Forelia variegator (Koch, 1837)

Pešić, Vladimir, Zawal, Andrzej, Ferreira, Sónia, Benitez-Bosco, Laura, Cruz-Oliveira, Ana, Girão, Dinis, Padilha, Adriana, Turaccio, Paolo, Rossini, Samantha, Ballini, Lorenzo, Staffoni, Giorgia, Fratini, Sara, Ciofi, Claudio, Iannucci, Alessio, Ekrem, Torbjørn & Stur, Elisabeth, 2024, DNA barcode library of Portuguese water mites, with the descriptions of two new species (Acari, Hydrachnidia), ZooKeys 1217, pp. 119-171 : 119-171

Forelia variegator (Koch, 1837)

Material examined.

Portugal, Beja • Mértola, São João dos Caldeireiros , stream, 37.625°N, 7.81°W, 17 May 2023, leg. Ferreira, Benitez-Bosco, Ekrem, Stur & Turaccio, 1 ♀ (sequenced) . Porto: • Lousada, Parque Molinológico e Florestal de Pias , 41.268°N, 8.256°W, 170 m a.s.l., 1 Sep. 2023, leg. Ferreira, Sousa, Cruz-Oliveira & Girão, 2 ♀ (sequenced) ; • Vila do Conde, Rio Este , 41.378°N, 8.695°W, 15 m a.s.l., 7 Sep. 2023, leg. Ferreira, Sousa, Cruz-Oliveira & Girão, 1 ♂ (sequenced) . Guarda • Rio Alva, Nossa Senhora do Desterro , river, 40.395°N, 7.694°W, 791 m a.s.l., 23 Aug. 2023, leg. Ferreira, Benitez-Bosco & Padilha, 1 ♀ (sequenced) ; • Seia, Rio Alva, Central hidroelétrica de Ponte dos Jugais , river, 40.385°N, 7.706°W, 555 m a.s.l., 23 Aug. 2023, leg. Ferreira, Benitez-Bosco & Padilha, 1 ♀ (sequenced) .

Remarks.

Regarding the shape of the genital field, the specimens from Portugal morphologically match the description of F. variegator following Gerecke et al. (2016). The sequenced specimens from Portugal form a unique BIN ( BOLD: AFU 5459), with the nearest neighboring BIN being BOLD: ACS 0537, which includes specimens of F. variegator from the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, and Russia. The p - distance between these two BINs is estimated at 12.82 %.

Distribution.

Palaearctic. In Portugal previously reported from Beira Alta and Estremadura ( Lundblad 1956).