Mycobatidae Grandjean 1954

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 : 448

Mycobatidae Grandjean 1954

Mycobates sp. ( Figs 7–9 )

Obergurgl area: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald), Nardetum at 2300 m (Schönwieskopf), Caricetum at 2600 m (Hohe Mut)

Remarks: The body size ranges between 410–500 µm. The lamellar cusps are small, lateral and medial dens are equal in length, hardly visible in light microscope. 10 pairs of notogastral setae, 47 µm long (40–50 µm) and smooth. Porose areas mostly weakly defined and almost impossible to recognise. Tubercular structures along hinge of pteromorph.

This species is similar to M. carli Schweizer, 1922 , but it differs from the illustration given in Weigmann (2006), a.o. by its extremely small cusps. It was compared with the specimen defined as the holotype of M. carli deposited in the collection of Josef Schweizer at the Natural History Museum in Basel ( Switzerland) by one of us [BMF]. Unfortunately the holotype is too squashed to support any conclusion. In addition to our analysis we reexamined specimens collected from previous investigations in the same area (Obergurgl/ Rosskar, 2650 m, Schatz 1979). These specimens were determined as “ Lepidozetes singularis ”, but they are identical with the Mycobates species we found in this study. In the meantime we found this species also in other regions of the Alps (Schatz & Fischer 2013 and unpubl.).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Mycobates sp. Dorsal aspect.

FIGURE 8. Mycobates sp. Lateral aspect.

FIGURE 9. Mycobates sp. Ventral aspect.