Neoaturus Lundblad, 1941

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 : 133-134

Genus Neoaturus Lundblad, 1941

Neoaturus: Cook, 1974a , pp. 364–365, figs. 1613–1615, 1618, 1620. Neoaturus: Cook, 1980 , pp. 293–296, figs. 1517, 1519, 1521, 1523, 1525, 1526, 1528. Neoaturus: Smith et al., 2001 , p. 613, fig. 374.

Neoaturus: Smith et al., 2010 , p. 554, fig. 15.375.

Diagnosis. Larva: Unknown.

Adults (modified from Cook 1974a): Idiosoma elliptical in shape. Idiosomal sclerites with surfaces smooth or finely reticulate. Dorsal and ventral shields fused with one another anteriorly. Dorsal shield bearing six pairs of widely scattered glandularia; lacking well-defined longitudinal ridges; posterior region of shield unmodified. Dorsal furrow lacking glandularia. Fourth coxal plate bearing coxoglandularium II and with a small projection associated with opening for insertion of fourth leg. Ventral shield bearing one pair of glandularia posteriorly; unmodified posteriorly or with a small caudal projection. 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 weakly indicated or obliterated. Third leg of males with distal segments lacking modified setae. Fourth leg of males with distal segments unmodified but bearing several thick setae. Pedipalp with tibia moderately long and slender, lacking a ventral projection and bearing two or three sessile, slender setae distoventrally.

Type species. Aturus (Subaturus) projectus Lundblad.

Species included. About ten described species listed by K.O. Viets (1987).

Distribution. South America, southern North America as far north as Texas, USA. Discussion. Cook (1974a) considered Neoaturus to be a distinct genus and Smith et al. (2001, 2010) followed that treatment, as we do here.