Djeboa amethystica Pesic, Cook & Gerecke, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Pešić, Vladimir
name: Cook, David
name: Gerecke, Reinhard
name: Smit, Harry
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Trombidiformes
Mideopsidae
Djeboa
Djeboa amethystica

description: Djeboa amethystica Pešić, Cook & Gerecke sp. nov.
(Figs. 3A–G, 4A–E, 38H–J)
Type series: Holotype male, dissected and slide mounted, Madagascar 069b, Andohahela (Tulear), Isaka, W stream at the S National Park border (W RIP 118), 200 m asl., 19.2 ˚C, 0.091 mS/cm, pool, 09.ix.2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt. Paratype: Madagascar 154d, Joffreville (M. d’Ambre, Antsiranana), River de Manques in Reserve Fontenay, 550 m asl., 21.9 ˚C, 0.025 mS/cm, pool, 17.xi.2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt 0/1/0 (dissected and slide mounted); Madagascar 188, Joffreville (M.d’Ambre, Antsiranana), Maison Rousettes, river with small cascade and pool near house family guardien, 1044 m asl., 12°31'37.0'' S, 049°10'19.9'' E, 19.0 ˚C, 28.iii.2011, Gerecke 3/4/0 (1/1/0 dissected and slide mounted).
Further records: Madagascar 135a, Marofinaritra (Antalaha, Antsiranana), River Antsohibe upstr. confluence with River Ankavia (5 km NE Amparihimena), 70 m asl., 25.2 ˚C, 0.008 mS/cm, riffle, 03.xi. 2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt 0/1/0 (mounted); Madagascar 0 22, Ionilahy (Fianarant soa), spring stream in area Marosara (S from Riv. Ionlahy), 300 m asl., 21.5 ˚C, 0.061 mS/cm, pool, 12.viii.2001, Gerecke & Goldschmidt 1/0/0 (dissected and slide mounted); Madagascar 187o, Joffreville (M.d’Ambre, Antsiranana), first right affl. below Grande Cascade, linear spring area, 966 m asl., 12°30'18.0'' S, 049°10'35.4'' E, 20.3 °C, Gerecke 26.iii.2011 (?) 0/0/1.
Diagnosis: Dorsal shield oval (L/W ratio 1.1), with extended medial depression; muscle scars anterior and posterior to postocularia, with well pronounced thickenings, extending somewhat lateral to the edges of medial depression (Figs. 38I –J); gnathosomal bay Y-shaped; tips of Cx-I extending to frontal margin; medial margin of Cx-IV reduced to a median angle. Palp (Figs. 3D–E): P-1 with a dorsal seta; P-2 with slightly concave ventral and strongly convex dorsal margin; P-3 ventral margin with a small basal bulge, from here to distal edge straight, equally narrowed; P-4 very slender, ventral margin slightly concave; ventral margin of gnathosoma anteriorly with a few small denticles (Fig. 3E). Legs: I-L (Fig. 3F) with I-L-6 slender, L/H ratio 2.7–3.1, ventral and dorsal margin equally diverging; IV-L: Fig. 3G; swimming setae numbers: III-L-3, 1; III-L-4, 3; III-L-5, 4-5; IV-L-3, 1-2; IV-L-4, 4-5; IV-L-5, 4.
Description:
Male (holotype): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 3B) L/W 456/463. Dorsal shield (Fig. 38I) L/W 397/363, L/W ratio 1.1; gnathosomal bay L 84. Gonopore L/W 66/15; ejaculatory complex L 126. Palp: total L 186-188; L/H, L/ H ratio: P-1, 22/23, 0.97; P-2, 48/39-41, 1.18-1.23; P-3, 45-46/25-26, 1.8; P-4, 56-57/17, 3.3; P-5, 15/8-9, 1.6-2.0; chelicera total L 102; gnathosoma vL 95. Legs: dL of I-L: 41, 48, 46, 51, 70, 90; I-L-6 H 29, I-L-6 L/H ratio 3.1; dL of IV-L: 68, 71, 62, 90, 100, 106.
Female (paratype from Madagascar 154d): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 3C) L/W 475/453. Dorsal shield (Fig. 38J) L/W 421/400, L/W ratio 1.05; gnathosomal bay L 88. Gonopore L/W 83/76, ratio 1.1. Palp: total L 193-200; L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 20-22/24-25, 0.84-0.87; P-2, 51-52/39-40, 1.3; P-3, 49/28, 1.8; P-4, 59-63/19, 3.2-3.5; P-5, 14/ 9, 1.6; chelicera total L 102; gnathosoma vL 101. Legs: dL of I-L: 43, 48, 42, 45, 60, 79; I-L-6 H 29, I-L-6 L/H ratio 2.7; dL of IV-L: 63, 66, 59, 82, 94, 109.
In addition we give measurements of a female from Madagascar 135a which differs in the muscle scars extending nearly to outer edges (Figs. 4A, 38H), and a male from Madagascar 0 22 which differs by longer and narrower palpal segments (Fig. 4D). Further specimens should be studied to clarify the intraspecific stability of these differences.
Male (Madagascar 0 22): Idiosoma L/W 441/409. Dorsal shield L/W 366/353, ratio 1.04; gnathosomal bay L 92. Gonopore L/W 65/17. Palp: total L 224; L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 20/26, 0.77; P-2, 55/43, 1.27; P-3, 60/29, 2.06; P- 4, 74/19, 4.0; P-5, 15/9, 1.7; chelicera total L 109; gnathosoma vL 112. Legs: dL of I-L: 39, 43, 43, 48, 62, 80; I-L- 6 H 27, I-L-6 L/H ratio 3.0; dL of IV-L: 65, 63, 55, 77, 94, 108.
Female (Madagascar 135a): Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 4B) L/W 476/469. Dorsal shield (Fig. 37H) L/W 416/400, ratio 1.04; gnathosomal bay L 91. Gonopore L/W 80/70, ratio 1.14. Palp (Fig. 4C): total L 197-201; L/H, L/H ratio: P-1, 21-22/22-23, 0.95-1.0; P-2, 48-49/40-41, 1.19-1.2; P-3, 49/24-26, 1.9-2.0; P-4, 64-66/16, 4.0-4.1; P- 5, 15/9, 1.7; chelicera total L 103; gnathosoma vL 103. Legs: dL of I-L (Fig. 4E): 42, 52, 46, 49, 65, 83; I-L-6 H 31, I-L-6 dL/H ratio 2.7; dL of IV-L: 66, 70, 60, 85, 103, 112.
Etymology: Named after the mineral amethyst (blue-red-violet in colour, found in Madagascar).
Discussion: Due to the presence of an extensive medial depression on dorsal shield Djeboa amethystica sp. nov. is similar to D. turmalinica sp. nov. (see below). From the latter species, it differs in muscle scars which extend somewhat lateral to dorsal concavity (shifted well medial to the edges of medial depression in D. turmalinica sp. nov., see Figs. 37K–L) and a relatively longer and narrower P-3 and I-L-6. Distribution: Madagascar.
description: Published as part of Pešić, Vladimir, Cook, David, Gerecke, Reinhard & Smit, Harry, 2013, The water mite family Mideopsidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia): a contribution to the diversity in the Afrotropical region and taxonomic changes above species level, pp. 1-75 in Zootaxa 3720 (1) on pages 13-15, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3720.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/285029