Anomalohalacarus sp.

Chatterjee, Tapas, 2022, An annotated checklist of halacarid mites (Acari, Halacaridae) from India, Zootaxa 5141 (4), pp. 301-320 : 303

Anomalohalacarus sp.

Records from India. ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS: Mayabandar, Rangat Bay, Chiriatapu, Car Nicobar (reported as Halacarus anomalus ) — Rao (1970, 1980). ANDHRA PRADESH: Visakhapatnam (= Waltair), interstitial sand (reported as Halacarus anomalus )— Rao & Ganapati (1968), Rao (1970). KERALA: Cherai, Arthungal and Veli beaches during the post-monsoon in interstitial fauna— Priyalakshmi (2008). LAKSHADWEEP: Kavaratti, Agatti, Bangaram (reported as Halacarus anomalus )— Rao (1991). ODISHA (Orissa): Puri, Konark and Bahuda estuary (reported as Halacarus anomalus )— Rao (1969, 1970, 1989), Nagabhusanam (1972).

Remarks. Trouessart (1894) described Halacarus anomalus based on specimens collected from English Channel. Newell (1947) reported this species from Florida coast, USA and created a new genus Anomalohalacarus for Halacarus anomalus . Abé (1992) re-examined the specimens collected from North Sea and also from Newell’s collection and identified the materials from North Sea as Anomalohalacarus anomalus , while Newell’s specimen was referred to A. tenuis Bartsch, 1979 . Abé (1992) also commented about Rao’s (1970) record that Indian Ocean record of Anomalohalacarus anomalus is invalid. Abé (1992) stated that when considered the leg chaetotaxy of “ Halacarus anomalus ” reported by Rao (1970) from the Indian coasts are not ‘ Anomalohalacrus anomalus (Trouessart) ’ but belonging to a distinct species.

Bartsch (2009a) commented that the records of Anomalohalacrus anomalus from the Bay of Bengal by Rao (1969, 1970) are expected to be erroneous.

Records of Halacarus anomalus by Rao & Ganapati (1968), Rao (1969, 1970, 1975, 1989, 1991), Nagabhusanam (1972) from Indian coasts should be treated at present as Anomalohalacarus sp. These records need further investigation to know their exact taxonomic nature.