Copidognathus caloglossae, Proches, 2002

Prochesë, Së Erban, 2002, New species of Copidognathinae (Acari: Halacaridae) from southern Africa, Journal of Natural History 36 (8), pp. 999-1007 : 1002-1004

Copidognathus caloglossae sp. nov.

(®gure 3)

Material. (BMNH(E) 2001±13) HOLOTYPE: male, South Africa , Eastern Cape, Mtakatye Estuary , May 1999, leg. SË. ProchesË . PARATYPES: one male, two females, and one protonymph, data as in holotype; one protonymph, and two larvae, from South Africa , KwaZulu-Natal, Bayhead Lagoon in the Durban Harbour , July 1999, leg. SË. ProchesË . Other material (30 more individuals examined) comes from Richards Bay, Isipingo and Beachwood mangrove forests in KwaZulu-Natal, as well as from Inhamban e ( Mozambique) .

All individuals were collected from the algal association known as`Bostrychietum’, covering the pneumatophore s of the mangrove-tree Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh.

Male. Idiosoma 370±425 Mm long and 275±300 Mm wide.

Dorsum. AD 115± 135 Mm long and 140±150 Mm wide, with ds- 1 in the anterior half. Three prominent porose areolae present, one oblong, anterior and two rounded, centro-lateral, all with groups of 5±10 pores. Other pores are present on all edges of the plate, without forming clearly de®ned ®elds. OC 90 ±125 Mm long and 60±80 Mm wide, with centro-lateral porose areolae, one seta and two corneae. A ridge separates the postero-lateral end of OC by from the rest of the plate. PD 230±260 Mm long and 220± 230 Mm wide, with four large costae covered with groups of 10±15 pores; the space between the costae with an indistinct canalicular reticulation (®gure 3A).

Venter. AE 120± 155 Mm long and 240±260 Mm wide, with the ®rst three pairs of ventral setae. Canaliculi mainly in two transverse bands, joining the origin of legs in pairs I and II, respectively. PE 160±180 Mm long, with evenly distributed canaliculi, carrying one dorsal and three ventral setae. GA 175±210 Mm long and 150±180 Mm wide, with genital opening placed behind the middle. Five to nine pairs of perigenital setae, generally disposed in one circle; sometimes the posterior ones are more outwardly placed than the anterior ones. Genital opening with four pairs of subgenital setae, two anterior and two posterior (®gure 3B).

Gnathosoma . Gnathosoma 130±135 Mm long and 115±125 Mm wide, rostrum slightly shorter than gnathosomal base, palpi longer than rostrum. Gnathosomal base with evenly arranged canaliculi. Distal segment of palpus with a whorl of three long basal setae and a few small terminal setae (®gure 3C).

Legs. First pair shorter and more robust than other legs. Claws smooth, no accessory process was identi®ed (®gure 3I). Canaliculi present, especially in the femora and tibiae of legs I and II. Chaetotaxy, trochanter to tibia: leg I, 1, 2, 5, 4, 7; leg II, 1, 2, 4, 4, 7; leg III, 1, 2, 2, 3, 5; leg IV, 0, 2, 2, 3, 5. Medial bipectinated setae on tibiae: two on legs I and II, one on legs III and IV (®gure 3E±H). Ventral setae on telofemora I and II, as well as on all basifemora very short (®gure 3J). Dorsal setae on tarsus I and II located in the middle of the segment.

Female. Idiosoma 410±450 Mm long and 305±335 Mm wide.

Dorsum. Similar to the male, AD 115±120 Mm long and 155±160 Mm wide. OC 105± 120 Mm long and 80±105 Mm wide. PD 260±335 Mm long and 215±230 Mm wide.

Venter. AE 160±165 Mm long and 270±275 Mm wide. PE 170±180 Mm long. GA 200± 205 Mm long and 150±175 Mm wide, with genital opening placed slightly behind the middle. Three pairs of perigenital setae (®gure 3D).

Gnathosoma . Gnathosoma 130±160 Mm long and 100±130 Mm wide.

Protonymph. Idiosoma 275±410 Mm long and 225±310 Mm wide. Plates smaller than in adults, as compared to total body length, leaving large areas of striated integument. AD 60±75 Mm long and 90±95 Mm wide. OC 50±60 Mm long and 45±50 Mm wide, with two corneae located on a protuberance; however, the posterior ridge present in adults is absent. PD 130±145 Mm long and 155±195 Mm wide. AE 85±95 Mm long and 160±220 Mm wide. PE 125±130 Mm long. Genital and anal plates separate; genital 45±60 Mm long and 50±60 Mm wide, anal 50 Mm long and 75± 80 Mm wide.

Gnathosoma . Gnathosoma relatively small, 125±130 Mm long and 45±90 Mm wide.

Legs. Legs signi®cantly smaller than in adults, basifemur and telofemur IV merged in one femoral segment.

Larva. Idiosoma 270±280 Mm long and 195±210 Mm wide; plates small, large parts of the integument are not striated, but have irregular folds. AD 50±55 Mm long and 55±60 Mm wide. OC 25±30 Mm long and 30±35 Mm wide. PD 75 ±85 Mm long and 95± 100 Mm wide. AE 75 ±85 Mm long and 160±170 Mm wide, with large, clearly visible pores. PE 65±75 Mm long. Genital and anal plates separate; genital 25±30 Mm long and 35±40 Mm wide, anal 40±45 Mm long and 70±75 Mm wide.

Gnathosoma . Gnathosoma 105±110 Mm long and 40±80 Mm wide.

Legs. Femoral segments merged in all legs.

Etymology. The name caloglossae refers to the alga Caloglossa leprieurii (Mont.) J. Ag. , one of the components of the algal association from which the mites were collected.

Remarks. One uncommon feature found in C. caloglossae sp. nov. is represented by the completely smooth claws. It has been suggested that in the halacarid subfamily Rhombognathinae , smooth claws are associated with species from habitats exposed to little wave action, while claw combs are used for securing the mite to substrata exposed to strong wave action ( Pugh et al., 1987). As southern African mangroves are an estuarine feature, the wave action is low, favouring similar features in C. caloglossae sp. nov. (subfamily Copidognathinae ). Other characters which, combined, are useful in de®ning this species are the four dorsal costae covered with groups of pores, short mouthparts, the short ventral setae on telofemora I and II, as well as on all basifemora, the medial position of dorsal setae on tarsi I and II.

An aspect worth noting is the presence of this species in the Isipingo Estuary, where salinity is close to zero. Five other species of Copidognathus have been recorded from similar low-salinity habitats ( Bartsch, 1996).