Description of juvenile stages and adults of two new nothroid mites from Ecuador (Acari: Oribatida: Nothridae)

Abstract

The morphology of juvenile stages and adults of two new Neotropical oribatid mites from Ecuador is described and illustrated: Nothrus cotopaxiensis n. sp. and N. glaesarius n. sp. Comparison is made with juvenile stages and adults of similar species: Ethiopian species N. ifeensis Badejo, Woas and Beck, 2002, Japanese N. meakanensis Fujikawa, 1999 and N. silvestris Nicolet, 1855. Specimens were found in samples of moss, soil, litter, detritus from the forest patch, from under dwarf shrubs, below shrubs bordering the creek and in cushion plants. All samples were collected from Ecuador (provinces Pichincha, Imbabura and Cotopaxi, at 2750–3900 m a.s.l.).

Keywords:

• Nothrus cotopaxiensis n. sp.
• Nothrus glaesarius n. sp.
• Oribatida
• Nothridae
• morphology
• juvenile stages
• Ecuador
• Neotropical region

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Dr. Ziemowit Olszanowski (Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland) for help in preparing this paper, Dr. Zbigniew Adamski (Electron and Confocal Microscope Laboratory, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland) for help in preparing SEM, Prof. S. Mahunka (Zoology Department, Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary) for providing access to the specimens and the curator of the Basel Natural History Museum, Switzerland for the loan of material.

Special thanks to the Journal editor, Dr. P.J. Hayward (Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK) and reviewers for all valuable advice.