Genera of Gymnodamaeidae (Acari: Oribatida: Plateremaeoidea) of Canada, with notes on some nomenclatorial problems
Author
Walter, David Evans
text
Zootaxa
2009
2206
23
44
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.189740
8dc3930d-f5da-496f-a86f-f0da1543811a
1175-5326
189740
Adrodamaeus magnisetosus
(
Ewing, 1909
)
(
Figs. 9–14
)
Damaeus magnisetosus
Ewing, 1909
Heterodamaeus magnisetosus
(
Ewing, 1909
) (
Ewing 1917
)
Adrodamaeus magnisetosus
(
Ewing, 1909
)
(
Paschoal 1984
,
Marshall
et al.
1987
,
Subías 2004
)
Material examined
:
CANADA
, ONTARIO:
2 females
, Burley Campground, Lake Huron Pinery Provincial Park,
15.viii.1974
, E.E. Lindquist, ex moss pads on sand dunes;
7 adults
, Eganville, Shaw Woods Nature Reserve;
20.
v. and
30.ix.1993
; B. Bissett; ex mixed forest litter; one adult, St Lawrence Islands National Park, Grenadier Island,
8–9 July 1975
, D. Spaner;
2 adults
, F-site Azilda, 46.31.51N, 81.6.10E, ex moss and birch litter,
15.vii.1997
, M St John & G. Bagatto, all in the
CNC
;
3 adults
, Shaw Woods Nature Reserve (
46.63N
,
77.07E
),
30.ix.1993
, VB138-93, V. Behan, in
PMAE
.IZ.
Comments
: Most
Gymnodamaeidae
have a large, cup-like tectum on trochanters III and IV that protects the trochanteral-femoral joint; however, species of
Adrodamaeus
have similar retrotecta protecting their distal leg joints as well (
Figs. 13–14
). Since predators of adult oribatid mites often attack these mites at their leg joints, snipping off legs and penetrating to the hemolymph (
Molleman & Walter 2001
), it seems likely that retrotecta evolved in response to predation pressure. This genus is similar to
Arthrodamaeus
Grandjean, 1954
a (see
Bayartogtokh & Weigmann 2005
) and may be a junior synonym (G. Weigmann, Institute for Zoology, Freie Universitaet Berlin, pers. comm.).