Minyaturus minutulus, Smit & Pešić, 2020

Smit, Harry & Pešić, Vladimir, 2020, New records of water mites from New Zealand, with the description of three new genera and ten new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Acarologia 60 (4), pp. 903-950 : 934

Minyaturus minutulus n. sp.

Zoobank: 94187ED2-98E7-45D5-87DC-6F91A865105D

( Figures 20 A­F, 21A­E, 28D)

Material examined. Holotype male, unnamed stream Te Kinga Track, Te Kinga, South Island, New Zealand, 42°37.292 ′ S 171°30.055 ′ E, alt. 114 m asl, 9­iv­2020 (NMNZ). Paratypes: one female, same data as holotype (NMNZ); 0/2/0 (0/1/0 dissected and slide mounted) (RMNH, NMNZ), unnamed stream crossing Palmer Road, at Palmer Rd Culvert, Springs Junction, South Island, New Zealand, 42°22.043 ′ S 172°08.132 ′ E, alt. 472 m asl, 28­iii­2020 ; 0/1[juvenile!]/0, unnamed stream crossing Haupiri Road, Moana, South Island, New Zealand, 42°34.273 ′ S 171°45.735 ′ E, alt. 187 m asl, 30­iii­2020 (RMNH).

Diagnosis. As for genus.

Description. Male: Idiosoma smooth, dorsally 313 long and 259 wide, ventrally 353 wide, tapering posteriorly. Dorsum with a large unpaired anterior plate with the postocularia, 144 long, 197 wide, and a slightly smaller unpaired posterior plate, 134 long, 163 wide. Moreover, dorsum with a pair of elongated lateral platelets, the anterior platelets 134 long and each with a glandularium. A “free” pair of glandularia present between posterior unpaired plate and the lateral platelets. Suture lines of coxae incomplete, posterior margin of Cx­IV obliterated. Cxgl­ 4 located near suture line of Cx­III/IV. Projections associated with fourth legs relatively broad and rounded. Between the insertions of the fourth legs and the genital field a pair of glandularia located much closer to the latter. Genital field not set off from venter, with numerous acetabula along the posterior margin of venter; gonopore trilobed, 14 long. Length of P1­5: 15, 38, 22,

40, 20. P2 with a few papillae. P4 with a short ridge in anterior half. Length of I­leg­4­6: 48,

50, 61. I­leg­5 anteroventrally with a somewhat blunt, stout seta. Length of IV­leg­4­6: 60, 63,

65.

Female: Idiosoma dorsally 336 long and 291 wide, ventrally 377 long. Dorsum as in male, unpaired anterior plate 156 long, 217 wide, unpaired posterior plate 152 long, 183 wide, anterolateral platelet 145 long. Venter as in male, gonopore near posterior idiosoma margin,

34 long. Length of P1­5: 16, 38, 20, 47, 23. P4 with a short ridge in anterior half. Length of I­leg­4­6: 50, 56, 61. I­leg­5 anteroventrally with a somewhat blunt, stout seta. Length of IV­leg­4­6: 64, 69, 65.

Etymology. Named for its small size.