Recifella baltoona Cook, 1986

Smit, Harry & Pešić, Vladimir, 2025, New records of the genus Recifella K. Viets, 1935 from Australia, with the description of four new species (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Unionicolidae), Zootaxa 5679 (3), pp. 365-387 : 368-371

Recifella baltoona Cook, 1986

Figs. 3 , 4A – E

Material examined. Queensland. 1/0/0, Broken River , Eungella NP, 21°10.069 S 148°30.676 E, 25-x-2005 ; 1/2/0, Little Yabba Creek at Charlie Moreland Campground , Kenilworth, 26°36.928 S 152°39.105 E, 107 m asl, 2-xi- 2005 ; 9/17/0, Emu Creek at Clancy’s Camping Area, Benarkin State Forest , 26°58.334 S 152°09.916 E, 162 m asl, 3-xi-2005 ; 3/1/0, Archer River, Cape York Peninsula , 13°26.041 S 142°56.546 E, 93 m asl, 23-x-2014 ; 6/10/0, unnamed creek 7.6 km N of Archer River, Cape York Peninsula, 13°23.157 S 142°54.316 E, 103 m asl, 23-x-2014 ; 2/3/0, Pascoe River, Cape York Peninsula , 12°52.988 S 143°00.616 E, 63 m asl, 25-x-2014 ; 1/9/0, Wenlock River at crossing with road to Iron Range NP, 13°05.734 S 142°56.526 E, 108 m asl, 25-x-2014 , 1/0/0 dissected and slide mounted; 3/5/0, Pandanus Creek, Cathu State Forest , 20°47.843 S 148°32.598 E, 147 m asl, 16-xi-2014 ; 2/0/0, Takilberan Creek , N of Gin Gin at crossing with Bruce Highway, 24°49.680 S 151°42.479 E, 85 m asl, 18-xi-2014 ; 1/8/0, Rocky Creek , SW of Agnes Water, 24°21.471 S 151°46.177 E, 30 m asl, 25-xi-2014 . Northern Territory. 1/0/0, Lily Pond, Katherine Gorge, Nitmiluk NP, 14°18.801 S 132°28.326 E, 3-x-2005 ; 2/3/0, 17 Mile Creek , Nitmiluk NP, 14°18.318 S 132°25.293 E, 4-x-2005 , 1/1/0 dissected and slide mounted.

Distribution. Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Remarks. This species is characterized by the shape of III-leg (III-L-5 with a long, heavy distoventral seta with pectinations, ventral heavy setae comparatively short, Figure 4D ) and IV-leg-5 with three specialized setae placed further apart on a slight ventral bulge ( Figure 4E ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Recifella baltoona (A–B ♂; C–D ♀), 17 Mile Creek, Northern Territory:A, C—idiosoma, ventral view (unmounted); B, D—dorsal shield. Scale bars = 100 µm.

FIGURE 4. ♂ A–C Recifella baltoona, 17 Mile Creek, Northern Territory; D–E Recifella baltoona, Wenlock River, Queensland: A—palp; B—III-leg-2-6; C–IV-leg-2-6 (inset: selected ventral setae, enlarged 2X); D—III-leg-4-6 (inset: dorsodistal seta on III-leg-5, enlarged 2x); E—IV-leg-2-6. Scale bars = 100 µm.