This water mite was caught during my « trip » in Saint Martin Au Laërt the 2 of june 2011.
As usually for the moment, I took a lot of pictures before trying to identify the specie of the water mite found.
At a first glance, this Piona Alpicola looks like the Piona Conglobata (identification which may change in the future) I have already encountered and I was a little bit disapointed but after more observations it appeared that it was a new water mite for my « collection » like a new treasure in my treasure hunt.
Compared to the description made by Soar and Williamson, the only significant difference is the size (1.4mm for mine against « up to 1.6mm » in the S&W description). I consider this identification as « Almost certain ».
A new project
As this Piona appear also in the “catalogue des hydrachnides recuillies dans le nord de la France” from Barrois and Moniez in 1887 and that I’m precisely living in the same area, this Piona give me the idea to keep a track of all the water mites of the catalogue of Barrois & Moniez that I have found again, more than 120 years later.
Hi
I saw your interesting web site, I work on some pionid mites now. but I dont have enough references, would you please guide me ?
Regards