Sperchon (Sperchon) major, K & K & K, 2022

K, Harry Smit, K, Vladimir Pešić & K, Mer Man Gurung, 2022, The water mite genus Sperchon Kramer, 1877 in Bhutan (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Sperchontidae), with the description of three new species, Acarologia 62 (3), pp. 754-762 : 755

Sperchon (Sperchon) major sp. nov.

Zoobank: 11208D6F-B0D7-4DCE-9542-ADFB89F4F971

( Figure 1 A-D)

Material examined — Holotype female, Royal Botanical Park, Lampelri, 27.50750°N, 89.75269°E, 2667 m a.s.l., 10 Aug. 2016, leg. W. Klein (NBC).

Diagnosis — Large size (>1250), integument with longish papillae; dorsum and venter without glandularia-free platelets; P2 with an anteroventral extension with a large seta, P4 slender, ventrally with two very small setae.

Description — Female: Idiosoma dorsally 1296 long and 1199 wide, ventrally 1332

long. Integument with longish papillae. Dorsal and ventral glandularia platelets indistinct, no glandularia-free platelets present ( Figure 1A). Gnathosoma 275 long, rostrum much shorter than basal part. Cx-I separated medially, Cx-III with a glandularium ( Figure 1B). Genital flaps 267 long, pregenital sclerite lying under flaps and first pair of acetabula. Excretory pore sclerotized. Length of P1-5: 56, 184, 251, 352, 62. P2 with an anteroventral extension with a large seta, P4 slender, ventrally with two small setae ( Figure 1C). Length of I-leg-4-6: 300, 316, 275. Length of IV-leg-4-6: 510, 454, 373. All fourth and fifth segments of the legs dorsally with a row of pectinate setae ( Figure 1D). Leg claws with one clawlet and a small claw blade.

Male: Unknown.

Etymology — Named for its large size.

Discussion — It’s large size, the absence of glandularia-free platelets, the very long and slender P4 and the longish papillae will distinguish the new species from all other Sperchon species. Sperchon glandulosus Koenike, 1886 and S. thienemanni Koenike, 1907 are both large species, but both differ in P4 with stout ventral setae. Moreover, the excretory pore of S. thienemanni is unsclerotized.