Sperchon (Sperchon) kinabaluensis, Smit, Harry & Pešić, Vladimir, 2014

Smit, Harry & Pešić, Vladimir, 2014, Water mites from Mount Kinabalu and the Crocker Range, Borneo, Malaysia (Acari: Hydrachnidia), with the description of 34 new species, Zootaxa 3876 (1), pp. 1-71 : 9-13

Sperchon (Sperchon) kinabaluensis n. sp.

( Figs. 4A–K , 5A–C )

Type series. Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Kipungit River, Poring Hot Springs, Mt. Kinabalu, 6º 0 2.776 N, 116º 41.432 E, alt. 568 m asl., 15-ix-2012 ( RMNH). Paratype: one female, first stream Minduk Sirung Trail, Alab, Crocker Range, Borneo, Malaysia, 5º 49.249 N, 116º 19.862 E, alt. 1781 m asl., 23-ix-2012, palps and gnathosoma dissected and slide mounted, idiosoma conserved in Koenike fluid ( RMNH).

Further records. 1(juv.)/0/0, Little Lumotok stream, Sayap, Borneo, Malaysia, 6º 0 9.497 N, 116º 34.027 E, alt. 1069 m asl., 17-ix-2012.

Diagnosis. Muscle attachment plates sclerotized, with pores often subtriangular, giving the plates the aspect of a spoke-wheel. P2 distoventrally with a long rounded projection, inner margin of the segment with 4–5 stout setae, closer to ventral margin; P3 with a few setae on inner and outer margin, ventrolaterally with one club-shaped seta on a small protuberance in distal part; P4 relatively short, with ventral peg setae close to each other, proximal peg seta larger than distal one.

Description. Membranous integument papillate; dorsal integument papillae can be enlarged, in male obfuscating the areolate ground pattern. Dorsum with ten paired muscle attachment plates ( Fig. 5A ), from anterior to posterior: medially, 1) roundish prefrontalia, 2) large plates consisting of postfrontalia, postocularia and dc-1, 3) roundish dc-2 located close to each other (fused in male); 4) larger and more distanced dc-3 (more roundish in male, elongated in female), 5) small dc-4; laterally, 6) round plate dl-1 flanking praeocular setae, 7)-10) round or round-elongated plates dl-2-5 located at level of interspace dc-1/2, dc-3, and interspace dc-3/4, respectively. The pores on the plates often subtriangular giving the plate the aspect of a spoke-wheel. Coxal field: Cx-III without a glandularium. Genital field: Ac-1–2 longish, Ac-3 roundish. Excretory pore surrounded by a sclerotized ring. Capitulum with very short rostrum ( Figs. 4D–E ). Palp: P1 without dorsal seta, P2 distoventrally with a long rounded projection, at its tip bearing three fine setae, two long and one short, inner face of the segment with 4–5 stout setae, closer to ventral margin; P3 ventrally slightly concave, with a few setae on inner and outer face, laterally with one club-shaped seta on a small protuberance in distal part; P4 relatively short, with ventral peg setae close to each other, proximal peg seta larger than distal one. Legs: III–IV-leg with short, not plumose dorsal setae ( Fig. 4F ); claws with blade slightly protruding, bearing a long dorsal and a short ventral clawlet ( Fig. 4G ).

Measurement. Male (holotype)—Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 4A ) length 894, width 688; distance between anterior tip of Cx-I and posterior margin of Cx-IV 494, Cx-III width 650; genital flap ( Fig. 4B ) length 113–116, length Ac-1–3: 45–47, 52–53, 33–36; ejaculatory complex ( Fig. 4K ) L 117. Capitulum length 178; chelicera ( Fig. 4C ) total length 169, height 50, length/height ratio 3.4, basal segment length 138, claw length 40, basal segment/ claw length ratio 3.44; palp: total L 226, dorsal length/height, dorsal length/height ratio: P1, 19/35, 0.52; P2, 60/68, 0.89; P3, 54/48, 1.13; P-4, 51/28, 1.8; P5, 41.5/15, 2.75; length P2/P4 ratio 1.18. Legs: dorsal length of I-leg-2–6: 66, 68, 146, 143, 133; dorsal length of IV-leg-2–6: 99, 119, 208, 172, 184.

Female (paratype)—Idiosoma length 1150, width 938; distance between anterior tip of Cx-I and posterior margin of Cx-IV 637, Cx-III width 803; genital flap ( Fig. 5B ) length 145, length Ac-1–3: 73–75, 61–63, 50–53. Capitulum ventral length 234; chelicera total length 215, height 53, length/height ratio 3.9, basal segment length 181, claw length 47, length basal segment/claw ratio 3.87; palp ( Fig. 5C ): total length 317, dorsal length/height, dorsal length/height ratio: P1, 29/44, 0.67; P2, 75/81.5, 0.93; P3, 81.5/69, 1.18; P4, 78.5/35, 2.27; P5, 51.5/20, 2.58; length P2/P4 ratio 0.96. Legs: dorsal length of I-leg-2-6: 91, 133, 184, 197, 156; dorsal length of IV-leg-2–6: 119, 148, 266, 219, 194.

Etymology. Named after the island where the new species was detected.

Remarks. Due to the similar morphology of dorsum (muscle attachment plates sclerotized, dc-2 fused to each other in male), venter (Cx-3 without a glandularium, excretory pore surrounded by a sclerotized ring), palp (P2 with rounded distoventral projection) and legs (claw with dorsal and ventral clawlet), the new species resembles Sperchon cornutoides Lundblad, 1941 from Java ( Lundblad 1936, 1971). This species differs in the finely striated integument, dorsal plates without the characteristic spoke-wheel porosity, and the palp (P-2 with a shorter distoventral projection, setae on inner margin of the segment closer to dorsal margin, P-3 ventral margin without a club-shaped seta in distal part).

Distribution. Borneo.

Figures

FIGURE 4 A – K. Sperchon kinabaluensis n. sp., male holotype, Kipungit River: A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = genital field; C = chelicera; D – E = capitulum; F = IV-leg- 2 – 6; G = leg claw; H = palp, lateral view; I = palp, medial view; K = ejaculatory complex. Scale bars = 100 Μm.

FIGURE 5 A – C. Sperchon kinabaluensis n. sp., female paratype, first stream Minduk Sirung Trail: A = idiosoma, dorsal view; B = genital field; C = palp. Scale bars = 100 Μm.