Scaptognathus australis Bartsch, 1993

Abé, Hiroshi, 2021, Taxonomic review of the subfamily Lohmannellinae (Acari: Trombidiformes Halacaridae) with morphological comparisons among genera, Zootaxa 4980 (2), pp. 201-255 : 228

Scaptognathus australis Bartsch, 1993

Diagnosis. Glp-1 posterior to Ds-1. Ds-2 on membranous cuticle. PE with 1 dorsal seta. GA bipartite in female. Female with 6 Pgs and 4 Sgs. Tr I–IV with 1-1-1-1 setae; Bf I–IV with 1-1-1-1 setae; Tf I–IV with 6-5-2-2 setae, 2- 1-0-0 Bp setae; Gn I–IV with 5-4-3-3 setae, 2-1-0-0 Bp setae; Tb I–IV with 9-5-6-6 setae, 5-2-3-3 Bp setae; Ta I–IV with 3-3-3-3 dorsal setae, 1-1-0-0 Bp setae. Lc I with unidentate accessory process. Idiosoma length 220–235 in female. Idiosoma width 154 ( idiosoma length 230) in female. Gnathosoma length 142–145 in female. Gnathosoma width 73 ( gnathosoma length 142) in female. Ratio of gnathosoma to idiosoma 0.62–0.66 in female.

Remarks. Only 6 pairs of dorsal setae are found on idiosoma , whereas the majority of congeners have 7 pairs. This species is similar to S. ornatus and S. punctatus , however, distinguished from the latter 2 species by its larger, posteriorly rounded AD and a higher number of Bp setae on legs. Female is known.

Habitat. Sublittoral zone: Medium to coarse sediment at 30 m depth.

Distribution. Indian Ocean: Rottnest Is. [ Australia].

Reference. Bartsch (1993a).

Depository. WAMP.