Corresponding author: Vladimir Pešić (
Academic editor: Andre Bochkov
A new species of
Water mites of the genus
The aim of our paper is to describe a new
Water mites were collected by hand netting, sorted on the spot from the living material, preserved in Koenike fluid and dissected as described elsewhere (e.g.
All measurements are given in μm. For a detailed description and discussion of the characteristics of the genus
The following abbreviations are used: Ac-1 = first acetabulum, alt. = altitude, asl. = above sea level, Cx-I = first coxae, dL = dorsal length, H = height, HB = central height, L = length, I-L-6 = Leg 1, sixth segment (tarsus), lL = lateral length, mL = medial length, P-1 = palp, first segment, S-1 = large proximal ventral seta at I-L-5, S-2 = large distal ventral seta at I-L-5, Vgl = ventroglandulare, vL = ventral length, W = width.
Holotype, male (ZMAN), dissected and slide mounted, Ethiopia, Roby River, 21.x.2006, 9°44.996N, 38°59.743E, 2507 m a.s.l. Paratypes: two males, one female (ZMAN, one female dissected and slide mounted), same data as holotype.
Dorsal integument striated, palp slender with P-2 straight in the both sexes, S-1 in female ending in a fine hair-like tip, excretory pore surrounded by distinct oval sclerite, Vgl-1 fused to Vgl-2.
L/W 669-684/541-556; coxal field L 420; Cx-III W 484; Cx-I+II mL 156; lL Cx-I+II 265. Genital field (
(
I-L: I-L-5 dL 243, vL 169, dL/vL ratio 1.44, HB 50, dL/HB 4.86, S-1 L 121, L/W 11.2, S-2 L 95, L/W 5.6, distance S-1-2 23, L ratio S-1/2 1.27; I-L-6 L 166, HB 16, L/HB ratio 10.3; L ratio I-L-5/6 1.46.
L/W 1106/928; coxal field L 473; Cx-III W 644; Cx-I+II mL 147; lL Cx-I+II 284. Genital field (
(
I-L: I-L-5 dL 279, vL 186, dL/vL ratio 1.5, HB 65, dL/HB 4.3, S-1 ending in a fine hair-like tip (
Named after its occurrence in Ethiopia.
Due to the striated integument, a slender palp with P-2 lacking ventrodistal projection and similar morphology of I-L-5 and -6, with S-1 in female ending in a fine hair-like tip
Ethiopia.
To get an overview of the biodiversity of the genus worldwide, we examined numerous papers,
Distribution of freshwater mite species of
Thus far, 47 species and 3 subspecies have been recorded from the Afrotropical region, with large differences in the state of knowledge of different regions. The number of known species ranges from 14 from Kenya, 13 from South Africa and 9 from Liberia (
The Afrotropical members of
A critical analysis of the Afrotropical
The subgenus
The other 35 species and subspecies are assigned to
Three species are of doubtful status and merit attention during future taxonomical studies:
In conclusion the current knowledge of the diversity of Afrotropical
We are indebted to Johannes Postma (Ann Arbor) for reviewing the English.