Australiobates pilosus (K. Viets, 1956 )

Smit, Harry, 2005, Water mites of the family Hygrobatidae Koch from southern Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Journal of Natural History 39 (38), pp. 3369-3405 : 3401-3403

Australiobates pilosus (K. Viets, 1956)

( Figure 35 )

Material examined

South Africa, Western Cape Province: one male, seven females, one nymph, Rondgat River at Algeria, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 490 m a.s.l., 32 ° 22.491 9 S, 19 ° 03.742 9 E, 1 November 2004 ; one male, eight females, tributary of Rondgat River at Algeria, 32 ° 22.411 9 S, 19 ° 03.863 9 E, 1 November 2004 ; one female, Driehoeksriver, south of Uitkykpas, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 947 m a.s.l., 32 ° 25.527 9 S, 19 ° 07.895 9 E, 2 November 2004 ; four males, 26 females, Dwarsriver, alt. 861 m a.s.l., 32 ° 29.973 9 S, 19 ° 15.389 9 E, 2 November 2004; one male, one female, Rondgat River at Bos Herberge, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 665 m a.s.l., 32 ° 24.044 9 S, 19 ° 05.264 9 E, 2 November 2004 ; one female, Wit River at Tweede Tol, Limietberg Nature Reserve , alt. 296 m a.s.l., 33 ° 34.210 9 S, 19 ° 08.356 9 E, 3 November 2004 ; three females, Olifantsriver at crossing with Nieuwoudt Pass road, alt. 88 m a.s.l., 32 ° 21.943 9 S, 18 ° 57.254 9 E, 3 November 2004; two females, Wolwekloof River at Tweede Tol, Limietberg Nature reserve , alt. 285 m a.s.l., 33 ° 34.115 9 S, 19 ° 08.255 9 E, 3 November 2004 ; one female, Breë River near crossing of road R43 and R46, alt. 282 m a.s.l., 33 ° 25.283 9 S, 19 ° 15.997 9 E, 5 November 2004 ; one female, small unnamed creek north of Bain’s Kloof Pass , Limietberg NR, alt. 359 m a.s.l., 33 ° 34.946 9 S, 19 ° 07.984 9 E, 5 November 2004 ; one male (not completely sclerotized), Melkhout River south of Pont Malgas , alt. 89 m a.s.l., 34 ° 22.296 9 S, 20 ° 38.701 9 E, 9 November 2004 ; three females, Woodville River at crossing with George – Karatara road, alt. 110 m a.s.l., 33 ° 56.207 9 S, 22 ° 39.857 9 E, 13 November 2004 .

Description

Male. Idiosoma 458 long and 356 wide dorsally, 526 long ventrally. Capitulum free from coxal plates with a long anchoral process. Medial margins of coxal plates indistinct, those of fourth coxal plates even absent. Fourth coxal plates with long apodemes. Ventrum with complete sclerotization. However, teneral males are without sclerotization. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula. Gonopore 86 long, lateral margin of genital field with four or five setae. Lengths of PI–PV: 22, 82, 118, 36; palp as in female. Lengths of I-leg-4–6: 164, 148, 114. Lengths of IV-leg-4–6: 234, 240, 180. Legs as in female.

Remarks

Australiobates pilosus shares the extensive ventral secondary sclerotization with the Australian A. ventriscutatus Cook. Females of both species do not have this sclerotization.

Genus Ambiguobates K. Viets, 1956

Ambiguobates permixtus K. Viets, 1956

Ambiguobates permixtus agnewi K. O. Viets, 1963 new syn.

Material examined

South Africa, Western Cape Province: one male, 10 females, one nymph, Rondgat River at Algeria, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 490 m a.s.l., 32 ° 22.491 9 S, 19 ° 03.742 9 E, 1 November 2004 ; one male, one female, tributary of Rondgat River at Algeria, 32 ° 22.411 9 S, 19 ° 03.863 9 E, 1 November 2004 ; six females, Rondgat River at Bos Herberge, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 665 m a.s.l., 32 ° 24.044 9 S, 19 ° 05.264 9 E, 2 November 2004 ; one male, six females, Driehoeksriver south of Uitkykpas, Cederberg Wilderness Area , alt. 947 m a.s.l., 32 ° 25.527 9 S, 19 ° 07.895 9 E, 2 November 2004 ; four males, four females, Wolwekloof River at Tweede Tol, Limietberg Nature Reserve , alt. 285 m a.s.l., 33 ° 34.115 9 S, 19 ° 08.255 9 E, 3 November 2004 ; four males, four females, Wolwekloof River , alt. 285 m a.s.l., 33 ° 34.115 9 S, 19 ° 08.255 9 E, 3 November 2004 ; seven males, 13 females, unnamed creek north of Bain’s Kloof Pass, Limietberg Nature Reserve , alt. 540 m a.s.l., 33 ° 36.115 9 S, 19 ° 06.637 9 E, 5 November 2004 ; one male, two females, unnamed creek south of Swartberg Pass, Swartberg Nature Reserve , alt. 1404 m a.s.l., 33 ° 21.438 9 S, 22 ° 03.498 9 E, 11 November 2004 ; seven males, one female, Bloukrans River at crossing with road R102, no measurements of coordinates possible, 15 November 2004 ; one male, one female, unnamed creek, Paarl Mountain Reserve , alt. 428 m a.s.l., 33 ° 44.238 9 S, 18 ° 56.439 9 E, 26 November 2004 .

Remarks

K. O. Viets (1963) described A. permixtus agnewi based on differences with the nominate form in the ventral sclerotization, shape of the fourth coxal plates and the hyaline membrane along the ventral margin of P-IV. Females of both taxa were indistinguishable. However, K. Viets (1956) probably described in the original description a teneral male or he overlooked the medial margin of fourth coxal plates. The ventral secondary sclerotization is of variable shape, as is the hyaline membrane of P-IV. Therefore, the subspecies agnewi is synonymized with the nominate form.

Figures

Figure 35. Australiobates pilosus K. Viets, ventral view male. Scale bar: 50 mm.