Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit

Pesic, Vladimir, Smit, Harry & Datry, Thibault, 2010, Water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from the hyporheic waters of the Selwyn River (New Zealand), with descriptions of nine new species, Zootaxa 2355, pp. 1-34 : 20-21

Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit sp. nov.

( Fig. 2D , 14A–C, 14A–C , 16A–C )

Type material. Holotype: female dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid. New Zealand, South Island, Selwyn River near Old Bridge Rd., 20.ix.2004. Paratypes: 0/1/0 (mounted), same date as holotype; 1/0/0, same place as holotype, 08.vii.2004; 1/0/0 same place as holotype, 04.vi.2004; 1/0/0, same place as holotype, 10.ix.2004; 5/3/0 (1/1/0 mounted), Selwyn River near Ridgens, 20.viii.2004; 2/1/0, Selwyn River near Ridgens, 18.i.2005; 1/1/0, Selwyn River near Ridgens, 07.vii.2004.

Diagnosis. Surface of dorsal sclerites with small rounded papillae and ridges of various sizes on parts of the surface; P-2 somewhat swollen but without ventral projection; P-3 with a slight ventrodistal projection.

Description. Female (holotype, in parentheses some measurements of two paratype specimens). Integumental pigment absent; eye pigment reduced; surface of sclerites with small rounded papillae and ridges of various sizes on parts of the surfaces (as shown in Fig. 2D ); dorsal shield ( Fig. 14A ) L 216 (214- 215), W 179 (182); anteromedial plate L 101 (98-99), W 108 (111-112); anterolateral platelets bearing a pair of glandularia; posterolateral platelets with one pair of glandularia; posteromedial plate bearing two pairs of glandularia; anterodorsal portion of ventral shield forming a somewhat pointed hood-like projection which does not extend to the tips of the first coxae ( Fig. 14C ); ventral shield ( Fig. 14B ) L 294 (289-293), W 208 (194); capitular bay L 63 (63); tips of first, second and third coxae somewhat pointed and with well developed intercoxal slots; projections associated with insertions of IV-L truncate, moderately large and extending to sides of idiosoma; a well developed ridge on each side extending posterolaterally from region of insertion of IV-L; a pair of apophyses and glandularia located medial to insertions of fourth legs; gonopore L 40 (43–45); genital acetabula numerous; palp ( Fig. 15A–B ): total L 112 (117), dL: P-1, 15 (14–15); P-2, 28 (29); P-3, 19 (19–22); P-4, 35 (37); P-5, 15 (15–17); %L: P-1, 13.4 (12.0–12.8); P-2, 25.0 (24.8); P-3, 17.0 (16.2–18.8); P- 4, 31.3 (31.6); P-5, 13.4 (12.8–14.5); P-2 somewhat swollen but without ventral projection; P-3 with a slight ventrodistal projection; capitulum ventral L 57 (55); chelicera total L 77; dL of IV-L-2-6: 45 (46), 23 (23), 31 (29–32), 34 (35–36), 40 (40–43); maximum H of IV-L-2, 29 (26–29); IV-L-2 L/H ratio, 1.55 (1.59–1.8); chaetotaxy of IV-L as illustrated in Fig. 15C ; swimming hairs absent.

Male. Similar to female except for genital field ( Fig. 16A ); dorsal shield L 195, W 177; anteromedial plate L 97, W 108; ventral shield L 285, W 198; capitular bay L 65; gonopore subterminal, L 17; ejaculatory complex L 62; palp ( Fig. 16B ): total L 116, dL and %L (in parentheses): P-1, 15 (12.9); P-2, 29 (25.0); P-3, 20 (17.2); P-4, 37 (31.9); P-5 15 (12.9); capitulum ventral L 59; dorsal L of IV-L-2-6: 48, 23, 32, 35, 39; maximum H of IV-L-2, 26; IV-L-2 L/H ratio, 1.85.

Etymology. Name referring to the small dimensions of this species.

Remarks. See remarks below under Canterburaturus cooki , for characteristics which will separate the new species from other members of the genus

Ecology. The studied material was collected from July to February, from the ephemeral-losing (Ridgens) and the perennial-gaining (Old Bridge Rd.) reaches of the river.

Figures

FIGURE 2 A – L. Photographs of dorsal shield. A— Colobaturus selwynus Pesic & Smit n. sp., female; B— Taintaturus selwynus Pesic & Smit n. sp., male; C— T. rostratus Pesic & Smit n. sp., female; D— Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit n. sp., male; E— C. novaeseelandicus Pesic & Smit n. sp., female; F— C. cooki Pesic & Smit n. sp., female; G— Abelaturus schwoerbeli Pesic & Smit n. sp., male; H— A. schwoerbeli Pesic & Smit n. sp., female; I— Abelaturus cornophorus Cook, 1983, female; J— Piotaturus bovalus Cook, 1983, male; K— Paratryssaturus cantermus Cook, 1983, female; L— Zelandalbia longipalpis Pesic & Smit n. sp., female.

FIGURE 14 A – C. Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit sp. nov., female: A = dorsal shield; B = ventral shield; C = anterodorsal portion of ventral shield. Scale bars = 100 μm.

FIGURE 16 A – C. Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit sp. nov., male: A = ventral shield; B = capitulum and palp; C = I-L- 4 - 6. Scale bars = 100 μm.

FIGURE 15 A – C. Canterburaturus minutus Pesic & Smit sp. nov., female: A – B = palp; C = IV-L. Scale bars = 100 μm.