Two interesting damaeid mites (Acari, Oribatida, Damaeidae Berlese, 1896) from the British isles and Svalbard (Spitsbergen, Norway), with a description of Kunstidamaeus arcticus n.sp.
Abstract
Two species of the family Damaeidae (Acarina, Oribatida) are described and documented. Kunstidamaeus arcticus n.sp. was found in Svalbard (Spitsbergen) and differs from all other known species of the genus by having only five pairs of genital setae; by the specific development at the base of the prodorsum, where tubercles Ba are replaced by a multiple of small tubercles, by minute and hardly visible spinae adnatae, by the characteristic shape of the sensillus and other characters.
The other species, belonging to the genus Epidamaeus, was found in North-West England and stands near to E. floccosus Behan-Pelletier and Norton, 1985, but differs by the development of sensillus, spinae adnatae unilaterally with one tooth and by the notogastral setae inserted on cuticular thickenings. The single available specimen did not allow us to decide with certainty about it's specific status, which in the future may prove to be a separate species.
The relationships of the two species found are discussed.