associated with glandularia on anterolateral dorsal platelets and Cx-I with a row of long setae (more thickened in male) along lateral margins of gnathosomal bay.

Distribution — Known from two locations on South Island.

Figures

Figure 3 Kritaturus longipalpis n. sp., male, upper course Waikawa River. A – idiosoma, dorsal view; B – idiosoma, ventral view; C – photograph of ejaculatory complex; D – palp; E – I-leg-2-6. Scale bars = 100 μm.

Figure 4 Kritaturus longipalpisn. sp., (A-C, female, stream crossing road to Bald Hill; D, male, upper course Waikawa River). A – idiosoma, dorsal view; B – idiosoma, ventral view; C – palp, D – IV-leg-4-6. Scale bars = 100 μm.

Figure 14 Photographs of dorsal shield. A – Evidaturus scopticus Cook, 1983, male holotype, stream on Wainui Rd (from: <https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/125039>); B –Kritaturus sornus Cook, 1983, female, Longbeach Creek; C – K. jacundusCook, 1983,