Redescription of Proctolaelaps parvanalis (Thor, 1930) (Acari: Ascidae) from Spitsbergen

Individuals of Proctolaelaps parvanalis collected in the area around Longyearbyen, Svalbard, which is terra tipica, are described. Due to the lack of type material (holotype and paratypes) and complete description, the material became the basis for a detailed description of the species

Morphological variability of Sejus togatus (Acari: Mesostigmata: Sejina)

Variability of selected morphological features was analyzed from 54 Sejus togatus females. The principle morphological features used in taxonomic studies to describe new species in the genus Sejus, and which are included in keys to determine species from this genus, were selected for the analysis. Defining new features for taxonomic studies of the genus Sejus are called for

Beschreibung des Männchens von Halolaelaps (Haloseius) sexclavatus (Oudemans, 1902) (Acari, Gamasida: Halolaelapidae)

Das Männchen von Halolaelaps (Haloseius) sexclavatus Oudemans, 1902 wird beschrieben und ein Bestimmungsschlüssel für die vier Untergattungen für Männchen und Weibchen der Gattung Halolaelaps aufgestellt.The male of Halolaelaps (Haloseius) sexclavatus Oudemans, 1902 is decribed and a determination key for males and females to the four subgenus of the genus Halolaelaps is given

Redescription of Antennoseius (Vitzthumia) oudemansi (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Redescriptions of adult female, male and new descriptions of the deutonymph and protonymph stages of Antennoseius oudemansi Thor, 1930, collected from terra tipica (Spitsbergen in the High Arctic) are presented. Due to the absence of type material (holotype and paratypes), and also the lack of a complete description, new material became the basis for the first detailed description of this species, and female and male neotypes are designated

Redescription of Arctoseius haarlovi Lindquist, 1963 (Acari: Ascidae) from Spitsbergen, Svalbard

New descriptions of adult female, male and deutonymph body morphs of Arctoseius haarlovi Lindquist, 1963, collected from Spitsbergen in the High Arctic are presented. The occurrence of this species and its preferred microhabitats are described based both on the published literature and our own collections. An analysis of the morphological variability in A. haarlovi and a comparison with other species in this genus are given

Mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) inhabiting nests of the white-tailed sea eagle Haliaeetus albicilla (L.) in Poland

During 1997—2002, 105 samples of mites were collected from 34 nests of the white-tailed sea eagle in Poland. The material included 9,724 specimens of Mesostigmata belonging to 86 species. The mite communities were dominated by species of the families Parasitidae, Macrochelidae and Ascidae. The most abundant species were Alliplzis halleri, Androlaelaps casalis, Parasitus fimetorum and Macrocheles merdarius that altogether made up 48% of all the specimens collected. Alliplzis halleri and Androlaelaps casalis were also the two most frequently found mites. A summary is presented on the biology and distribution of the abundant species

Phoretic relationships between Plagionotus detritus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and Trichouropoda sociata (Acari: Mesostigmata)

The aim of the study was to explore phoretic relationships between Plagionotus detritus and mites from the order Mesostigmata. In total, 635 individuals of P. detritus were caught, and mites were found on 86 of them. The dominant species among 8,154 individuals of mites was Trichouropoda sociata (8,152 individuals), and the sporadically found species were Lasioseius thermophilus (1 ind.) and Typhlodromus sp. (1 ind.). Generally, the difference in the total abundance of females and males of P. detritus was not statistically significant (311 females vs 324 males). The proportional abundance of P. detritus with T. sociata differed between samplings, and in the pooled data, the proportional abundance of P. detritus females with T. sociata (39.5%) was less than that for P. detritus males (60.5%)

Changing Microarthropod Communities in Front of a Receding Glacier in the High Arctic

This study was carried out at Ny-Ålesund on Spitsbergen in Svalbard (High Arctic). Eight study sites were established along a transect from the fjord to the snout of the glacier. The sites di ered from each other by the type of vegetation cover and soil characteristics. Soil samples were collected and placed in Tullgren funnels. Extracted arthropods were represented by two groups of mites (Mesostigmata and Oribatida) and springtails (Collembola). The pioneer species that occurred first after retreat of the glacier were representatives of the Collembola (Agrenia bidenticulata and Hypogastrura concolor). Later, other springtails appeared including Folsomia alpha, Folsomia quadrioculata, Hypogastrura concolor, Isotoma anglicana, Sminthurinus concolor and the first species of oribatid mites; Camisia foveolata and Tectocepheus velatus velatus. Arthropod communities recorded along the transect were characterized by large variations in both species composition and abundance of individuals. The greater the distance from the glacier snout, the greater the species richness (2 to 22 species). The mean number of species per sample was the lowest at site 8 (1 0.71) (the closest to the glacier) and greatest at site 1 (14 1.41) (furthest from the glacier). The Simpson’s diversity index (D) was distinctly greater at sites 1 (4.61 0.06) and 3 (3.94 0.11) than at other sites, especially site 8 (1.07 0.06). Densities were least in the samples closest to the glacier (30 to 101 individuals; density 3000–10,100 individuals/m2). At the other locations, abundance was highly variable (905 to 7432 individuals; density 90,500–743,200 individuals/m2). The mean abundances were greatest at sites 2 and 3. The great variations in total abundances observed were often due to the presence or absence of one or more dominant species exhibiting extreme abundance variability between sites. The microarthropod community of the High Arctic is composed of heterogeneous circumpolar species, yet on a landscape scale is extremely dependent on local environmental conditions which may be subject to rapid change

Mite communities (Acari: Mesostigmata, Oribatida) in the red belt conk, Fomitopsis pinicola (Polyporales), in Polish forests

The fruiting bodies of bracket fungi are a specific microhabitat colonized by various invertebrates of which mites (Acari) are rarely studied, and if they are, the study is usually faunistic. The aim of the research was to determine whether the diversification of mite assemblages (Mesostigmata, Oribatida) inhabiting the fruiting bodies of Fomitopsis pinicola (Sw.) P. Karst. (Polyporales) are connected with the character of the forests and/or the degree of decay (DD) of the fruiting bodies. The research was conducted at Białowieża National Park (BNP), in forests close to natural ones and in Karkonosze National Park (KNP) which was affected by a large-scale forest dieback in the 1980s. Eighty fruiting bodies (40 at each study site) of F. pinicola belonging to four DD categories were collected. In total, 4,345 individuals of 120 mite species were recorded at BNP, and 13,912 individuals of 96 species were recorded at KNP. Analyses revealed that the sample dispersion at each study site was comparable, nevertheless the samples from each study site were clearly grouped into slightly overlapping sets which allow observation of the differences between them. In the less decayed fungi (DD 1 and 2) there were fewer mite species and individual mites than in the more decayed samples (DD 3 and 4). There were also significant differences between the fauna of the fungi in each particular DD: the fauna of DD 1 differed from all others, whereas the fauna of heavily decayed fungi (DD 3 and 4) was more comparable