Feltria himachali, Pesic, Vladimir & Panesar, Arne, 2008

Pesic, Vladimir & Panesar, Arne, 2008, Studies on water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from the Himalayas, I. The water mite genus Feltria Koenike, with descriptions of eight new species, Zootaxa 1758, pp. 1-28 : 14-16

Feltria himachali sp. nov.

( Figs. 39–42 )

Type series. Holotype: male, dissected and slide-mounted in Hoyer's fluid. India: Himachal Pradesh State, IND' 95/154 Kullu-Valley, Hermeli/spring area, Kunoi-Nala, 8 h trek, spring region, mosses/lotic, 3800m, 11.vii.1995. Paratypes: two males, same collecting site and data as holotype.

New records. IND' 95/150 (2/0/0); IND' 95/152 (1/0/0).

Diagnosis. Males: A low ventral protuberance bearing 5-6 long setae in proximal half of the tarsus of leg III.

Description. Male: Idiosoma L/W 425/306. Dorsal shield large, L/W 278/203, supplied with 4 pairs of setae: Postoc, Dgl-3, Dgl-5, Dgl-6 ( Fig. 39 ). In the posterior part of the body one central pair of plates present, bearing setae and glandularia Dgl-7. The excretory pore occupies a terminal position and opens on a small plate.

Leg coxae are incorporated into 4 groups, and occupy more than half of the ventral body surface ( Fig. 40 ). Anterior coxae with well developed posterior apodemes; Cxgl-2 located laterally on posterior margin of Cx-2. Posterior groups of coxae with less extensive secondary sclerotization, which extends to lateral and posterior margins of Cx-4. Genital field transverse, posterior margin medially deeply indented, L 94, W 220, with 39– 40 genital acetabula on each side of genital opening, which opens on the anterior part of the plate.

Shape and chaetotaxy of palp as in Fig. 41 ; P-2 ventral margin distally protruding; P-4 ventral margin strongly convex; palp total L 293, dL and %L (in parentheses, given as % of total L): P-1 24 (8.2), P-2 86 (29.4), P-3 38 (13.0), P-4 95 (32.4), P-5 50 (17.1); L P-2/P-4 ratio 0.91.

Tarsus of leg III in its proximal part with a slightly pronounced and rounded ventrolateral projection ( Fig. 42–43 ), bearing 5–6 long setae. L of III-L-2-6: 43, 64, 83, 99, 108; L of IV-L-3-6: 128, 131, 131.

Discussion. See discussion section under the preceding species.

Etymology. The species is named after the State where it was collected.

Habitat. Discovered in mosses in a mountain stream.

Distribution. Known only from the Kullu Valley (Himachal Pradesh, India) in the western Himalayas.

Figures

FIGURES 39 – 43. Feltria himachali sp. nov., male holotype: 39 = idiosoma, dorsal view; 40 = idiosoma, ventral view; 41 = palp, medial view; 42 = III-L- 5 / 6; 43 = III-L- 6. Scale Bars = 100 µm.