Davidsia, Smit, 2007

Smit, Harry, 2007, New Records of Hyporheic Water Mites from Australia, with a Description of Two New Genera and Ten New Species (Acari: Hydrachnidia), Records of the Australian Museum 59 (2), pp. 97-116 : 108

Davidsia n.gen.

Diagnosis. Characters of the Aturidae and the subfamily Notoaturinae . Dorsum with one large plate and three pairs of smaller plates. Configuration of the dorsal plates follows the general pattern of the Notoaturinae . One pair of anteromedial plates with the postocularia, anterolateral plates each with two pairs of glandularia, posterolateral plates with one pair of glandularia and the large posteromedial plate with three pairs of glandularia. First coxae long and pointed extending well beyond anterior body margin. Suture lines of coxae incomplete. Posterior margin of fourth coxal plates indistinct; near posterior margin a pair of glandularia. Another pair of glandularia on second coxal plates. On fourth coxal plates a pair of pointed humps. Five pairs of acetabula lying in the integument. Palp very long, especially PIV. PII elongated, ventral margin of segment with spine-like projections. First legs of male modified, I-leg-6 forming a sheath with a long claw with a long and slender clawlet. Claw with two short, hyaline claw blades. I-leg-5 slightly enlarged. Fourth legs of male relatively unmodified.

Type species. Davidsia aurita n.sp.

Etymology. Named after the Dutch acarologist Kees Davids (1931–2004). The gender is feminine.

Remarks. The modified first legs are unique among the Notoaturinae ; in the other six genera any leg modification has occurred on legs IV. Together with its unusual palp and the long projecting and pointed first coxal plates, the new genus differs well enough to warrant a separate status. The new genus has some superficial resemblance to the New Zealand genus Uralbia Hopkins , especially the palps of the two genera are similar. However, Uralbia differs in many other characters, noticeably the male genital field and the dorsal plates, with the anteromedial plate undivided and the loss of glandularia on other dorsal plates. Therefore, it is unlikely that the two genera are closely related, and there similarity is more the result of there hyporheic way of living.