Oribatid Mites from Marine Littoral and Freshwater Habitats in India with Remarks on World Species of Thalassozetes (Acari: Oribatida)

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1 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) Oribatid Mites fm Mare Littoral and Freshwater Habitats India with Remarks on World Species of Thalaozetes (Acari: Oribati) Bamdorj Bayartogtokh 1, * and Tapas Chatterjee 2 1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, National Univ. of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar , Mongolia 2 Department of Biology, Indian School of Learng, ISM Annexe, P.O. ISM, Dhanbad , Jharkhand, India (Accepted July 2, 2010) Bamdorj Bayartogtokh and Tapas Chatterjee (2010) Oribatid mites fm mare littoral and freshwater habitats India with remarks on world species of Thalaozetes (Acari: Oribati). Zoological Studies 49(6): This work deals with 4 species of oribatid mites found mare coastal and semi-aquatic, freshwater habitats durg a flood India. Species of the small oribatid mite genus, Thalaozetes (Amenothidea: Senoribatie), mostly habit and are typical of mare littoral zones the tpics and subtpics. In the present paper, we ppose a newly revised diagnosis for this genus, and describe a new species, Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov., colcted fm mare coastal areas of western India (Goa, Arabian Sea). The description is based on adult and juveni specimens. A diagnostic key to adults of known species of Thalaozetes the world is pvided along with a summary of their geographical distributions. In addition, suppmentary descriptions of 3 known species, Peloribates kaszabi Mahunka, 1988, Scheloribates latipes (C. L. Koch, 1844), and Pergalumna cf. foveolata Hammer, 1973 found among weeds and sediments of the Karamana River of Trivananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India, durg a flood are given with respective illustrations. Key words: Senoribatie, Ponota, Freshwater, Littoral habitat. The majority of oribatid mites are truly soil and litter habitants, but there are some gups, such as the Amenothrie, Fortuyniie, Limnozetie, Senoribatie, etc., which have taken advantage of the space and food resources of the littoral frge. Many such species are simply vaders fm the supralittoral, but others are confed to the tertil zone. Thus, some gups of oribatid mites have colonized mare littoral habitats, and those species which are restricted to this type of envment have likely physiologically, ecologically, and morphologically apted. Some of them, e.g., Fortuynia species, have morphological aptations which presumably fit a life entailg periodic untion, whi others apt their repductive and feedg behaviors to the rhythm of the tides. Yet others spend most of their time narw crevices, which mata an atmosphere when covered by water, periodically emergg at low tide to forage. Many algivous species are small enough to susta populations crevices aociated with barnac encrustations, and bwse algal sporelgs, whi they are preyed upon by carnivous mites (Luxton 1986). They also subsist on mare fungi or detritus, and some may be carnivous tertil habitats of cky shores, mangves, etc. (Luxton 1992). This fact could be terpreted as an dication of the existence of high morphological plasticity these taxa for life mare envments. The domatg factor for soil mites littoral zones is the rhythmical, sometimes arhythmical overflow by seawater. However, there are *To whom correspondence and reprt requests should be addreed. bayartogtokh@num.edu.mn 839

2 840 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) considerab differences the torances of littoral and terrestrial or soil species to seawater and fresh water. All species which exist only the mare littoral zones (thalaobionts) are ab to survive plonged overflow with seawater, and moreover, most of them can also withstand fresh water untion for a long period. Terrestrial or soil species, primarily distributed terrestrial habitats but also found littoral habitats, contrarily only show torance to freshwater overflow (Schuster 1979). Based on the overflow torance to seawater and fresh water, the latter author distguished 3 ma gups of littoral and terrestrial mites, namely thalaobiont, terrestrial, and thalaophious species. Another important factor for soil mites littoral zones is the water sality, especially durg the period of submersion, and littoral species poe the ability of hypertonic regulation water with lower osmotic values than their hemolymph, whi water with higher osmotic values, they are poikiloosmotic (Weigmann 1973, Schulte 1979). However, the mechanism of osmoregulation soil mites is unknown, but histological and morphological vestigations by different authors showed that coxal glands pbably have such a function (Woodrg 1973, Alberti and Storch 1977). O n e o f t h e g e n e r a s t u d i e d h e r e, Thalaozetes Schuster, 1963, is a small gup of the oribatid mite family Senoribatie Grandjean, 1966, comprisg 4 species, which are found mare littoral habitats of southwestern Eupe (Catia), eastern Asia (Japan), and southern Africa (South Africa and Mozambique) as reported by Schuster (1963), Marshall and Pugh (2000), and Karasawa and Aoki (2005). The combation of the followg characters of adults is considered a diagnostic feature of Thalaozetes: pdorsum with a pair of weakly developed longitul ridges, like costulae, and rarely with a stngly developed transverse ridge anterior to the longitul ridges, which separates the strum fm the rest of the pdorsum; sensilli with short stalks and fusiform or club-shaped heads; pdorsal setae short, th, and smooth; the anterior marg of the notogaser mostly evenly unded, rarely with 2 pairs of longitul ridges; notogaster with pairs of setae; epimeral region IV with 1 or 2 pairs of setae; genital plates with 3 pairs of setae; aggenital setae absent; anal plates with 2 pairs of setae; 2 or 3 pairs of anal setae; and gs monoctylous. The other genera, some members of which are studied here, Peloribates, Scheloribates, and Pergalumna, are typical habitants of soils and litter, but a few species are occasionally found the littoral as well as freshwater envments (Luxton 1990, Weigmann and Deichsel 2006, Weigmann 2008). These terrestrial habitants can occur aquatic habitats, if they are flushed to the water by ra, floodg, etc. This is the 2nd part of our work on oribatid mites of mare littoral zones of South Asia. In the 1st work, we described new species of the genus Fortuynia Hammen, 1960 along with a review of the systematics and a summary of the geographical distributions of all known species (Bayartogtokh et al. 2009). In the present work, we describe 1 new species of the genus Thalaozetes, colcted fm mare littoral habitats of western India, based on both adult and immature-stage materials. Followg the description, we pvide suppmentary descriptions of the adults of the 3 known species, discu aspects of the systematics and distribution of the genus Thalaozetes, and present a diagnostic key to adults of known species the world. MATERIALS AND METHODS Materials examed the present study were colcted fm mare coastal areas of southwestern India (Goa, Arabian Sea), among tertil algae, and fm the Karamana River of Trivananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India, among weeds and sediments, durg a flood. Specimens were cared lactic acid, mounted on temporary slides, and preserved alcohol. Le drawgs were made usg a camera luci attached to a PZO SK-14 compound micscope (Biolar Pi, Poland). Morphological termology used this work was mostly based on that developed over many years by Grandjean (1955) and Schuster (1963). Un otherwise noted, measurements are given as a range, with the mean parentheses, and the measurements are based on the availab materials. Body ngth was measured lateral view, fm the tip of the strum to the posterior edge of the ventral plate, to avoid discrepancies caused by different degrees of notogastral distension. Notogastral ngth was also measured the lateral aspect, fm the anterior to the posterior edge; notogastral width refers to the maximum width the dorsal aspect. Setal formulas of the gs are given as numbers per segment for appenges (fm the tchanter to the tarsus), and as the number per podosomal

3 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 841 segment (I-IV) for epimeres. The holotype, 16 paratypes, and all immature specimens of the newly described species, as well as specimens of redescribed taxa are deposited at the Museum of Natural History of Podgorica, Monteneg. Four paratypes of the new species are deposited the colction of the Department of Zoology, National Univ. of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and 4 other paratypes are the 2nd author s personal colction. DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES Family Senoribatie Grandjean, 1966 Genus Thalaozetes Schuster, 1963 Thalaozetes tenuisetosus Bayartogtokh et Chatterjee, sp. nov. Adult (Figs. 1-3) Diagnosis: Medium-sized species with general characters of Thalaozetes. Rostrum demarcated fm rest of pdorsum by transverse ridge, with trapezoil anterior rim; tip of strum distctly pjectg anteventrally lateral view, but unded dorsal view; pdorsal ridges cl stngly developed; terlamellar setae well-developed; exobothridial setae vestigial, represented by their alveoli; sensilli with densely barbed club-shaped head and medium-long, narw stalk; notogastral setae medium-long, th, smooth; genital setae well-developed; epimeral setal formula Measurements: Body ngth (338) μm, ngth of notogaster (248) μm, width of notogaster (227) μm. Integument: Dark bwn to almost black. Surface of body and g segments with thick cetegument which is very fely punctate on dorsal and ventral plates, and with rather large granus on pdorsum and notogaster, and aund g acetabula. Pdorsum (Figs. 1A, B, C, 2A, B): Shape of pdorsum nearly triangular. Rostrum demarcated fm rest of pdorsum by stngly developed transverse ridge, with trapezoil anterior rim; tip of strum unded dorsal view, but distctly pjectg anteventrally lateral view, its tip not sharp, but blunt (Figs. 1C, 2B). Rostral seta () mm long, th, smooth, serted anterior to lamellar seta. Lamellar seta () mm long, serted on dorsal side of pdorsum, at some distance posterior to seta. Interlamellar () seta μm long, th, smooth. Exobothridial (ex) seta vestigial, only its alveolus visib. Sensillus () with densely barbed club-shaped head and narw stalk, its exposed portion μm long. Bothridium (bo) irregularly funnel-shaped, not concead under anterior marg of notogaster. Pdorsal ridge (cl) stngly developed, runng longitully on pdorsum, convergg anteriorly and its anterior end connected to transverse ridge. Notogaster (Figs. 1A, 2A, D): Nearly und dorsal aspect, about 1.1-times as long as wide; nticulus-like light spot absent. Anterior marg of notogaster conspicuously arched anteriorly, sometimes compte (Fig. 2D). Fourteen pairs of notogastral setae th, smooth, 6-12 μm long, seta longest; setae and p3 situated on lateventral side of notogaster, other setae serted dorsally. Lyrifiures im well-developed, serted laterally at vel between setae la and lm, other lyrifiures not evident. Opisthosomal gland openg (gla) situated adjacent and antelateral to seta la. Gnathosoma (Fig. 1B): Subcapitular mentum wider than long, with a few weakly developed mictubercs. Hypostomal seta h about 8 μm long, setae a about 4 μm long and m about 6 μm long, all of them th, smooth. Chelicerae chelate, moderately stng, with a few small blunt teeth; setae cha and chb th, smooth; Trägårdh s organ conspicuous. All setae of palp th, smooth; anteculmal euphathidium acm not fused to tarsal sonidion ω, but separate; formula of palpal setation: cludg sonidion ω. Epimeral region (Figs. 1B, C): Surface of epimeral region nearly smooth, fely punctate; epimeral borders well-developed. Epimeral setae medium to long, th, smooth; seta 1b about 42 μm long, other setae μm long; epimeral setal formula: Discidium well-developed, carly visib lateral view; pedotectum I large, pedotectum II small. Anogenital region (Figs. 1B, 3A, B): Anal aperture distctly longer than genital one; genital plates granulated and with foveate ornamentation; anal plates smooth; preanal plate well-developed, nearly triangular. Three pairs of genital setae about 6 μm long, aggenital seta absent. Two pairs of anal and 3 pairs of anal setae th, smooth, about 5-8 μm long. Anal lyrifiure (iad) placed almost transversely and situated preanal position, anterior to seta ad1. Legs (Figs. 3C-F): Monoctylous, claws of all gs rather thick, dorsal edge sctized and bwn, claw of g IV with a ty ventral tooth. Tchanter IV with distct dorsodistal pjection. Most g setae smooth, except barbed setae on

4 842 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) (A) a (B) m cl h bo 1b c2 3a c3 gla la g1 g2 4b 4a im dm lm iad g3 lp ad3 an2 dp h3 p3 ad2 an1 h2 ad1 p3 dm dp lp lm im la gla c3 c2 (C) h2 h3 ih bo p3 dis an1 an2 g3 g2 g1 3a 1b Fig. 1. Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. (adult, fema). (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) lateral view.

5 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 843 (A) cl bo c2 c3 la (C) (B) bo (D) c2 c3 gla la cl bo im dm lm dp lp h3 h2 p1 Fig. 2. Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. (adult, fema). (A) Pdorsum and anterior part of notogaster; (B) pdorsum (dorso-fntal view); (C) sensillus and bothridium (lateral view); (D) notogaster.

6 844 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) (A) iad ad3 g1 (B) an2 g2 an1 ad2 g3 ad1 ω1 (C) ft" ft' l" ε l' φ2 φ1 σ d (it) ω2 (p) (tc) s pl' pl" v" (pv) l" l' (u) (a) (D) l' σ φ l" φ σ l" (E) l" (v) (v) (F) d l" φ l" (l) ft" (tc) v v" (pv) s (a) (p) (u) Fig. 3. Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. (adult, fema). (A) Anal region; (B) genital plates; (C) g I (ft, antiaxial view); (D) genu and tibia II (right, antiaxial view); (E) genu and tibia III (right, antiaxial view); (F) g IV (ft, antiaxial view). Sca bar is the same for C-F.

7 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 845 tarsi I-IV. Material examed. Holotype ( ): Vagatoor Beach, Goa, India (Arabian Sea) among tertil algal sediments, 15 35'33"N, 73 44'67"E; 24 paratypes ( ) same ta as for holotype. Coll. T. Chatterjee and B. Ingo, June Tritonymph (Fig. 4) Measurements: Body ngth (314) μm; width of notogaster (211) μm. Integument: Light-yellowish to yellowishbwn, dorsal and ventral plates and g segments covered with small granus. Pdorsum (Fig. 4A): Rostral and lamellar setae about 11 μm long, both serted dorsolaterally on pdorsum. Interlamellar and exobothridial setae 4-6 μm long. Sensillus with ughly barbed clavate head and short stalk; bothridium small, irregularly funnel-shaped. Pdorsal ridge (cl) stngly developed, runng longitully on pdorsum, convergg anteriorly, without transverse ridge at anterior end. Gastnotic region (Figs. 4A, C): Slightly longer than wide; dorsosejugal suture compte, arched anteriorly. Fourteen pairs of notogastral setae th, smooth; setae longest, about 11 μm long, other setae similar ngth, 6-8 μm long. Lyrifiures and opisthosomal gland openg absent. Gnathosoma (Fig. 4B): Hypostomal setae h, a, and m moderately long, smooth. Chelicerae chelate, with a few blunt teeth; setae cha and chb th, smooth; Trägårdh s organ conspicuous. Palpal setae th, smooth; anteculmal euphathidium acm not fused to tarsal sonidion ω; formula of palpal setation: cludg sonidion ω. Epimeral region (Fig. 4B): Epimeral borders conspicuously developed; surface of epimeral plates nearly smooth; only very long epimeral seta 1b developed. Anogenital region (Fig. 4B): Anal aperture much larger than genital one; genital plates comptely developed. Genital papillae unded; 3 pairs of genital setae mute; aggenital setae absent. Transversely oriented, undulatg border situated posterior to genital region. Anal plates well-developed; bad triangular present anterior to anal aperture. Two pairs of anal and 2 pairs of anal setae; seta an1 about 4 μm long, other setae represented by their alveoli. Anal lyrifiure not evident. Legs: Claws of all gs thick, blunt at tip. Tchanter IV with distct dorsodistal pjection. All g setae th, poted distally and most ventral setae conspicuously barbed; some setae vestigial. Material examed: Four specimens: same ta as for adults. Deutonymph (Fig. 5) Measurements: Body ngth 263 μm; width of notogaster 143 μm. Integument: Dark bwn, body and g segments covered with thick, granulated cetegument. Pdorsum (Figs. 5A, B): Rostral and lamellar setae about 3-5 μm long, th and smooth. Interlamellar and exobothridial setae vestigial. Sensillus with ughly barbed clavate head and short stalk; bothridium large, irregularly funnelshaped. Gastnotic region (Figs. 5A, G): Oval dorsal aspect, about 1.3 times as long as wide; dorsosejugal suture compte, badly unded anteriorly. Only 10 pairs of notogastral setae (some of which were bken); setae, c2,, and dp absent; setae c3 and dm about twice as long as posterior notogastral setae; alveolus of seta situated on ventral side of notogaster. Lyrifiures and opisthosomal gland openg absent. Gnathosoma: Hypostomal setae h and a short, smooth; seta m mute. Chelicerae chelate, with a few blunt teeth; setae cha and chb th, smooth; Trägårdh s organ conspicuous. Palpal setae th, smooth; anteculmal euphathidium acm not fused to tarsal sonidion ω; formula of palpal setation: cludg sonidion ω. Epimeral region: Sejugal and 4th epimeral borders well-developed; other epimeral borders compte. Epimeral seta 1b long, th; other epimeral setae absent. Anogenital region: Anal aperture larger than genital one; genital plates comptely developed. Three pairs of mute genital setae irregularly situated. Anal plates well-developed; 2 pairs of anal and 3 pairs of anal setae, some setae vestigial. Anal lyrifiure iad situated at vel anterior to anal aperture. Legs (Figs. 5C-F): Claws of g II rather thick, blunt at tip. Most setae of gs th, smooth. Tchanter IV with distctly developed dorsodistal pjection. Material examed: One specimen: same ta as for adults.

8 846 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) (A) (B) a cl m h ex 1b c2 c3 lm g1 g2 g3 dm lp an2 ad2 an1 dp p1 h3 ad1 p3 h2 (C) ex Fig. 4. Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. (tritonymph). (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) lateral view.

9 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 847 (A) (B) bo (C) ex (D) c2 la (E) lp (F) dm lm (G) dp lp h3 Fig. 5. Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. (deutonymph). (A) Dorso-lateral view; (B) sensillus and bothridium (lateral view); (C) femur I (ft, antiaxial view); (D) femur II (ft, antiaxial view); (E) tchanter, femur and genu III (ft, antiaxial view); (F) tchanter and femur IV (right, antiaxial view); (G) gastnotic seta.

10 848 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) Remarks: The adult of Thalaozetes tenuisetosus sp. nov. is easily distguishab fm type species of the genus, T. riparius (Schuster 1963) by 1) the presence of 14 pairs of th notogastral setae as opposed to 13 pairs of thick setae the type species; 2) the presence of a stngly developed transversal ridge anterior to the longitul ridge of the pdorsum contrast to the lack of a transversal ridge T. riparius; 3) a nearly und shape of the notogaster, covered with und granular cetegument the new species as opposed to an oval and smooth notogaster the compared species; 4) the presence of 2 pairs of setae on epimeral region IV contrast of only 1 pair of setae T. riparius; 5) much anteriorly and nearly transversely situated anal lyrifiures iad as opposed to the posteriorly and longitully oriented iad T. riparius; and 6) the far-larger body size. The Japanese species, T. shimojanai described by Karasawa and Aoki (2005) fm the Ryukyu Is., differs fm T. tenuisetosus sp. nov. the 1) absence of pdorsal ridges as opposed to stngly developed ridges the new species; 2) vestigial lamellar and terlamellar setae contrast to well-developed setae the new species; 3) the presence of only 1 pair of setae on epimeral region IV contrast of 2 pairs the new species; and 4) vestigial genital, anal, and anal setae as opposed to well-developed anogenital setae the new species. Two other species, T. ugraseni and T. melanomerus, described by Marshall and Pugh (2000) fm the mare shores of southern Africa carly differ fm the new species the 1) presence of only 2 pairs of anal setae as opposed to 3 pairs T. tenuisetosus sp. nov.; 2) the presence of only 1 pair of setae on epimeral region IV contrast of 2 pairs the new species, and 3) the absence of pdorsal ridges as opposed to stngly developed ridges the new species. Etymology: The species name teniusetosus refers to the very th notogastral setae. Family Haplozetie Grandjean, 1936 Genus Peloribates Berse, 1908 Peloribates kaszabi Mahunka, 1988 (Fig. 6) Peloribates kaszabi Mahunka 1988: 242, figs Diagnosis: Medium size, with typical characters of Peloribates. Rostrum stngly pjected lateral view, but trapezoil dorsal view; lamellae relatively wide, but distctly narwed distally; all pdorsal setae, except ex, moderately long and fely barbed; sensilli with mutely barbed club-shaped head and long, narw stalk. Pdorsum, ptemorphs, and genital plates with foveolae; notogastral setae long, fely barbed; ventral setae medium-long, barbed; 5 pairs of genital setae. Suppmentary description: Yellowishbwn. Surface of body and g segments with relatively thick cetegument poeg small granus on lateral part of pdorsum and aund g acetabula. Pdorsum and ptemorphs with foveolae. Body ngth 617 μm; width of notogaster 478 μm; ngth of notogaster 467 μm. Rostrum trapezoil dorsal view, but stngly pjected lateral view. Rostral seta moderately long, fely barbed, serted laterally at end of tutorium. Lamella wide, but distctly narwed distally; ngth of lamella nearly 1/2 of total ngth of pdorsum as seen dorsal view. Tutorium well-developed, moderately long, but narw (Fig. 6C). Lamellar seta about 1.5 times as long as, fely barbed. Interlamellar seta nearly as long as, fely barbed thughout its ngth. Sensillus long, with mutely barbed club-shaped head and narw stalk (Fig. 6B). Bothridium directed antelaterally, with large openg, its posterior part concead under anterior marg of notogaster. Notogaster oval, about 1.1 times as long as wide, its anterior marg slightly arched, whi posterior marg circularly unded. Notogastral setae long, fely barbed, nearly equal ngth to one another. Sacculi small, und to oval. Lyrifiures ia, im, and ih well-developed; other lyrifiures and opisthosomal gland openg not evident (Fig. 6A). Subcapitular mentum wider than long, without noticeab mictubercs. Hypostomal setae a, m, and h medium-long, th, smooth. Chelicera and palp normal for genus. Epimeral region nearly smooth, apodemes apo.1, apo.2, apo.sj, and apo.3 aligned obliquely. Epimeral setae short, fely barbed, setal formula: Circumpel cara well-developed, reachg lateral border of ventral plate. Custodium well-developed, pjected anteriorly. Pedotecta I and II small, their surfaces smooth. Ventral plate nearly smooth except for foveolate genital plates. Five pairs of genital setae; all anogenital setae fely barbed. Anal lyrifiures iad situated at vel of setae an2 adjacent and parall to lateral margs of anal aperture (Fig. 6D). All tarsi hetetrictylous, with

11 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 849 (A) (B) Sa c2 lm la im dm S1 dp lp p3 S2 S3 h2 p1 h3 a h m (C) apo.1 apo.2 apo.sj 1a 1b 1c 3a 2a 3b 3c (D) lm Sa apo.3 4b 4a 4c la c2 ag iad an2 ad3 an1 ad1 ad2 p3 ad2 (F) iad ad3 p1 an1 an2 ad1 Fig. 6. Peloribates kaszabi Mahunka, 1988 (adult, fema). (A) Dorsal view; (B) sensillus, pdorsal and notogastral setae; (C) lateral view of ptesoma; (D) ventral view; (E) anal region. Sca bar is the same for A, C, and D.

12 850 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) lateral claws much thner than empodial claw. Femora II-IV with distct, compte ventral keels or blades. Femur I with a short, relatively small keel on its pximal part. Femora I-IV and tchanters III and IV with large pose areas. Setation of gs typical for genus. Material examed: One specimen ( ): Trivananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India, Karamana River, among weeds and sediments durg flood, Coll. T. Chatterjee, Aug Remarks: The character states of the present material accord well with those of specimens studied by Mahunka (1988). The only observed differences were the foveolate surface of the notogaster and the smooth ventral setae Vietnamese specimens, contrast to the nearly smooth notogaster and fely barbed ventral setae the Indian material. The species was first discovered decayg plant debris colcted fm terrestrial habitats Vietnam. The species seems to be a typical soil-litter habitant, but pbably occasionally occurs semi-aquatic habitats due to floodg. Family Scheloribatie Grandjean, 1933 Genus Scheloribates Berse, 1908 Scheloribates latipes (Koch, 1844) (Fig. 7) Zetes latipes C. L. Koch 1844: 38(14). Scheloribates latipes Sellnick 1928: 16, fig. 30. Diagnosis: Medium size; strum unded anteriorly, but pjected lateral view; lamellae wide; plamellae well-developed, extendg beyond alveoli of stral setae; sublamellae welldeveloped; sensilli with fely barbed club-shaped head; notogaster relatively wide, lateral ends of dorsosejugal suture curved posteriorly and not joed to antemedian marg of ptemorphs; all notogastral setae well-developed. Suppmentary description: Yellowish to deep reddish-bwn. Cetegument rather thick, lateral region of podosoma and epimeral region with very small granus; tegument nearly smooth. Body ngth (543) μm; width of notogaster (376) μm; ngth of notogaster (435) μm. Rostrum unded dorsal view, but pjected lateral view. Pdorsal setae moderately long, weakly barbed, only exobothridial seta short, smooth. Lamella wide, convergg anterior direction, narwg anteriorly. Plamella well-developed, extendg beyond alveolus of stral seta; sublamella well-developed, almost reachg vel of seta ex (Fig. 7E). Sensillus with weakly barbed club-shaped head and short stalk. Bothridium rather large, its posterior sca welldeveloped (Fig. 7G). Notogaster relatively wide, ngth to width ratio 1.15:1; its surface nearly smooth, musc sigillae scattered along lateral and posterior margs. Dorsosejugal suture arched medially, its lateral ends curved posteriorly and not joed to antemedian marg of ptemorph (Fig. 7F). Ptemorph smooth, its anterior border almost perpendicular to body axis and almost reachg anterior marg of notogaster. Notogastral setae mute, but well discernab. Sacculi Sa, S1, S2, and S3 oval, subequal size. Lyrifiures ia, im, ip, ih, and ips well-developed, but small. Opisthosomal gland openg (gla) situated posterior to lyrifiure im (Fig. 7E). Hypostomal surface smooth, setae h and m fely barbed, seta a smooth. Subcapitulum, chelicerae, and palps typical for genus. Palpal setal formula: cludg both ventral setae and sonidion ω of tarsus. Epimeral region nearly smooth. Apodemes apo.2, apo.sj, and apo.3 well-developed; epimeral setae medium-long, smooth. Discidium relatively short and narw, bearg epimeral seta 4c. Circumpel cara poorly developed. Pedotecta I and II large, with smooth surface. Surface of anogenital region and both anal and genital plates smooth. All anogenital setae smooth, mediumlong. Anal lyrifiure (iad) situated adjacent and parall to antelateral marg of anal aperture (Fig. 7D). Lateral claws of tarsi much thner than empodial claw; dorsal surface of claws with a few serrations. Setation of gs typical as shown by Bayartogtokh (2000). Material examed: 10 specimens (4 and 6 ): Trivananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India, Karamana River, among weeds and sediments durg a flood, Coll. T. Chatterjee, Aug Remarks: The character states of specimens examed here are well accord with those reported by other authors (Bayartogtokh 2000). This is a very widely distributed semicosmopolitan species, and it is an habitant of soil and litter of different habitats, but it also occurs semi-aquatic envments such as bogs, moors, wet meadows, as well as flooded habitats.

13 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 851 (A) S2 S1 dm h2 h3 (B) S3 p1 ip ia c ad1 ad2 Sa lm an1 an2 ad3 im gla S1 h (D) h3 p3 1b 1c S2 S3 p1 ip h2 1a 2a g2 g3 4b 3c 3b 4a 4c ag (C) ad3 iad p3 ad2 ad1 ips ih im ia (E) (F) p1 ex (G) bo Fig. 7. Scheloribates latipes (C. L. Koch, 1844) (adult, fema). (A) Dorsal view; (B) posterior view of opisthosoma; (C) pdorsum and anterior part of notogaster; (D) ventral view; (E) lateral view; (F) anterior marg of notogaster; (G) sensillus and bothridium (lateral view). Sca bar is the same for A, B, and D.

14 852 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) Pergalumna cf. foveolata Hammer, 1973 (Fig. 8) Pergalumna foveolata Hammer 1973: 54, fig. 54. Diagnosis: Lamellar s present, sublamellar s absent; terlamellar setae relatively short, smooth; pdorsal setae medium-long, setiform, smooth or fely barbed; sensillus moderately long, setiform, smooth or fely barbed; pose areas Aa, A1, and A3 oval, gs trictylous. Suppmentary description: Body rk bwn to yellowish-bwn. Surface of body and gs nearly smooth. Body ngth 676 μm; width of notogaster 502 μm; ngth of notogaster 578 μm. Lamellar well-developed; sublamellar absent. Lamellar termatg at vel of alveolus of lamellar seta (Fig. 8C). Rostral and lamellar setae th, smooth, of moderate ngth, slightly longer than. Interlamellar seta smooth, as long as. Sensillus moderately long, setiform, smooth (Fig. 8C). Pose area Ad situated postelaterally to alveolus of each terlamellar seta (Figs. 8A, C). Dorsosejugal suture compte, notogastral setae mute, some of them not evident. Notogastral pose areas Aa, A1, and A3 large, oval; A2 not evident. Structure of ventral region and gs typical of family; gs trictylous. Material examed: One specimen ( ): Trivananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala, India, Karamana River, among weeds and sediments durg a flood, Coll. T. Chatterjee, Aug Remarks: Among more than 100 species of the genus Pergalumna, the Southeast Asian species, P. foveolata described by Hammer (1973) fm Western Samoa, is most similar to the present material. Differences observed between these 2 materials are the smooth pdorsal setae and sensilli the present specimens contrast to fely barbed pdorsal setae and sensilli the description by Hammer (1973). The body size of the Indian specimen was relatively larger than the Samoan specimen. Due to only havg a sg specimen for examation here, it was difficult to defitively determe its specific status, and therefore; we refer to Hammer s species, P. foveolata, as beg most similar to the present material. DISCUSSION The genus Thalaozetes was erected by Schuster (1963) with the type species, T. riparius Shuster, 1963 fm the Adriatic Sea coastal area of Catia. It is a member of the small family Senoribatie Grandjean, 1966, which has a transoceanic distribution, and members of this family are found littoral areas of southwestern Eupe, Central and South America, eastern Africa, and South and Southeast Asia (Schuster ). Members of Thalaozetes are mostly known fm southern Africa, and East and South Asia. Marshall and Pugh (2000) described 2 species fm southern Africa, namely T. ugraseni fm the South African seashore, and T. melanomerus fm mangves of Mozambique. These 2 species were origally aigned to the genus Schusteria Grandjean, Karasawa and Aoki (2005) described another species of this genus, T. shimojonai fm the mare littoral of Okawa I., Japan. They erected a new genus, Rhizophobates for this species and transferred the 2 southern African species to their newly established genus. Later, Subías (2008) considered Rhizophobates a junior synonym of Thalaozetes, and transferred all of these species to the latter genus. The new species, T. tenuisetosus is found mare littoral habitats of western India, and it is the 1st member of this genus fm southern Asia. Thus, the geographical ranges of the genus Thalaozetes maly cover coastal areas of the Indo-Pacific Oceans. In conclusion, the followg key can be used to identify adults of all known species of this genus. A key to adults of the world species and subspecies of the genus Thalaozetes 1 Three pairs of anal setae; sensilli with a relatively short stalk Two pairs of anal setae; sensilli with a relatively long stalk Genital, aggenital, anal, and anal setae well-developed; genital setae situated apart fm median marg of genital plates Genital, aggenital, anal, and anal setae represented by their alveoli; sertion pores of genital setae situated very close to median marg of genital plates......t. shimojanai (Karasawa et Aoki 2005) 3 Notogaster with 14 pairs of th setae; stngly developed transverse ridge present anterior to longitul ridge of pdorsum; 2 pairs of setae on epimeral region IV; anal lyrifiures iad situated transversely and anteriorly to anal aperture; large species...t. tenuisetosus sp. nov. - Notogaster with 13 pairs of thick setae; stngly developed transverse ridge absent anterior to longitul ridge of pdorsum; 1 pair of setae on epimeral region IV; anal lyrifiures iad situated obliquely and parall to anal

15 Bayartogtokh and Chatterjee New and Litt-known Oribati fm India 853 (A) (B) ips im ia Aa la ia gla dp lp A2 (D) A3 ips ip (C) bo L Fig. 8. Pergalumna cf. foveolata Hammer, 1973 (adult, fema). (A) Dorsal view; (B) lateral view of notogaster and ptemorph; (C) lateral view of ptesoma; (D) ventral view. Sca bar is the same for A and D.

16 854 Zoological Studies 49(6): (2010) aperture; small species... T. riparius Schuster, Notogaster with 15 pairs of setae; anal lyrifiures iad obliquely aligned; anal setae an1 situated apart fm posterior end of anal plate......t. ugraseni (Marshall et Pugh 2000) - Notogaster with 14 pairs of setae; anal lyrifiures iad longitully aligned; anal setae an1 situated very close to posterior end of anal plate......t. melanomerus (Marshall et Pugh 2000) Acknowdgments: We would like to thank Pf. R. Schuster, Institute of Zoology, Univ. of Graz, Austria and Dr. D. Marshall, Faculty of Science, University of Brunei Darualam, Brunei for kdly supplyg their early publications. Kd aistance by Dr. B. Ingo, National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India with colctg samps Goa is highly appreciated. The research work of the 1st author (BB) was partly supported by the Asia Research Center at the National Univ. of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Thanks are also due to anonymous reviewers for their critical readg of the manuscript. REFERENCES Alberti G, V Storch Zur Ultrastruktur der Coxaldrüsen actotricher Milben (Acari: Actotrichi). Zool. Jahrb. Abt. Anat. Ontog. Tiere 98: Bayartogtokh B Oribatid mites of the genus Scheloribates (Acari: Oribati: Scheloribatie) fm Mongolia. Ephologia 65: Bayartogtokh B, T Chatterjee, BKK Chan, B Ingo New species of mare littoral mites (Acari: Oribati) fm Taiwan and India, with a key to the world s species of Fortuynia and notes on their distributions. Zool. Stud. 48: Grandjean F Sur un Acarien des Iss Kerguén. Pocarus Aunberti (Oribate). Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. Serie A Zool. 8: Hammer M Oribatids fm Tongatapu and Eua, the Tonga Islands, and fm Upolu, Western Samoa. Biol. Skr. Dan. Vid. Selsk. 20: Karasawa S, J Aoki Oribatid mites (Arachni: Acari: Oribati) fm the mare littoral of the Ryukyu Archipelago, southwestern Japan. Species Divers. 10: Koch CL Deutschlands Crustaceen, Myriapoden und Arachniden. Vol. 1-33, Regensburg. (Iued as loose-aves with no pagation for each species with plates). Luxton M Mites (Arachni: Acari) fm the coast of Hong Kong. In B Morton, ed. The mare flora and fauna of Hong Kong and southern Cha. Pceedgs of the Second International Mare Biological Workshop. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Univ. Pre, pp Luxton M The mare littoral mites of the New Zealand region. J. Roy. Soc. NZ 20: Luxton M Oribatid mites fm the mare littoral of Hong Kong (Acari: Cryptostigmata). In B Morton, ed. The mare flora and fauna of Hong Kong and southern Cha III. Pceedgs of the Fourth International Mare Biological Workshop. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Univ. Pre, pp Mahunka S A survey of the Oribatid fauna (Acari) of Vietnam, II. Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hung. 34: Marshall DJ, PJA Pugh Two new species of Schusteria (Acari: Oribati: Amenothidea) fm mare shores southern Africa. Afr. Zool. 35: Schulte G Brackwaer - Submergenz und latitu Emergenz küstenbewohnender Milben. Pceedgs of the Fourth International Congre of Acalogy, Bupest. Bupest: Hungarian Natural History Museum, pp Schuster R Thalaozetes riparius n. gen., n. sp., ee litoralbewohnende Oribatide von bemerkenswerter morphologischer Variabilität (Acari, Oribatei). Zool. Anz. 171: Schuster R Die Senoribatie, ee thalaobionte Familie der Hornmilben (Oribatei). Acalogia 19: Schuster R Soil mites the mare envment. In JG Rodriguez, ed. Recent advances acalogy. Vol. 1. New York: Academic Pre, pp Schuster R Transoceanic distribution of air-breathg littoral mites. In GP Channabasavanna, CA Viraktamath, eds. Pgre acalogy. Vol. 1. Leiden: Brill, pp Sellnick M Formenkreis: Hornmilben, Oribatei. In P Bhmer, P Ehrmann, G Ulmer, eds. Die Tierwelt Mitteupas. Leipzig: Quel und Meyer, pp Subías LS Listado sistemático, sonímico y biogeográfico de los ácas oribátidos (Acariformes: Oribati) del mundo (excepto fósis). (Origally published Graellsia, 60 (núme extraorrio): (2004), actualized May 2008, 540 pp.). Availab at Acceed 28 Apr Weigmann G Zur Ökologie der Colmbon und Oribatiden im Grenzbereich Land-Meer (Colmbola, Insecta - Oribatei, Acari). Z. wi. Zool. 186: Weigmann G Oribatid mite communities Atlantic salt marshes: an ecological and biogeographical comparison between German and Portuguese sea shores. In M Bertrand, S Kreiter, KD McCoy, A Migeon, M Navajas, MS Tixier, L Vial, eds. Integrative acalogy: Pceedgs of the 6th Eupean Congre of the Eupean Aociation of Acalgists, Montpellier, pp Weigmann G, R Deichsel Acari: Limnic Oribati. In R Gerecke, ed. Chelicerata, Araneae, Acari I. Süßwaerfauna von Mitteupa. München: Spektrum, 7, 2. Aufl., pp Woodrg JP Comparative morphology, functions, and homologies of the coxal glands Oribatid mites (Arachni: Acari). J. Morphol. 139: