An appraisal of the taxonomy of the potamophreatic mites of Switzerland and of some Southern African fresh water mites [Acari : Prostigmata]
Abstract
This taxonomic study of water mites is divided into five parts;
Part I - Techniques, Part II - General characters and Classification,
Part III - Systematics, Part IV - Checklists, Part V - Bibliography of
Ethiopian water mites.
The water mites studied were collected from Switzerland and Southern
Africa over the past seven years. The Swiss mites were all potamophreatic
and the African mites were all collected from lotic habitats. The
collecting techniques are discussed. The Swiss mites were collected from
46 localities in the Jura and Tessin while the African mites come from 118 '
localities in Transvaal, the Cape Province, the Orange Free State, Natal,
South West Africa and Rhodesia. The techniques of preparation of permanent
mounts, serial sectioning, graphic reconstruction and Scanning Electron
Microscopy are discussed.
The basic terms used in water mite taxonomy are listed and defined. The
general external morphology and taxonomic characters of water mites are
discussed and illustrated. A survey of the classification of the higher
taxa of the Acari is given and the problematic position of the water mites
is discussed. Water mite genera,and to a certain extent families, are
stable and well defined taxa. However, the superfamilies both in composition
and number, are in a fluid and taxonomically unsatisfactory state.
This situation is discussed and it is concluded that the pattern of intrarelationships
of water mite families and their relationships with other
Acari,will appear only after investigation of features other than exoskeletal
structure has been undertaken.
An illustrated key to the Ethiopian families is given.
Representatives of seven families were studied, i.e., the Torrenticolidae,
Hygrobatidae, Unionicolidae, Feltriidae, Aturidae, Momoniidae and
Arrenuridae. In each case all the synonyms and the more important
literature references are listed for the family, subfamily (where applicable)
and genus. The diagnostic characters of the relevant families,
subfamilies and genera are given together with a discussion.