Abstract
In recent years the numbers of aquatic mite species from Madagascar has increased considerably (Gerecke 2004a, b, 2006, 2009; Goldschmidt 2008; Tuzovski and Gerecke 2009), but the area is still a white spot with respect to knowledge of its freshwater halacarid (Halacaridae) fauna. Recently, some halacarid specimens were extracted from sandy deposits of the banks of streams and creeks. These samples included four species, namely Limnohalacarus cultellatus Viets, 1940, Limnohalacarus novus Bartsch, 2013, Lobohalacarus weberi (Romijn and Viets, 1924), and a new species of the genus Ropohalacarus. The new species, Ropohalacarus pallidus n. sp., is described, and the characters of the other species are outlined. The three genera collected in Madagascar are cosmopolitan and the Lobohalacarus and Limnohalacarus species are wide-spread. The halacarid fauna of Madagascar seems to be poor in endemic species, which is contrary to the situation for the freshwater Hydrachnidia mites. Future studies will certainly increase the number of halacarid species but not the percentage of endemics.
Highlights
Madagascar with its diverse aquatic mite fauna (Gerecke 2004b; Goldschmidt 2008) is a terra incognita as to the knowledge of its freshwater halacarids
Reasons for absence of halacarid records from Madagascar may be the size of the mites, their colour and life-style
At present eight halacarid species are known from continental Africa, i.e. Limnohalacarus africanus Walter, 1935 (Sahara, Burkino Faso, Cameroon, South Sudan), L. fontinalis Walter and Bader, 1952 (Kenya, South Sudan), L. major Bader, 1968 (DR Congo, Lake Tanganyika), L. portmanni Bader, 1967 (DR Congo, Lake Tanganyika), Lobohalacarus weberi (Romijn and Viets, 1924) (Kenya, Tunisia), Porohalacarus alpinus (Thor, 1910) (Algeria), Ropohalacarus uniscutatus (Bartsch, 1982) (Tunisia), and Soldanellonyx monardi Walter, 1919 (Kenya, Tunisia) (Walter 1935; Walter and Bader 1952; Bader 1967, 1968; Green 1984; Green et al 1974; Bartsch 2008a, 2013)
Summary
FRESHWATER HALACARID MITES (ACARI: HALACARIDAE) FROM MADAGASCAR. ABSTRACT — In recent years the numbers of aquatic mite species from Madagascar has increased considerably (Gerecke 2004a, b, 2006, 2009; Goldschmidt 2008; Tuzovski and Gerecke 2009), but the area is still a white spot with respect to knowledge of its freshwater halacarid (Halacaridae) fauna. Some halacarid specimens were extracted from sandy deposits of the banks of streams and creeks These samples included four species, namely Limnohalacarus cultellatus Viets, 1940, Limnohalacarus novus Bartsch, 2013, Lobohalacarus weberi (Romijn and Viets, 1924), and a new species of the genus Ropohalacarus. The halacarid fauna of Madagascar seems to be poor in endemic species, which is contrary to the situation for the freshwater Hydrachnidia mites. KEYWORDS — Halacaroidea; Madagascar; running water; description; Limnohalacarus; Lobohalacarus; Ropohalacarus; biogeography
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