Carabodidae C.L. Koch, 1837

Fischer, Barbara M. & Schatz, Heinrich, 2013, Biodiversity of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) along an altitudinal gradient in the Central Alps, Zootaxa 3626 (4), pp. 429-454 : 438

Carabodidae C.L. Koch, 1837

Carabodes schatzi Bernini, 1976

Distribution: Central and Southern Alps: Austria—North Tyrol, Northern Italy—Prov. Sondrio, Bolzano; Switzerland—Grisons; Caucasia

Habitat: alpine habitats

Obergurgl area: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald), Nardetum at 2300 m (Schönwieskopf); previous studies: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald), 2100–2190 m (dwarf shrub community), 2250–2340 m (alpine meadows with lichen communities), 2500 m (scree slope) (sub. Carabodes minusculus )

Remark: Carabodes schatzi seems to be restricted to the subalpine and alpine zone. This species is expected to have a broader distribution at least in Austria since it was probably confused with C. minusculus in the past. Carabodes schatzi therefore was classified as sub-endemic for Austria (Schatz & Schuster 2009). Recently this species was also recorded from Caucasia (Shtanchaeva & Subías 2010).

Nomenclatural remark: Carabodes (Klapperiches) schatzi Bernini, 1976 according to Shtanchaeva and Subías (2010) and Subías (2012)

Carabodes sp. ( Figs 4–6 )

Obergurgl area: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald)

Remark: This species belongs to the “femoralis” group (see Reeves & Behan-Pelletier 1998). The integument is dark brown. Body size ranges between 490–590 µm. The interlamellar region shows a chevron-shaped elevation, interlamellar setae are 40 µm in length, spiniform and inserted near the base of lamellae. The surface of the prodorsum is covered with minute tubercles, bothridium with small foveae. The dorsosejugal depression is narrow. The notogaster has irregular longitudinal ridges. Notogastral setae are 40 µm long and spiniform, setae c2 are shorter (20–25 µm). This species shows morphological characteristics of Carabodes rugosior Berlese, 1916 and C. hoh Reeves & Behan-Pelletier, 1998 , but it differs from both species in the length of the interlamellar and notogastral setae, in sculpturing of prodorsum and in width of the dorsosejugal depression. Carabodes sp. was only found in the lowest study site (pine forest, 2050 m) but there it was the fourth most common species in abundance. Recently we found this species also in adjacent regions of the Central Alps (unpubl.).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Carabodes sp. Dorsal aspect.

FIGURE 5. Carabodes sp. Lateral aspect.

FIGURE 6. Carabodes sp. Ventral aspect.