The water mite genus Neumania Lebert, 1879 in Australia (Acari: Hydrachnidia)

A new Neumania species is described from Australia, i.e., N. australica n. sp. Neumania queenslandica K.O. Viets, 1977 is synonymized with N. gila K.O. Viets, 1975. Previous records of N. falcipes Koenike, 1906 from Australia should be assigned to N. gila. New records are given of the genus from all over Australia.


Introduction
The genus Neumania has a worldwide Distribution. Currently, there are 12 subgenera known worldwide (Smit 2020). Within Australia, three subgenera have been reported, the nominate subgenus, Lemienia Koenike, 1910 andSoarella Koenike, 1907. Few studies have been conducted on the genus Neumania in Australia. K.O. Viets (1975Viets ( , 1981Viets ( , 1984, Cook (1986) and Smit (1992) were the only authors who reported on the occurrence of Neumania in Australia, summarized by Harvey (1998). The total number of Neumania species in Australia tallies seven, including the new species described in this paper.
This study gives numerous records of the genus from all over Australia. Moreover, the status of N. queenslandica K.O. , described from Australia, is discussed. Neumania gila K.O. Viets, 1975is compared with N. falcipes Koenike, 1906, and it is concluded that material from Australia previously assigned to the latter species, belongs to N. gila.

Material and methods
All material from this study has been collected by the author, unless stated otherwise. Paratypes and all non-type material will be lodged in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden (RMNH). The following abbreviations are used: asl = above sea level; Cx-IV -fourth coxae; P1-5 -palp segments 1-5; IV-leg-2 -second segment of fourth leg; NP -National Park; SAM -South Australian Museum, Adelaide; SMF -Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt am Main; WAM -Western Australian Museum, Perth. All measurements are in µm, measurements of palp and leg segments are of the dorsal margins, measurements of paratypes are given in parentheses. Ventral length is measured from the tip of Cx-I till posterior idiosoma margin. Numbers are given as male/female/deutonymph or adult/deutonymph. All coordinates are taken with a GPS. Coordinates given as degrees, minutes and seconds are taken from Google Earth and are by approximation. No water mites are known from the Australian Capital Territory. So, when in the distribution is referred to all states and territories, it is without the Australian Capital Territory. Data on the world distribution are taken from Smit (2020 Diagnosis -Male: IV-leg-6 bowed, IV-leg-5 with a distinct ventral indentation, anterior to this indentation a bowed stout seta, IV-leg-6 relatively short. Description -Male: Idiosoma with very fine papillae, yellowish, 446 (470 -518) long and 340 (381 -405) wide, ventrally 454 (486 -502) long. Apodemes of anterior coxae extending onto Cx-IV. Suture line Cx-III/IV incomplete. Area between the coxae lightly sclerotized. Gonopore ellipsoid, 61 long. Genital field with 7 -8 pairs of acetabula, one of these distinctly larger than the others. Genital plates fused with venter without suture line. Length of P1-5: 16, 68, 40, 74, 25. P4 distally with a setal tubercle. Length of I-leg-4 -6: 160, 172, 140. Length of IV-leg-4 -6: 154, 178, 147. IV-leg-5 with a ventral indentation, anterior to this indentation a stout, bowed seta, ventral margin of this segment with seven pectinate setae, the five anterior setae more stout; IV-leg-6 bowed, ventral margin with 5 -6 stout setae. True swimming setae absent, but instead legs with relatively short stiff setae.
Etymology -Named after the Australian continent.
Remarks -The male of the new species is close to N. gila. The new species has IV-leg-5 distinctly bowed over its whole length (bowed anteriorly, but straight over most of its posterior part in N. gila), and IV-leg-6 is shorter (147 -160 versus 225 -258 in N. gila). Females are not separable.
The new species is similar also to N. lacustris Smit, 2002 from New Caledonia. The third leg of the male of N. lacustris is slightly modified, especially III-leg-4. The third leg of the male of the new species is hardly modified, III-leg-4 is not much broader than other segments of this leg. Smit (1992) reported N. falcipes from Queensland. I re-examined this material, lodged in RMNH, and concluded that the two males belong to N. australica n. sp. Therefore, N. falcipes must be omitted from the Australian list.