Brachychthoniidae Thor, 1934

Fischer, Barbara M. & Schatz, Heinrich, 2013, Biodiversity of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) along an altitudinal gradient in the Central Alps, Zootaxa 3626 (4), pp. 429-454 : 430-434

Brachychthoniidae Thor, 1934

Eobrachychthonius borealis Forsslund, 1942 Distribution: Europe, Asia; also Arctic Habitat: forest soils

Obergurgl area: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald) TABLE 1. Occurrence and relative abundace of oribatid mite species in different altitudes in Obergurgl. LR (Liebener Rippe, Androsacetum alpinae, 2900 m a.s.l.), HM (Hohe Mut, Caricetum curvulae 2600 m), SK (Schönwieskopf, Nardetum 2300 m), ZW (Zirbenwald, pine forest 2050 m). Abundances in ind./m2.

LR HM SK ZW Achipteria sellnicki 4127 Adoristes ovatus 1 Anachipteria alpina 2877 1647 Berniniella bicarinata 655 Caleremaeus monilipes 238 4107 Camisia biurus 218 Camisia spinifer 60 179 Carabodes cf. rugosior 7937 Carabodes schatzi 1587 198 Cepheus dentatus 1627 Cepheus latus 456 Ceratoppia bipilis 1 Ceratozetes thienemanni 3155 Chamobates birulai 79 Chamobates borealis 1 79 Chamobates cuspidatus 8036 Chamobates voigtsi 238 Cymbaeremaeus cymba 40 Damaeus gracilipes 159 Diapterobates humeralis 79 Dissorhina ornata 25377 Dissorhina signata 1310 Edwardzetes edwardsi 40 317 Eobrachychthonius borealis 40 Epidamaeus bituberculatus 1

Eueremaeus oblongus 20 Eupelops curtipilus 377 456 Eupelops plicatus 60

Eupelops strenzkei 378

Eupelops subuliger 754 Eupelops torulosus 179

Fuscozetes intermedius 497 40 2718 2619 Fuscozetes setosus 40 972 Hermannia gibba 40 Jugatala angulata 1 Jugatala cribelliger 437

Kunstidamaeus diversipilis 99

Liacarus coracinus 1 Liacarus oribatelloides 139 Licneremaeus licnophorus 1 Liochthonius simplex 1

......continued on the next page LR HM SK ZW Malaconothrus monodactylus 40 1 Melanozetes meridianus 2166 40

Metabelba pulverosa 417 Micreremus brevipes 1 Microppia minus 317 Mycobates sp. 40 2361 60 Oppiella (Moritzoppia) unicarinata 1171 Oppiella (Oppiella) falcata 40 1 1885 Oppiella (Oppiella) nova 1 40

Oppiella (Oppiella) obscura 1

Oppiella (Oppiella) uliginosa 46548 Oppiella (Rhinoppia) obsoleta 665 Oppiella (Rhinoppia) subpectinata 198 Oribatella longispina 1091 Oribatella reticulata 318

Oribatula amblyptera 40 Oribatula interrupta 40 1 Oribatula longelamellata 1 1766 952 218 Oribatula tibialis 1885 635 Oromurcia sudetica 1252 417

Pantelozetes paolii 417 496 Parachipteria punctata 437 Passalozetes intermedius 40 Phauloppia nemoralis 1 Phthiracarus globosus 2520 Phthiracarus laevigatus 496 Platynothrus peltifer 298 Porobelba spinosa 99 Quadroppia quadricarinata 60 Scheloribates laevigatus 40 754 Steganacarus (Atropacarus) striculus 1

Steganacarus (Atropacarus) wandae 1

Suctobelba altvateri 119 Suctobelba regia 139 Suctobelbella acutidens lobata 813 Suctobelbella hamata 258 Suctobelbella perforata 40

Suctobelbella sarekensis 198 Suctobelbella subcornigera 198 Tectocepheus sp. 198

Tectocepheus velatus sarekensis 139 893 99 317 Tectocepheus velatus tenuis 1 1825 179

......continued on the next page Liochthonius simplex (Forsslund, 1942)

Distribution: Palaearctic, Greenland; East Asia, Australia Habitat: mainly forest soils

Obergurgl area: pine forest at 2050 m (Zirbenwald) Remark: In the previous studies Brachychthoniidae have also been recorded at higher altitudes of Obergurgl. Verachthonius laticeps Strenzke, 1951 (sub. Brachychthonius laticeps ), Liochthonius lapponicus (Trägårdh, 1901) and Liochthonius sellnicki (Thor, 1930) have been detected on Liebener Rippe in abundances of 300 to 600 individuals per m2. In this study, species of this family were found only in minor quantity in the pine forest (2050 m a.s.l.). Some taxa of the family Brachychthoniidae (especially several species of the genera Liochthonius and Verachthonius ) are known to occur in raw soils in high abundances (Schweizer 1956; Moritz 1976; Schatz 2004). Most probably the absence of Brachychthoniidae on Liebener Rippe in 2010 is referable to a change of the soil from raw soil to a later successional stage.