Lohmannia similis Balogh, 1962

Schatz, H. & Schuster, R., 2012, First Records Of Lohmanniidae (Acari: Oribatida) From The Bermuda Islands, Acarologia 52 (3), pp. 247-257 : 250-251

Lohmannia similis Balogh, 1962

Balogh 1962: 59, f. 2; Balogh and Balogh 1987: 333, pl. 4 C; 1988: 54, pl. 33 G; 2002a: 64; 2002b: pl. 116:2; Schatz 1993: 80, figs. 25-30.

Dimensions: adult (n=17) 756 (680 – 860) x 354 (325 – 380), larva (n=7) 357 (330 – 380) x 192 (170 – 210), protonymph (n=4) 456 (425 – 470) x 226 (210 – 240), deutonymph (n=11) 533 (510 – 570) x 263 (230 – 280), tritonymph (n=3) 697 (630 – 740) x 350 (340 – 360) µm.

Sensillus with 10 branches in adult and tritonymph, 8-10 branches in deutonymph, 6-8 branches in larva and protonymph. Measurement of setae: adult 42 – 60 x 18 – 25, tritonymph 40 x 21 – 22, deutonymph 30 – 40 x 15 – 20, protonymph 27 – 30 x 14 – 16, larva 10 – 22 x 5 µm. All notogastral setae slightly phylliform with serrated margins, measurements: c1 55 – 65, d1 55 – 60, e1 60 – 67, f1 65 – 75 µm. Setae of ventral region as in population from the Galapagos Islands ( Schatz 1993). Variation: Some adults bear 9 genital setae on one side .

Remarks: A direct comparison with specimens from Galapagos was possible. The specimens from Bermuda correspond to those and the description given in Schatz (1993) in most respects and are considered conspecific. Differences are the smaller body size in most of the population from Bermuda ( Peru 830 µm, Galapagos 800-930 µm), and slightly shorter notogastral setae. The two specimens from sample BE 301 have a larger body length of 830-860 µm. Differences between Lohmannia similis Balogh, 1962 and the similar species L. lanceolata Grandjean, 1950 resp. L. bifoliata Willmann, 1936 are given in Schatz (1993).

Records from Bermuda: BE 59: 12 adults, 1 tritonymph, 11 deutonymphs, 3 protonymphs, 7 larvae. BE 230: 3 adults. BE 301: 2 adults, 2 tritonymphs, 1 protonymph .

General distribution: Peru: low rain forest plain in the Amazon valley near Iquitos, litter from dense forest and secondary forest ( Balogh 1962); Ecuador, Galapagos Islands: numerously in the littoral zone, among algae and mangrove litter, also in litter of Miconia near Santa Rosa on Santa Cruz Island ( Schatz 1993); first record for Bermuda.