Austraturus simplex, Orginal, 2021

Orginal, Harry Smit, 2021, The water mites of Western Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia), with the description of 13 new species, Acarologia 61 (4), pp. 928-966 : 956

Austraturus simplex n. sp.

Zoobank: 4B80D8C8-B0B6-4EC8-8B84-742BEF839BAF

( Figures 16 A-E)

Material examined — Holotype male, Boorara Brook at crossing with Boorara Road, SE of Northcliffe, W.A., Australia, 34°41.149′ S 116°12.999′ E, 53 m asl, 9 Feb. 2019 ( WAM) . Paratypes: one male ( RMNH), one female ( WAM), Nanga Brook, Lane Pool Reserve, Western Australia, Australia, 32°48.265′ S 116°05.407′ E, 199 m asl, 14 Feb. 2019.

Diagnosis — Male posteromedial dorsal plate and fourth legs without modifications, male gonopore relatively wide.

Description — Male: Idiosoma with purplish spots, rugose, dorsally 308 (296) long and 267 (262) wide, ventrally 356 (356) long. Dorsum with three pairs of platelets and an unpaired posteromedial plate, the latter with two shallow concavities. Laterodorsal platelets each with one glandularium, anterior pair of platelets with the postocularia, posteromedial plate with three pairs of glandularia ( Figure 16A), the latter 172 (152) long and 158 (149) wide. Gnathosomal bay U-shaped. Coxal suture lines incomplete. Gonopore relatively wide, 38 long and 16 wide. Posterolateral to gonopore a pair of glandularia ( Figure 16B). Most acetabula not visible in ventral view. Excretory pore terminal. Length of P1-5: 19, 51, 25, 58, 30. P2 anteroventrally with several small teeth, one larger than the others; P4 ventrally expanding ( Figure 16C). Length of I-leg-4-6: 58, 70, 76 (till tip of segment). Length of IV-leg-4-6: 80, 84, 86 (till tip of segment). Fourth leg not modified, claw of IV-leg-6 with a dorsal clawlet ( Figure 16D).

Female: Idiosoma dorsally 292 long and 259 wide, ventrally 357 long. Dorsum as in male, posteromedial plate 144 long and 148 wide. Gnathosomal bay U-shaped. Suture lines of coxae incomplete. Gonopore 46 long, genital field with two pairs of glandularia ( Figure 16E); most acetabula not visible in ventral view. Length of P1-5: 15, 50, 32, 58, 30. Palp as in male. Length of I-leg-4-6: 52, 64, 66. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 74, 78, 72.

Etymology — Named for the simple morphology.