Corresponding author: Badamdorj Bayartogtokh (
Academic editor: A. Bochkov
This work deals with taxonomy, geographical distribution as well as known ecology of oribatid mites of the genus
The oribatid mite genus
The genus
The immatures of
The aim of this work is to describe an unknown species,
All materials used in this study were collected by the author with assistance of some of his graduate students and specimens were mounted in temporary slides to view the anterior, lateral and posterior aspects, and then preserved in alcohol. All examined materials and data on their localities are given in the respective ‘material examined’ section. Species studied here are represented as adults.
Specimens were cleared in lactic acid, and a differential interference contrast microscope was used for investigation in transmitted light. Line drawings were made using a camera lucida attached to the compound microscope. Micrographs were taken using a digital camera (Olympus Altra 20) attached to the microscope with single shot.
The morphological terminology used below is mostly that developed over many years by
Medium in size (378–427 μm in length); rostrum with deep incision reaching level of rostral setal insertion; prodorsal costula long, slightly sigmoid, diverging proximally, but converging medially and again very slightly diverging anteriorly; sensillus smooth, with relatively long stalk and slender, lanceolate head; rostral seta barbed, lamellar and interlamellar setae smooth; prodorsal tubercles
Holotype: body length 384 μm, length of notogaster 256 μm, width of notogaster 201 μm; paratypes (
Leg setation of
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I | v’ | d, (l), bv”, v” | (l), v”, σ | (l), (v), φ1, φ2 | (ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), (pl), ε, ω1, ω2 |
II | v’ | d, (l), bv”, v” | (l), v’, σ | (l), (v), φ | (ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv), ω1, ω2 |
III | v’, l’ | d, v’, l’ | l”, v’, σ | (l), v’, φ | (ft), (tc), (it), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv) |
IV | v” | d, v” | d, l”, v’ | (l), v’, φ | ft”, (tc), (p), (u), (a), s, (pv) |
Holotype (female): Sevsuul valley, Eastern shore of the Lake Hövsgöl, District Khankh, Province Hövsgöl, litter of cool temperate larch forest (
Among the eight known species of
The other species, such as
The specific epithet “
Medium in size (353–387 μm in length); rostrum with deep incision reaching level of rostral setal insertion; prodorsal costula long, nearly straight, diverging proximally, but parallel anteriorly; sensillus with relatively long stalk and lanceolate head with few barbs at distal part; rostral seta barbed, lamellar and interlamellar setae smooth; prodorsal tubercles
Body length 353–387 (368) μm; length of notogaster 225–251 (236) μm; width of notogaster 186–205 (198) μm.
Thirty-six specimens: Khuitnii-Am area, Mts Mongol Altai, close to Lake Dayan, District Sagsai, Province Bayan-Ulgii, litter of cool temperate larch forest (
The characters of specimens studied here from Mongolia are match well with the specimens studied by
The members of the oribatid mite genus
The genus is represented in Mongolia with only two species studied here, and one of them,
The second species found in Mongolia,
In the regular update of the checklist of world oribatid mites,
When he synonymized
The following key can be used to identify adults of all known species of
1 | Prodorsal costula widely spaced from each other, placed laterally on prodorsum, strongly converging anteriorly | 2 |
– | Prodorsal costula closely placed to each other, situated along center of prodorsum, nearly parallel or slightly converging anteriorly | 7 |
2 | Sensillis setiform or very slightly dilated distally | 3 |
– | Sensillus lanceolate or pectinate | 5 |
3 | Notogastral setae medium long, not reaching alveoli of next setal row; interlamellar seta short | 4 |
– | Notogastral setae long, reaching alveoli of next setal row; interlamellar seta long | |
4 | Sensillus with long ciliae; costula very widely spaced from each other | |
– | Sensillus smooth; costula relatively close to each other | |
5 | Prodorsum with one pair of basal tubercles; costula thin, without lateral oval field | 6 |
– | Prodorsum with two pairs of basal tubercles; costula very thick, with lateral oval field | |
6 | Sensillus very long, its head bifurcate | |
– | Sensillus relatively short, its head pectinate or well pilose | |
7 | Distal part of costula not dilated; sensillus lanceolate, distally covered with few short barbs or smooth; interlamellar seta smooth; body length smaller than 430 µm | 8 |
– | Distal part of costula dilated; sensillus baciliform, distally covered with many short barbs; interlamellar seta barbed; body length greater than 500 µm | |
8 | Prodorsal tubercles |
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– | Prodorsal tubercles |
I am very grateful to Mr Kh. Mantai, director of Protected Areas in Mongol Altai Mountains for giving permissions for field work and to Mr Kh. Suraubai, ranger of protected area for his kind assistance. Thanks are also due to Prof. Dr M. Hauck, Georg August University, Goettingen, Germany for reading early draft of the manuscript, and graduate students of the National University of Mongolia, Mr E. Otgonjargal, T. Enkhbayar and Ms L. Khureltsetseg for their assistance in collecting the studied materials. Three anonymous referees made valuable suggestions on the manuscript. This research was supported by the Volkswagen Foundation in the scope of the project “Forest regeneration and biodiversity at the forest-steppe border of the Altai and Khangai Mountains under contrasting developments of livestock numbers in Kazakhstan and Mongolia”, performed by the scientists from the Georg August University of Göttingen, Germany, the National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Pavlodar State University, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.