Sperchon schwoerbeli, Pesic, Vladimir & Panesar, Arne, 2009

Pesic, Vladimir & Panesar, Arne, 2009, Studies on water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) from the Himalayas, II. New records and descriptions of seven new species from India, Zootaxa 2119, pp. 1-22 : 2

Sperchon schwoerbeli sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 A, 2A–C)

Type series. Holotype: female, dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid. India: Himachal Pradesh State, Lahaul, 4 km north of Keylong, road to Leh, near bridge over side brook, with layers of moss from rockface, 23.viii.1990, 3300m asl, leg. Schwoerbel & Panesar.

Diagnosis. I-Leg-6 greatly expanded at distal end; excretory pore surrounded by a sclerotized ring.

Description. Female: Integument net shaped. Postoculare on large rounded plates ( Fig. 2A ). Two anterior pairs of dorsocentral plates (Dc-1 and -2) fused and lying laterally; other 3 pairs of dorsocentral plates (Dc-3- 5) occupy central position.

Anterior coxae lying close to each other, but not fused ( Fig. 1 A); anterior margins of Cx-1 concave, apodemes weakly developed. Posterior groups of coxae widely separated; glandularia Cxgl-4 at antero-lateral margin of Cx-3; L between anterior end of first coxae and posterior end of fourth coxae 506. Vgl-1 reduced, only accompanying setae on very small sclerites. Excretory pore surrounded by sclerotized ring; one pair of ventral plates; postgenital sclerite developed.

Genital field lying between posterior coxae; L of genital valves 206; genital valves not covering the genital acetabula; posterior acetabula more or less rounded; L of acetabula 1–3: 78-78-53. Chelicera L 328, basal segment L 231, claw L 98, L basal segment/claw 2.4; palp total L 931, dL and %L (in parentheses): P-1 43 (4.6), P-2 209 (22.4), P-3 270 (29), P-4 347 (37.3), P-5 62 (6.7); L P-2/P-4 0.6; P-2 with long ventrodistal projection bearing one long seta and one short seta ( Fig. 2B ); P-4 ventral margin with 2 short peg-like setae, area with peg-like setae subdivides P-4 into 3 unequal parts, distal part longer than proximal or median parts.

I-Leg-6 ( Fig. 2C ) greatly expanded at distal end, greatest H of I-Leg-6 106; fourth legs with a few short setae, none of which are plumose. Claw with weakly protruding claw blade and 2 clawlets. L of I-Leg: 91, 116, 150, 247, 213, 234; L of IV-Leg: 156, 131, 163, 331, 325.

Male: unknown.

Discussion. The greatly expanded I-Leg-6 is a unique character of the new species which separates the present species from all known members of the genus.

Etymology. The species is named after Professor Jürgen Schwoerbel.

Habitat. Discovered in mosses in a mountain stream.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Himachal Pradesh State ( India).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Sperchon schwoerbeli sp. nov., female: idiosoma, ventral view. Scale bar = 100 µm.

FIGURE 2 A – C. Sperchon schwoerbeli sp. nov., female: A = idiosoma, dorsal view; B = palp, medial view; C = I-Leg- 4 - 6. Scale bars = 100 µm.