Gretacarus gereckei, Smit, Harry, 2016

Smit, Harry, 2016, The water mite genus Gretacarus K. O. Viets, 1978 from Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Mideopsidae: Gretacarinae), with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 4121 (2), pp. 159-166 : 161

Gretacarus gereckei n. sp.

( Figs. 1A–F )

Material examined. Holotype male, Henrietta Creek, Wooroonooran NP, Queensland, Australia, 17º 35.884 S 145º 45.548 E, alt. 390 m a.s.l., 3-xi-2014 (QM).

Diagnosis. Gonopore widest posteriorly, with up to four rows of acetabula; IV-leg-4 with a large hook-like seta and dorsally with three heavy setae.

Description. Male: Idiosoma dorsally 737 long and 648 wide, ventrally 713 long. Dorsal shield 688 long and 551 wide, with a broad yellow lateral margin and a large, somewhat triangular yellow patch; remainder of dorsal shield purple. Dorsal shield with three pairs of glandularia. Anterior coxae not extending to anterior idiosoma margin. Coxal area unmodified, without a ridge extending posteromedially of fourth leg sockets. Gonopore 154 long, widest posteriorly with up to four rows of acetabula. Length of P1-5: 32, 92, 52, 74, 60. P4 stocky, ventrally with a broad tapering seta on a short hump. Length of I-leg-4–6: 90, 91, 106. Length of IV-leg-4–6: 122, 142, 148. IV-leg-4 with a large hook-like seta, dorsal margin with three heavy setae. IV-leg-4 with six long swimming setae, IV-leg-5 with ten long swimming setae.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named after Reinhard Gerecke, in appreciation of his help with mounting of a number of Gretacarus specimen.

Remarks. The new species is close to G. kurtvietsi Cook, 1986 from Tasmania (characters of the latter in brackets), but differs in a larger hook-like seta of IV-leg-4, the presence of only three heavy dorsal setae on IV-leg- 4 (ten heavy setae), a different colour (uniform dark) and up to four acetabula in a row (up to three).

Figures

FIGURES 1 A – F. Gretacarus gereckei n. sp., holotype male. A = dorsum; B = venter; C = genital field; D = palp; E = IV = leg- 4; F = IV-leg- 4 – 6. Scale bars: A – B = 200 µm, C – F = 50 µm.