Morphological ontogeny of Ctenobelba pilosella (Acari: Oribatida: Ctenobelbidae), with comments on Ctenobelba Balogh

Abstract

The morphological ontogeny of Ctenobelba pilosella Jeleva, 1962 is described and illustrated. This species was investigated from its description mainly in ecological aspect. It was recorded from the forest and meadow soils, with rather low density, and small percent of juveniles.The adult is of medium size and has setiform bothridial seta, with 6–10 anterior spines. Notogaster is covered with asteriform granules and has 10 pairs of medium size, barbed setae. Seta d is absent from genua I–III and all tibia. Bothridial seta of juveniles is setiform and barbed, prodorsal and gastronotal setae are short, except of medium size ro and long, curved inwards lp. Nymphs are quadrideficient and eupheredermous i.e. they carry the exuvial scalps of previous instars. Anal valves of protonymph and deutonymph have two pairs of alveolar setae, which is rare in Brachypylina. The juveniles have seta d on all genua and tibiae.