Abstract
The new intertidal oribatid mite species Thalassozetes barbara n. sp. is characterised by a specific gastronotic cuticular reticulate pattern, 14 pairs of very short and blunt notogastral setae and long lamellar ridges. The occurrence on the island of Barbados represents the first record of the genus Thalassozetes in the Atlantic Ocean.
Highlights
The Selenoribatidae represent a truly intertidal oribatid mite family
The present paper describes this new species in detail and discusses the taxonomy and the geographic distribution of the genus Thalassozetes
The diagnosis of the genus Thalassozetes has been solely based on the morphological features of the type species T. riparius for a long time
Summary
The Selenoribatidae represent a truly intertidal oribatid mite family. These mites dwell exclusively in the littoral zone of tropical and subtropical coasts (Schuster 1989, Prochesand Marshall 2001). This family includes seven genera, Arotrobates Luxton, 1992, Carinozetes Pfingstl and Schuster, 2012, Psednobates Luxton, 1992, Rhizophobates Karasawa and Aoki, 2005, Schusteria Grandjean, 1968, Selenoribates Strenzke, 1961 and Thalassozetes Schuster, 1963, whereas all of these genera are not very species rich. Psednobates and Rhizophobates are monotypic and the most diverse genus Schusteria contains five species. ISSN 2107-7207 (electronic) type species Thalassozetes riparius (Schuster 1963) from the Mediterranean Sea this genus has long been monotypic. A third species was found on the Island of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea, revealing the presence of this genus in the Western Atlantic Ocean
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