Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Scutozetes (Acari, Oribatida, Tegoribatidae), with description of a new species from the Russian Arctic

ABSTRACT

A new oribatid mite species of the genus Scutozetes (Oribatida) – S. arcticus sp. nov. – is described from Vaygach Island, Yugor Peninsula, Taymyr Peninsula, and Ola Plateau, Magadan Region (Russia); it is morphologically most similar to Scutozetes lanceolatus in having slightly developed humeral notogastral process, but differs from the latter by the clavate bothridial seta, a flat lamellar plate (not covering lateral parts of prodorsum) having two pairs of anterolateral teeth on the anterior margin, well-visible rostral seta in dorsal view, and anterior margin of pedotectum I without tooth. An identification key to known recent species of the genus is given. The main morphological characteristics of Scutozetes are summarized. The geographical range of the new species is limited by arctic areas and subarctic mountain landscapes; most records are associated with dry and well-drained habitats. The identity of the genera Scutozetes and Lepidozetes is also discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:241C7E47-8CBF-4A22-B6A2-C2AEF1A43ADF

KEYWORDS:

• Arctic mites
• taxonomy
• morphology
• geographical range
• ecological preference
• identification key
• tundra

Acknowledgments

Our former colleague, V.I. Bulavintsev (Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia), provided us with material from which additional specimens of the new species were found. The unfailing help of A.B. Babenko (Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia), L.L. Zanokha (Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg) and D.I. Berman (Institute of Biological Problems of the North Russian, Russian Academy of Sciences, Magadan, Russia) during the field work is also greatly acknowledged. Map has been prepared with the substantial participation of K.V. Makarov (Moscow Pedagogical State University, Moscow, Russia). We thank Alexey A. Gubin (Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia) for SEM micrographs and O. Seeman (Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Australia) and two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Possible exception: S. ovalis (Hammer, 1977) with dorsophragmata fused on figure in the original description.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 20-54-56054.