Nesiacarus granulatus Hammer, 1972

Schatz, H. & Schuster, R., 2012, First Records Of Lohmanniidae (Acari: Oribatida) From The Bermuda Islands, Acarologia 52 (3), pp. 247-257 : 251-252

Nesiacarus granulatus Hammer, 1972

Hammer 1972: 14, f. 13; Balogh and Balogh 1987: 339, pl. 18 C-D; 1988: 339, pl. 19 A; 2002a: 68; 2002b: pl. 120:6; Schatz 1994b: 279.

Dimensions: adult (n=8) 501 (480 – 525) x 229 (220 – 230) µm.

Surface densely granulate. Anterior border of rostrum with a very slight incurvation. Sensillus with 10-12 branches. Notogaster with 21 pairs of notogastral setae, neotrichal setae f’ distally to f1 short, about same length as f1, other neotrichal setae in posteromarginal position long. All prodorsal and notogastral setae ciliate. Measurements of setae: c1 15 – 22, c2 15 – 25, c3 65 – 70, d1 15 – 22, d2 25 – 45, d3 75, e1 15 – 25, f1 30 – 35, f’ 30 – 35, h1 45 – 50, posterior marginal setae 50 – 80 µm. Epimeral setae short and ciliate.

Juvenile instars: Larva and tritonymph encountered correspond to the adults in their speciesspecific characters. Dimensions: larva (n=2) 260- 270 x 125-130, tritonymph (n=1) 430 x 220 µm. Colour light yellow. Surface densely granulate. Sensillus with 10 branches in larva, 12 branches in tritonymph. Cuticle of sejugal articulation wide and striated in both instars. Larva with 13 pairs of notogastral setae, anterior median setae short (10 – 20 µm) and smooth, marginal and posterior setae long (30 – 50 µm) and ciliate; tritonymph with 21 pairs of notogastral setae as in adult. Transverse bands well developed in both instars. Ventral region: Subcapitulum with 3 pairs of setae in larva, 4 pairs in tritonymph. Epimeral setal formula 3- 1- 2 in larva, 3-1-3- 4 in tritonymph. Larva with Claparede organ between coxae I and II. Larval pseudanal plate with 3 pairs of short and smooth setae, tritonymph with 8 pairs of genital setae, 2 pairs of anal and 4 pairs of adanal setae, genital and anal setae as in adult.

Remarks: The specimens found in Bermuda correspond to the original description ( Hammer 1972) and to the specimens found in Central America ( Schatz 1994b) in most respects and are considered conspecific. The body size of the population from Bermuda is slightly smaller, but in the range of the populations from Tahiti and Central America.

Records from Bermuda: BE 26: 1 adult , 1 tritonymph. BE 117: 1 adult. BE 119: 4 adults, 2 larvae. BE 299: 2 adults.

General distribution: Tahiti, along the coast in Cyperus vegetation beneath a hedge ( Hammer 1972); Japan, leaf litter from an evergreen broadleaved forest on a seaside hill near the southern end of Kasado-jima Island ( Wada 1987), Ryukyu Islands ( Aoki 2009); Central America: Belize and Guatemala: in moist, decayed leaf litter under dense tree and bush vegetation as well as in hardwood tropical rain forest ( Schatz 1994b, 2006); first record for Bermuda.