WATER MITES FROM ECUADOR .1. A NEW GENUS OF THE FAMILY ANISITSIELLIDAE KOENIKE, 1909 (ACARI, HYDRACHNELLAE) FROM A RAIN-FOREST STREAM IN THE PROVINCE OF ESMERALDAS

Rubicundula placibilis, gen. nov. sp. nov. is described from an afflue nt of Rio Carolina (El Dorado, Prov. Esmeraldas). Diagnostic features of the new taxon are the laminar medial protrusions of first coxae cov ering the lateral margins of the gnathosomal bay, the elongated genita l field with anteriorly pointed genital flaps, and the presence of mor e than 80 acetabula arranged on longitudinal stripes along the gonopor e. Further characteristics of the new taxon are: Dorsal shield with a pair of lateral sutures anteriorly turned backwards and approximating the median line, lateral eyes fused with the ventral shield, fourth le gs with well-developed claws. Due to the unique character set of the n ew taxon it is difficult to hypothesize its phylogenetical relationshi ps with other genera of the family Anisitsiellidae.