Procorticacarus minutus, Smit, 2011

Smit, H., 2011, New Species Of Water Mites From New Guinea (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Halacaridae), Acarologia 51 (3), pp. 321-345 : 333-334

Procorticacarus minutus n. sp.

( Figure 7 )

Material examined — Holotype female, Unnamed creek crossing road to Pass Valley , Papua province, New Guinea, Indonesia, 3°52.849’ S; 139°04.194’ E, alt. 2253 m a.s.l., 13-iii-2010 . Paratype: female, Unnamed creek crossing road to Pass Valley, Papua province, New Guinea, Indonesia, 3°52.629’ S; 139°04.684’ E, alt. 2264 m a.s.l., 13- iii-2010 .

Diagnosis — Small species, with a characteristic configuration of dorsal plates and platelets: two large plates flanked by ten pairs of smaller plates. Posterior large plate flanked by a pair of curved plates.

Description — Female: Idiosoma dorsally 348 (324) long and 308 (283) wide, ventrally 373 (373) long. Idiosoma soft, finely lineated ventrally. Dorsum with two large plates, flanked by ten pairs of smaller plates, anteriorly a pair of preocular platelets, posteriorly a single excretory plate ( Figure 7a ). Posterior large plate with a reticulate pattern, flanked by a pair of curved plates. Associated setae of large posterior plate long. First coxal plates extending beyond anterior idiosoma margin. Suture lines of coxal plates obliterated. Coxoglandularia 4 located on fourth coxal plates, close to suture lines of third and fourth coxal plates ( Figure 7b ). Genital plates with four acetabula, one of these lying more posterolaterally and can, therefore, not been seen completely in ventral view. Lengths of PI-PV: 15, 31, 32, 44, 22; PII ventrally with a large extension, PIII ventrally with a small tooth, PII and PIII without ventral denticles; PIV ventrally with s small setal tubercle ( Figure 7c ). Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 48, 50, 46. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 74, 78, 68. Legs without swimming setae. The holotype females has two large eggs, 198 in diameter. Male: Unknown.

Etymology — Named for its small size.

Remarks — The new species is well characterized by the configuration of the dorsal plates and platelets. The absence of ventral denticles of PII and PIII is rare within the genus, only shared by the Australian P. angulicoxalis (K.O. Viets, 1978).

Figures

FIGURE 7: Procorticacarus minutus n. sp., holotype female: a – dorsal view; b – ventral view; c – palp. Scale bar = 50 µm.