Australiobates longisetus Wiles, 1997

Smit, Harry, 2013, New records of water mites mainly from Vogelkop, New Guinea (Acari: Hydrachnidia), with the description of one new genus and thirteen new species, Zootaxa 3716 (2), pp. 207-235 : 215

Australiobates longisetus Wiles, 1997

( Figures 24–25 )

Material examined. 2/1/0, River Kamp Walker, Abepura, Papua Province, 2° 34.202 S 140° 38.886 E, alt. 144 m asl, 27-x-2011; 1/0/0, Unnamed creek crossing road Arso-Sengge, near Kampung Pyawi, Papua Province, 3° 0 1.527 S 140° 50.069 E, 29-x-2011; 0/1/0, Unnamed creek N of Sentani, Papua Province, 2° 32.947 S 140° 31.816 E, alt. 242 m asl, 31-x-2011; 2/1/0, stream Wasai, SW of Manokwari, West Papua Province, 0° 55.563 S 133° 58.380 E, alt. 27 m asl, 12-xi-2011; 1/0/0, stream Warmarai, S of Manokwari, West Papua Province, 1° 0 5.987 S 134° 0 5.514 E, alt. 16 m asl, 13-xi-2011; 1/0/0, stream Ilik, near Lake Gita, Anggi Lakes, West Papua Province, New Guinea, Indonesia, 1° 21.423 S 133° 58.553 E, alt. 1912 m asl, 17-xi-2011.

Remarks. The male specimen from Warmarai stream is almost completely sclerotized. This specimen, 356 long and 284 wide, has an almost complete dorsal plate with a laterally obsolete transversal suture line. The venter is divided into two plates as well, with the gonopore fused completely with the posterior ventral plate and the coxal field fused into an anterior plate. Wiles (1997a) found various degrees of sclerotization, but not as complete as in this specimen.

Previously reported from Papua New Guinea, and one record from Papua Province, Indonesia (Smit 2011).

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 28. Australiobates longisetus Wiles, male: 24. Dorsal view; 25. Ventral view. Australiobates plumosus Wiles, female: 26. I-leg- 4 – 6. Australiobates setosus Smit, male: 27. Genital field; 28. Palp. Scale bars = 50 µm.