Arrenurus (Arrenurus) latifoliatus K. Viets, 1916

Smit, H., 2012, New records of the water mite family Arrenuridae from the Afrotropical region, with the description of 11 new species and two new subspecies (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Zootaxa 3187, pp. 1-31 : 7

Arrenurus (Arrenurus) latifoliatus K. Viets, 1916

( Figs. 14–18)

Material examined. GHANA. 1/1/0, pool Ankasa NP, 5° 17.250 N 2° 38.092 W, alt. 66 m asl, 26-ii-2011 ; 1/0/0, fish pond along road Elubo-Axim, east of entrance Ankasa NP, 5° 09.637 N 2° 38.682 W, alt. 36 m asl, 27-ii-2011; pool Ankasa NP, 5° 17.407 N 2° 38.378 E, alt. 59 m, 26-ii-2011; 2/0/0, shallow roadside pond along road Elubo- Axim, 5° 09.090 N 2° 37.354 W, alt. 46 m, 27-ii-2011.

Description. Male: Idiosoma colour greenish-brownish, 996 long and 883 wide. Anterior idiosoma margin concave. D1 on large humps, D2 on smaller humps. Cauda absent, pygal lobes distinct. Dorsal shield incomplete, extending onto pygal lobes. Petiole consisting of a hyaline structure, with in the middle a sclerotized ridge, lateral margins also sclerotized; posterior margin of petiole concave. In lateral view the petiole is downturned. The illustrated male is relatively young, and in older males the details of downturned petiole are hard to see in dorsal view. Hyaline membrane absent. Genital field long, bowed and widened laterally. V2 on humps.

Female: Idiosoma blue, 1118 (1304) long and 1061 (1207) wide. Dorsal shield complete, 632 (794) long and 616 (664) wide. Anterior idiosoma margin slightly concave, posterior idiosoma margin straight. D1 and L4 on humps. Medial margin of fourth coxal plates larger than medial margin of third coxal plates. Medial distance of fourth coxal plates larger than width of one genital valve. Gonopore 138 long and 154 wide. Width of genital field 688. Genital plates long, narrowed laterally, slightly geniculated. V2 on small humps. Lengths of PI-PV: 37, 86, 70, 110, 66. Palp as in male: PII anteroventrally with 1–2 setae; dorsal margin of PIV concave and antagonistic seta long. Lengths of I-leg-4-6: 161, 154, 170. Lengths of IV-leg-4-6: 211, 194, 178.

Remarks. The illustration of Viets (1916) is very sketchy, especially with regard to the (complex) petiole. The illustration of the petiole by Walter (1939) also doesn’t add much to our understanding of the morphology of the species. Therefore, new descriptions and illustrations are provided. The dorsal furrow extends further posterior onto pygal lobes compared to Viets’ illustration. Previously, this species was only known from two males from Cameroun and Chad. The female has not been described before.