Atractides (s. str.) nodipalpis Thor, 1899

Gerecke, Reinhard, 2021, The water mites of the family Hygrobatidae (Acari, Hydrachnidia) in Italy, Zootaxa 5009 (1), pp. 1-85 : 33-34

Atractides (s. str.) nodipalpis Thor, 1899

(Figs 29 E-F; 31 V-W)

Material examined: Basilicata: I 1124, 1/0/0; Calabria: I 101, 1/2/0 slide; I 102, 1/1/0 slide; I 103, 5/6/0 (0/6/0 slide); I 105, 8/6/0 (1/1/0 slide); I 107, 3/2/0; I 419, 1/3/0 (0/2/0 slide); I 426, 2/2/0; I 429, 1/1/0; I 437, 3/2/0; I 1129, 0/2/0 slide; I 1132, 0/2/0 (0/1/0 slide); I TG 18-02b, 0/2/0; I TG 18-03b, 0/1/0; I TG 18-08a, 2/0/1; Emilia- Romagna: I 888, 6/1/0; Friuli-Venezia Giulia: I 1333, 2/0/3; I 1607, 1/2/0; Lazio: I 1287, 2/2/3; Sicilia: The whole island; I 4, 1/1/2 slide; I 46, 2/1/2 (1/1/2 slide); I 48, 1/0/0 slide; I 68, 1/0/0 slide; I 72, 0/1/0 slide; I 74, 1/1/0 slide; I 133, 5/2/0 (1/1/0 slide); I 139, 0/3/0 slide; I 149, 1/0/0; I 165, 2/0/0; I 166, 1/0/0 slide; I 167, 18/10/0 (3/2/0

slide); I 168, 0/1/0 slide; I 177, 22/12/0 (4/3/0 slide); I 179, 4/2/0 (0/2/0 slide); I 180, 1/0/0; I 181, 6/3/2 (2/0/1 slide); I 208, 4/0/0 (1/0/0 slide); I 214, 17/3/6; I 237, 2/1/1 (1/1/1 slide); I 239, 0/3/0 (0/1/0 slide); I 277, 1/0/0; I 297, 5/2/0 (2/2/0 slide); I 298, 27/15/0 (2/1/0 slide); I 301, 1/1/0 slide; I 302, 3/2/0 slide; I 485, 1/8/0 slide; I 502, 0/1/1 slide; I 613, 12/3/0; I 657, 0/1/0 slide; I 1078 a, 2/1/0; I dp 138, 1/1/0; Trentino-Alto Adige: I sa 31 a, 1/0/0; I sa 34, 0/1/0. 53 sites, 320 specimens.

Previously published records from Italy: Abruzzo ( Cicolani & Di Sabatino 1985); Emilia-Romagna ( Gerecke & Di Sabatino 2013); Lazio ( Stella 1956); Lombardia ( Maglio 1906, 1907, 1949); Marche (K. Viets 1955, Maglio 1956); Sicilia (Gerecke 1991, Ferrito 1994) Trentino-Alto Adige ( Maglio 1909, Gerecke et al. 2009); Valle d’Aosta ( Monti 1910); Veneto ( Walter 1922, Gerecke & Di Sabatino 2013).

Remarks: This species has been recorded under numerous different names, and a high number of taxa previously considered as subspecies are now recognized as separate species ( Gerecke 2003). Further taxonomic research is required for a better understanding of its variability and distribution. As character states proposed for distinguishing females from A. robustus by Gerecke (2003) are weak and in many cases not suitable, records based exclusively on females remain always questionable, also in the list above. Females from sites or catchments where exclusively A. nodipalpis males were found, were attributed to this species, vice versa for A. robustus (see there).

Habitat: Rhithrobiont, mostly in middle or higher order streams at low and middle elevations, from the estuary at Foce Stampace at sea level (SE Sicily) up to 1350 m .

Distribution: Palaearctic.