Javalbia (Javalbia) coalescens, Smit, Harry, 2016

Smit, Harry, 2016, The water mite family Aturidae Thor (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Ghana, with the description of twelve new species, Zootaxa 4158 (4), pp. 523-543 : 537-538

Javalbia (Javalbia) coalescens n. sp.

( Figs. 10A–C )

Material examined. Holotype male, Tagbo River downstream of falls, Ghana, 7º 0 0.708 N 0º 34.326 E, alt. 394 m a.s.l., 23-ii-2013 . Paratype: one male, same data as holotype; one male, Apkonu stream downstream of falls, at Logba Tota, Ghana, 6º 53.054 N 0º 28.024 E, alt. 362 m a.s.l., 21-ii-2013 .

Diagnosis. Male (female unknown): In the posterior dorsal furrow, two glandular platelets and the slit organ in between fused to an elongated platelet; posterior glandular platelet fused with slit organ lying posterior; dorsal shield with postocularia and three pairs of glandularia; vgl-2 not fused with coxal field.

Description. Male: Idiosoma dorsally 413 (404–407) long and 292 (279–292) wide, ventrally 351 (344–348) long, tapering posteriorly. Eye capsules present but without pigment. Dorsal shield 401 (398–402) long and 259 (247–259) wide, with postocularia lying far distanced from dgl-1, and three pairs of glandularia. A2 not fused with dorsal shield. Three pairs of glandularia platelets in posterior half of dorsal furrow, the anterior two on each side fused with each other and with the slit organ in between, posterior pair fused with slit organ lying posterior. Anterior coxae far distanced from frontal margin. Suture lines of coxae obliterated. Cxgl-4 about halfway between fourth leg sockets and genital field. Genital plates fused with coxal field, with three pairs of acetabula; gonopore 40 long. Vgl-2 lying free, not fused with coxal shield, excretory pore lying on a platelet posterior to genital field. Length of P1–5: 19, 33, 24, 42, 22. Length of I-leg-4–6: 40, 48, 44. Length of IV-leg-4–6: 44, 48, 34. Swimming setae absent.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named for the fused glandularia platelets.

Remarks. This is the first species of the nominate subgenus for the Afrotropical region. The described fusion of the glandularia platelets and the slit organs is not found in other members of the subgenus.

Figures

FIGURE 10 A – C. Javalbia coalescens n. sp., holotype male. A = dorsum; B = venter; C = palp. Scale bars = 50 µm.