Oribatula longelamellata Schweizer, 1956

Ivan, O., 2013, Genus Oribatula S. Str. Berlese, 1896 (Oribatida, Oribatulidae) In Romanian Fauna, Acarologia 7 (2), pp. 175-184 : 180

Oribatula longelamellata Schweizer, 1956

( Figure 4 )

Literature — Schweizer (1956), Grobler and Skubala (2000), Weigmann (2006).

Material examined — 2 specimens from the Retezat Massif, 1 specimen from Turu’s Gorges (Apuseni Mountains) .

Diagnosis — Medium sized species, one of the smaller representatives of the genus (Table 1), light yellowish in colour. Cuticle smooth, without ornamentation. Prodorsum elongated, with long lamellae; lamellar apex with a rounded, evident cuspis. A long prolamella is present, almost reaching the origin of rostral setae ( Figure 4b ). Prodorsal setae finely barbed, sensillus fusiform clavate. Notogaster oval, rounded, with 13 pairs of simple and short setae ( Table 2). Areae porosae are small, round, in the usual position. Epimeral and genito-anal regions with typical aspect. Chaetotaxy of these regions are also characteristic for the genus.

Distribution and autecology — Central and Western Europe ( Subias 2004). O. longelamellata is a mountain to alpine species; in Romania was recorded in the Retezat National Park and in the Turu’s Gorges (Apuseni Mountains), only on limestones, therefore can be considered a stenotopic form ( Vasiliu et al. 1993).

Figures

FIGURE 4: Oribatula longelamellata Schweizer, 1956: a – dorsal view; b – lamella with cuspis and prolamella, detail; c – ventral view; scale bar: 100 µm.