New fossil labidostomatids (Acari: Labidostomatidae) from Eocene amber and presence of an apustulate species in Europe
2013
Sidorchuk, E. | Bertrand, Matthieu | Paleontological Institute ; Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] (RAS) | Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) ; Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE) ; Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [Occitanie])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)
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Show more [+] Less [-]English. Modern-looking labidostomatid mites were found in collections of Eocene amber from diverse origins. Six of ten specimens from Baltic amber could be unequivocally assigned to the extant genus Labidostoma Kramer, 1879. These specimens showed affinities, notably by cheliceral morphology, with the extant Holarctic subgenus Cornutella, comprising large mites that commonly inhabit superficial soil layers. However, because of the unusual position of setae la and setation of the palps, the new subgenus Pseudocornutella was proposed. The habitus of a second species (two specimens from Baltic amber) resembles that of the previously described fossil L. (N.) paleoluteum. However, because of the unequivocal absence of the paired lateral gland-like pustule, it was assigned to the "apustulate" genus Sellnickiella, the extant species of which show a "Gondwanan" distribution. This is an indication that the modern distribution of the genus Sellnickiella results from extinctions over large parts of its former range. The new species probably belongs to an extinct lineage, having a large fenestration behind the lateral eye. Two additional Baltic specimens remain identified only to the family level. We also report the first finding of Labidostomatidae from Bitterfield (Germany) amber and Rovno (Ukraine) amber.
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