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Type: Article
Published: 2014-03-07
Page range: 367–380
Abstract views: 44
PDF downloaded: 1

Water mites from caves of the Ha Giang province, northern Vietnam (Acari: Hydrachnidia)

Department of Biology, University of Montenegro, Cetinjski put b.b., 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro.
Biesingerstr. 11, D 72070 Tübingen, Germany.
Acari new subfamily new genus new species taxonomy subterranean water caves Vietnam

Abstract

Four species of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) were collected in 2010 during an Italian speleological expedition to caves of the Ha Giang region in northern Vietnam from rimstone pools or other tiny accumulations of percolating water. Four taxa new to science are described, representing the families Torrenticolidae (Torrenticola anophthalma nov. sp., Stygotorrenticola coniseta nov. gen., nov. sp.), Limnesiidae (Raptorhydracarinae subfam. nov., Raptorhydracarus tomasini nov. gen., nov sp.) and Athienemanniidae (Africasia vietnamitica sp. nov.). Most of these taxa show striking morphological adaptations to subterranean life.