Lebertia (Mixolebertia) dinghuensis, Wang & Jin & Guo, 2024

Wang, Yu, Jin, Daochao & Guo, Jianjun, 2024, Water mites of the genus Lebertia Neuman (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Lebertiidae) from China, with description of three new species, Zootaxa 5399 (3), pp. 231-240 : 235

Lebertia (Mixolebertia) dinghuensis sp. nov. ( Fig. 3 )

Material examined. Holotype: one female (slide number GD-LE-20190901) from Dinghushan , Guangdong, P. R. China (112.548333 E, 23.162500 N), 860 m a.s.l., leg. Caiyun Li, 28-VIII-2019.

Diagnosis. Cx-II medially slightly longer than Cx-I. P-4 distal part strongly narrowed and uneven, ventral sectors 2: 1: 1. II-L-5 without swimming setae, other swimming setae number: III-L-4 5, III-L-5 10, IV-L-4 4, IVL-5 8.

Description. Female. Integument smooth ( Fig. 3B ). Cx-II slightly longer than Cx-I (Cx-I/II mL ratio 0.89) ( Fig. 3A ). Cx-II caudal margin rather narrow (W 19). V1 not fused to Cx-IV, V3 slightly away from Cx-IV margin, V4 far away from the V2 position. Posteromedial angles of Cx-IV not pronounced. Excretory pore unsclerotized. Chelicerae are relatively short compared to palp total length ( Fig. 3D ). Gnathosoma roundish ( Fig. 3E ). P-2 stout (L/H 1.50) ( Fig. 3C ), ventrodistal seta long, five dorsal setae forming a row. P-3 bearing six setae, of which dorsal seta rather long and at the medial region of the segment, one dorsodistal seta and two ventrodistal setae rather long, one medial seta close to proximal edge of the segment, the other one medial seta at 1/3 from the distal edge. P-4 maximum H at the proximal part, distal narrowed unevenly, peg-like seta at the terminal, ventral sectors 2: 1: 1. IIIL-3 with 5 distal setae in row ( Fig. 3F ). IV-L-6 with 2 ventral thin setae ( Fig. 3G ). Swimming setae number: III-L-4 5, III-L-5 10, IV-L-4 4, IV-L-5 8.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name “dinghu” is the place where the specimen was collected.

Habitat. Mountain stream, water depth of about 0.15 m.

Distribution. China (Guangdong).

Remarks. This new species is similar to Lebertia (Mixolebertia) madericola Lundblad, 1942 in that the number of medial setae on P-3 is increased to 6, P-2 length exceeds 100 µm, P-2 is shorter than P-4, P-4 maximum H at the proximal part, P-4 distal part narrowed strongly and unequally, but they differ in the following characters (data from Gerecke 2009): 1) P-4 ventral sectors 2: 1: 1 (4: 2: 1 in L. madericola ); 2) Legs swimming setae: III-L-4 5, III-L-5 10, IV-L-4 4, IV-L-5 8 (legs without swimming setae in L. madericola ); 3) Cx-I distinctly shorter than Cx-II in medial length, Cx-I/II mL ratio 0.89 (1.38–1.57 in L. madericola ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Lebertia (Mixolebertia) dinghuensis sp. nov. A. Female ventral view; B. Female dorsal view; C. Palp; D. Chelicera; E. Gnathosoma; F. III-L-1–6; G. IV-L-1–6. Scale bar: A–G =100 µm.