Paraxonopsis latihumerosa, 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 : 540

Paraxonopsis latihumerosa n. sp.

( Figs. 12A–D )

Material examined. Holotype male, Unnamed stream upstream Sagyimase, Atewa Hills, Ghana, 6º 13.966 N 0º 33.114 W, alt. 671 m a.s.l., 28-ii-2013 .

Diagnosis. Idiosoma anteriorly widened; eyes absent.

Description. Male: Idiosoma rose-coloured, elongate, anteriorly widened, dorsally 324 long and 211 wide, ventrally 348 long. Eyes absent. Dorsal and ventral shields present. Dorsal shield 196 wide, with three flat ridges; dorsal shield with four pairs of glandularia. Dorsal furrow without glandularia. Anterior coxae blunt, extending beyond frontal margin. Apodemes of capitulum relatively long. Suture lines of coxae obliterated. Between genital field and fourth leg sockets one pair of glandularia. Genital field terminal, with three pairs of acetabula. Length of P1–5: 21, 31, 20, 48, 20. Palp stocky, proximal part of P4 medially with a narrow sheath. Length of I-leg-5–6: 32, 54, 60. Length of IV-leg- 4–6 52, 58, 62.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. Named for the broad shoulders.

Remarks. The shape of the idiosoma and the absence of eyes separates the new species from other Paraxonopsis species.

Figures

FIGURE 12 A – D. Paraxonopsis latihumerosa n. sp., holotype male. A = dorsum; B = venter; C = palp medially; D = palp + capitulum laterally. Scale bars = 50 µm.