Kongsbergia Thor, 1899

Smith, Ian M., Cook, David R. & Gerecke, Reinhard, 2015, Revision of the status of some genus-level water mite taxa in the families Pionidae Thor, 1900, Aturidae Thor, 1900, and Nudomideopsidae Smith, 1990 (Acari: Hydrachnidiae), Zootaxa 3919 (1), pp. 111-156 : 132-133

Genus Kongsbergia Thor, 1899

Kongsbergia: Cook, 1974a , pp. 359–361, figs. 1560, 1565–1594.

Kongsbergia: Orghidan & Gruia, 1983 , pp. 167–174, figs. 1–17. Kongsbergia: Cook, 1980 , pp. 297–299, figs. 1539, 1540, 1543, 1544, 1546–1548. Kongsbergia: Smith & Cook, 1991 , p. 577.

Kongsbergia: Smith et al., 2001 , p. 613, figs. 375, 376.

Kongsbergia: Smith et al., 2010 , p. 554, figs. 15.376, 15.377. Kongsbergia: Radwell et al., 2011 , pp. 194–205, figs. 1–9.

Kongsbergia: Radwell & Smith, 2012a , pp. 557–563, figs. 1–20. Kongsbergia: Radwell & Smith, 2012b , pp. 1–49, figs. 1–109. Kongsbergia: Gerecke, 2014b , pp.22–34, figs. 16–24.

Diagnosis. Larva: Unknown.

Adults (modified from Radwell & Smith 2012b): Idiosoma elliptical in shape. Idiosomal sclerites with surfaces smooth or finely reticulate. Dorsal and ventral shields separate from one another. Dorsal shield bearing numerous (up to 12) pairs of glandularia, lacking or bearing one or more pairs of well-defined longitudinal ridges in males, lacking ridges in females; posterior region of shield variously modified and bearing modified setae in males, unmodified in females. Dorsal furrow lacking glandularia. Fourth coxal plate lacking coxoglandularium II and bearing small to large projection associated with opening for insertion of fourth leg. Ventral shield bearing three pairs of glandularia posteriorly. Genital field terminal and bearing ten to many pairs of acetabula; excretory pore incorporated into dorsal shield; acetabular plates fused with ventral shield with suture lines obliterated. Third leg of males with distal segments lacking modified setae. Fourth leg of males with distal segments highly modified and bearing modified setae. Pedipalp relatively stocky, with femur enlarged, especially in males, and bearing one or two ventral projections, and tibia lacking a ventral projection and bearing two sessile, slender setae distoventrally.

Type species. Kongsbergia materna Thor.

Species included. Many species listed by K.O. Viets (1987) and supplemented by Radwell et al. (2011), Radwell & Smith (2012a, 2012b), and Gerecke (2014b).

Distribution. Holarctic (Eurasia, North America), Africa, India, Southeast Asia, northern South America.

Discussion. Cook (1974a) considered Kongsbergia to be a distinct genus. Smith & Cook (1991), Smith et al. (2001, 2010), Radwell et al. (2011), Radwell & Smith (2012a, 2012b), and Gerecke (2014b) followed that treatment, as we do here. We regard the subgeneric classification of Kongsbergia (see K.O. Viets 1987) as unsatisfactory ( Cook 1974a, Radwell et al. 2011, Radwell & Smith 2012a, 2012b), and presently prefer to avoid using subgenera in this genus until species level revisionary work is sufficiently advanced to permit proposal of subgenera based on species groupings that are demonstrably holophyletic.