Hygrobates (Hygrobates) okavangoensis, Smit, 2005

Smit, Harry, 2005, Water mites of the family Hygrobatidae Koch from southern Africa (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Journal of Natural History 39 (38), pp. 3369-3405 : 3381-3383

Hygrobates (Hygrobates) okavangoensis sp. nov.

( Figures 15–17 )

Material examined

Holotype: female, Okavango River at Popa Falls, Namibia, 21 July 1996 ( ZMAN).

Description

Male. Unknown.

Female. Idiosoma 470 long and 389 wide, soft. Apodemes of anterior coxal plates short, fourth coxal plates without apodemes. Genital field with three pairs of acetabula, 104 long. Part of the genital field not visible in the slide as a result of folding of the integument. Genital plate slightly lunate, acetabula lying behind each other. Lengths of PI–PV: 28, 118, 78, 172, 42. Ventral margin of PII straight, with distally two to three small papillae, not on an extension. Lengths of I-leg-4–6: 144, 160, 126. I-leg-5 distally with two pointed setae, longest 72 long. Lengths of IV-leg-4–6: 219, 198, 140. IV-leg-5 with two pointed setae, longest 106 long. Legs without swimming setae.

Etymology

Named for its occurrence in the Okavango River.

Remarks

The shape of the palp is diagnostic for the new species, especially PII with its small, distal papillae on the ventral margin.

Figures

Figure 15. Hygrobates okavangoensis, holotype female, ventral view. Scale bar: 50 mm.

Figure 16. Hygrobates okavangoensis, holotype female, palp. Scale bar: 50 mm.

Figure 17. Hygrobates okavangoensis, holotype female, I-leg-5–6. Scale bar: 50 mm.