The Hygrobates from France

I have found this water mite in Saint Martin au Laërt the 26 of February 2011 and it may not be an Hygrobates longipalpis especially because the suture line between the first pair of coxae and the gnathosoma is very clear while the desciption made by Soar & Williamson indicate « fused with the first pair of epimera ; point of fusion indeterminate« .

To confirm or infirm this identification, I will try to find description of other Hygrobates alreday found in France to check other possibilities.

Other Hygrobates from France which may or may not match my water mite #464.

For the Hygrobates reported from France I will follow Smit & Gerecke (2010).

Here is the list and the synonimous and the result of a rapid enquiry on each specie.

Hygrobates calliger Piersig, 1896

Synonimous :

• Hygrobates calliger obtusipalpis Viets, 1930
• Hygrobates subterraneus C. Angelier,1947

Is my Hygrobates an Hygrobates calliger ?

• Serafin &  Stryjecki found an Hygrobates calliper on a Silo pallipes. Their picture of  Hygrobates calliper show a complete fusion between gnathosoma and first coxae plates of Hygrobates calliper thus eliminating this possibility of identification.
  

Hygrobates fluviatilis (Ström, 1768)

Synonimous :

• Hygrobates naicus (Johnston, 1848)
• Nesaea reticulata Kramer,1887
• Hygrobates reticulatus Koenike, 1892

Is my Hygrobates an Hygrobates fluviatilis ?

• On the fig 126 of the Hopkins key the first coxae seems fused wiht the gnathosoma.

Hygrobates foreli (Lebert, 1874)

Synonimous

• Hygrobates titubans Koenike, 1908

Hygrobates longipalpis (Hermann, 1804)

There is a recent description of Tuzovskij (1980) mentionned in the good list of synonimous of Hygrobatidae made y Hallan.

Synonimous

• Hygrobates impressus Neuman, 1880
• Hygrobates prosiliens Koenike, 1915

Hygrobates longiporus Thor, 1898

Synonimous.

• Hygrobates falcilaminatus Walter, 1926
• Hygrobates squamifer Thor,1898

Hygrobates nigromaculatus Lebert, 1879

Hygrobates nigromaculatus in the Hopkins key.

The fig 130 of this key show a palpi without any protiberance on the palp segments 1-3.

Hygrobates trigonicus Koenike, 1895

Hygrobates  norvegicus (Thor, 1897)

Synonimous.

• Rivobates norvegicus Thor, 1897

Hygrobates norvegicus in the Hopkins key.

On the fig 128 of the Hopkins key genitalia of the female bear a lot of acetabulae.

References.

• Smit, H. & Gerecke, R. (2010): A cheklist of the water mites of France (acari: hydrachnidia). Acarologia 50(1): 21-91.
• Soar, C. & Williamson, W  (1927): The British hydracarina. Ray Society. Volume II. Page 101. Plates 24 – 35.
• Hopkins, C.L. (1961): A key to the water mites (hydracarina) ot the Flatford area. Field Studies Vol. 1 (3)
• Serafin, E. & Stryjecki R. (199?): The living case of Silo pallipes (Fabricius, 1781), BRAUERIA (Lunz am See, Austria) 3 1 : 4
• Hallan Joel – Biology Catalog – Texas A&M University. Link to Hygrobatidae species.