© Norwegian Journal of Entomology. 14 December 2018

First records of ten species of (, Mesostigmata) added to the published Norwegian species list

THOMAS BOLGER, MELANIE DEVLIN & ANNA SENICZAK

Bolger, T., Devlin, M. & Seniczak, A. 2018. First records of ten species of Mesostigmata (Acari, Mesostigmata) added to the published Norwegian species list. Norwegian Journal of Entomology 65, 94–100.

The Mesostigmata occurring in aboveground microhabitats in two Norwegian woodlands were surveyed which revealed ten species new to ’s fauna: Cilliba cassidea (Hermann, 1804), Zercon lindrothi Lundqvist & Johnston, 1986, Holoparasitus inornatus (Berlese, 1906), Lysigamasus armatus Halbert 1915, Paragamasus alstoni (Bhattacharyya, 1963), Paragamasus integer (Bhattacharyya, 1963), Pergamasus longicornis (Berlese, 1906), Macrocheles dentatus (Evans & Browning, 1956), Macrocheles opacus (Koch, 1839) and Macrocheles submotus Falconer, 1924. This paper presents details of these new records and comments on the known distribution of the species.

Key words: , Acari, Mesostigmata, species new for Norway, forest, Gamasina, Uropodina, Cilliba, Zercon, Holoparasitus, Lysigamasus, Paragamasus, Pergamasus, Macrocheles.

Thomas Bolger & Melanie Devlin, School of Biology & Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. E-mail: [email protected]

Anna Seniczak, Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, PB 7800, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway. E-mail: [email protected]

Introduction habitats such as humus and litter (Evans 1957), moss (Madej et al. 2011, Manu et al. 2018), tree There are currently 230 species of Mesostigmata holes (Napierała & Błoszyk 2013 ), rotting wood recorded from Norway (Gwiazdowicz & Gulvik (Krantz 2009), fungal sporophores (O’Connell 2005, 2007, Gwiazdowicz et al. 2013). However, & Bolger 1997a,b) and in canopies (Lindo & according to Gwiazdowicz & Gulvik (2007), the Winchester 2006, Moraza et al. 2009, Arroyo Norwegian Mesostigmata have only been studied et al. 2013). In addition, several studies have in a sporadic and piecemeal fashion and therefore indicated the importance of moss microhabitats it is likely that more species will be recorded in maintaining diversity in forests (Salmane & as additional habitats are investigated more Brumelis 2008, Bolger et al. 2014). In forest soils thoroughly. the Mesostigmata typically reach densities of Early works by scientists such as Bornebusch 4.000–10.000 m-2, which is far greater than other (1930) and van der Drift (1951) showed that mites predators, and, although relatively small are the most abundant microarthropods present in size, their total biomass can be equivalent to that in woodland soils and Berthet & Gerard (1965) of larger predators such as centipedes (Chilopoda) recorded abundances in the range 6.700–134.000 and spiders (Araneida) (Schaefer 1990, Scheu et m-2. Among the mites, species from the Order al. 2003, Klarner et al. 2013). It is therefore of Mesostigmata are frequently common in forest interest to know which species occur in forests

94 Norwegian Journal of Entomology 65, 94–100 (2018) because the prey species are members of the soil fauna which are important in the decomposition process and, although many Mesostigmata appear to be relatively generalist feeders and the soil species feed primarily on important decomposer groups such as Nematoda and Collembola (Karg, 1993; Klarner et al. 2013; Walter et al. 1988; Walter & Ikonen, 1989) while many Uropodina while being omnivores also feed on detritus and fungi (Gulvik, 2007). This paper contains records of ten species which have been recorded during a survey of the acarine fauna occurring in some aboveground microhabitats in two Norwegian woodlands which were not included in previously published Norwegian lists.

Methods

Site descriptions. Samples were collected from two forests in . The first site is a rich broadleaf forest located between Mundheim and Furhovda (HOI, : Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 97 m a.s.l.) FIGURE 1. Site at Mundheim, Furhovda. (Figure 1). It is a low-herb oak and low-herb hazel forest located on slopes, which has been classified as an important type of habitat. The dominant trees are very old and stand as monumental shapes in are oak (Quercus robur L.) and hazel (Corylus the landscape (Nord et al. 2013). avellana L.), with some addition of wych elm Sampling. Samples were collected from the (Ulmus glabra Huds.), ash (Fraxinus excelsior following microhabitats: dead wood, moss on L.), birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), pine (Pinus soil surface, moss from stumps, moss from dead sylvestris L.), lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) and aspen wood, moss from trees at ground level, moss (Populus tremula L.). The lower canopy layer is from trees 1.5m above ground level & lichens mainly formed by yew (Taxus baccata L.), holly on trees. These were collected by hand (each (Ilex aquifolium L.) and guelder-rose (Viburnum sample had a volume of 500 cm3) on 08 June opulus L.). 2017 and the extracted using Tullgren The second site is a wet broadleaf forest funnels for 14 days and preserved in 90% ethanol. located on the Nes Peninsula (HOI, Kvam: Nes The Mesostigmata were identified following Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 63 m a.s.l.) Bhattacharyya (1963), Lundqvist & Johnston (Figure 2). There was a stream passing close to (1986), Hyatt & Emberson (1988), Karg (1989, the sampling area and the forest has a large variety 1993). All material was determined by T. Bolger of tree species: wych elm, ash, oak, birch, hazel, (TB) and collected by A. Seniczak (AS). lime, yew, bird cherry (Prunus padus L.), holly, Basis for comparison of geographical black and gray alder (Alnus glutinosa Gaertn. & distributions. The discussion of microhabitat A. incana (L.) Moench), aspen, rowan (Sorbus preferences is largely based on taxonomic aucuparia L.) and goat willow (Salix caprea L.). literature and, in order to provide a geographical Many of these trees, especially some of the oaks, context for the records, the presence of the species

95 Bolger et al.: First records of ten species of Mesostigmata added to the Norwegian species list

FIGURE 2. Site at Nes. in Finland, Denmark, Latvia and Ireland, for from similar habitats but also from peatlands and which species lists exist (Salmane & Brumelis fungal sporocarps (Bolger et al. 2018). 2010, Huhta 2016, Bolger et al. 2018, Skipper 2018), is discussed. Zercon lindrothi Lundqvist & Johnston, 1986 HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 346 specimens, RESULTS Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS; HOI, Kvam: Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, Cilliba cassidea (Hermann, 1804) 8 June 2017, 231 specimens, Tullgren funnel HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N extract, det. TB, coll. AS. 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 25 specimens, This species was the most abundant species Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS.; HOI, found in this survey and was particularly abundant Kvam: Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 8 at Mundheim. It occurred in all of the microhabitats June 2017, 61 specimens, Tullgren funnel extract, sampled. Although not in the lists of Gwiazdowicz det. TB, coll. AS. & Gulvik (2005, 2007), this species has previously This species was abundant in moss on the soil been found in Norway and specimens (18 females surface, moss on dead wood and moss on tree and 1 male) collected by T. Solhöy from a lichen stumps at both sites. It was not found in moss heath at Hardangervidda (60° 18’ N; 7° 40’E), samples taken from above 1.5m on trees. Cilliba were examined in the description of the species cassidea is a widespread species in Europe and (Lundqvist & Johnston 1986). Lehtinen (1987) has been found in deciduous forests & seashores recorded this species as Zercon colligans Berlese in Finland (Huhta 2016) and has been recorded in in association with ants from several locations in Denmark (Skipper 2018) but not Latvia (Salmane Finland but Huhta (2016) attributes the records to & Brumelis 2010). In Ireland it has been recorded Z. lindrothi. It has not been recorded from Latvia,

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Denmark or Ireland but specimens identified Paragamasus integer (Bhattacharyya, 1963) following Karg (1993) might be of this species as HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N it is not separated in that key. 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 1♂, Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS.; HOI, Kvam: Holoparasitus inornatus (Berlese, 1906) Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 8 June 2017, HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N 4♀♀3♂♂ specimens, Tullgren funnel extract, det. 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 7♀♀, Tullgren TB, coll. AS. funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS.; HOI, Kvam: This species appears to favour microhabitats Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 8 June 2017, above ground level. All of the specimens were 4 ♀♀1♂, Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. recovered from moss above 1.5m on trees or AS. from moss on dead wood. It occurred at both sites This species occurred in the moss microhabitats but only one specimen was recovered from the at both sites but never in large numbers and never Mundheim site. It is described by Karg (1993) as in the dead wood microhabitats. It is a widely a western European species occurring in leaf litter, distributed species occurring in coniferous and in decaying wood and in moss and the original deciduous forest stands, primarily in moss and description from Bhattacharyya (1963) is based on decaying litter (Karg 1993) and has been found in specimens from similar woodland microhabitats. Finland, Denmark and Ireland. It has not been recorded from Finland, Denmark or Latvia but has been found in fungal sporocarps Lysigamasus armatus Halbert, 1915 in Ireland. HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 1♀, Tullgren Pergamasus longicornis (Berlese, 1906) funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS. HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 A single specimen of this species was N 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 6♀♀5♂♂ recovered from moss on dead wood from the specimens, Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. Mundheim site. This species is found in leaf litter AS.; HOI, Kvam: Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 but also occurs frequently in agricultural soils and 6672694, 8 June 2017, 4♀♀6♂♂ specimens, has been found in an Iris bog close to the seashore Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS. (Bhattacharyya 1963, Curry 1976, 1979, Purvis This was found at both sites in moss and on dead 1982, Huhta 2016). It has recently been recorded wood. It is a widespread species which has been in Finland, it occurs in Denmark, is widespread in recorded in many parts of Europe, Juan Fernandez Ireland but has not yet been recorded in Latvia. and Easter Islands, and Australia (Bhattacharyya, 1963). It occurs in many woodland habitats, moss, Paragamasus alstoni (Bhattacharyya, 1963) peatland, pasture, nests of small mammal and in HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N several coastal habitats. Karg (1993) synonymises 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 1♀, Tullgren it with Pergamasus crassipes (Linné, 1758) but it funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS. has several features which mark it as a different A single female of this species was collected species and is recognised as such in Halliday from moss above 1.5m on a tree at the Mundheim (1998) and in several databases such as Fauna site. This appears to be an uncommon species and Europea and GBIF. It was previously recorded in has not previously been recorded from Finland, Norway by Trägårdh (Bhattacharyya 1963) but Latvia, Denmark or Ireland. Although originally has not been recognised as a separate species in described from specimens collected in glasshouses the current checklist of Norwegian species. and botanic gardens (Bhattacharyya 1963), Karg (1993) says that this species occurs frequently Macrocheles dentatus (Evans & Browning, 1956) in farmland and compost and occasionally in HOI, Kvam: Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 deciduous forest, humus and decaying litter where 6672694, 8 June 2017, 2♀♀, Tullgren funnel is moderately to very moist. extract, det. TB, coll. AS.

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Only two specimens (both female) of this Discussion species were recovered. These were from moss on soil and from moss on dead wood and were All of the species recorded in this paper are both found in a single site, Mundheim. It has been relatively widespread species and it was not recorded from a variety of habitats including leaf surprising to find any of them in the woodland litter, grassland soil, Salix ditch at seashore and habitats examined. This perhaps emphasizes the from Microtus agrestis (Purvis 1982, Hyatt & need for further systematic study of the Norwegian Emberson 1988) but has not yet been recorded fauna. Although the diversity of the fauna might from Finland, Denmark or Latvia. be expected to be comparatively low because of its northern location of the country, a comparison Macrocheles opacus (Koch, 1839) with the Finnish species fauna which contains HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N 451 recorded species (Huhta 2016) suggests 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 1♀, Tullgren that many more species are likely to be present. funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS.; HOI, Kvam: Indeed, as pointed out by Gwiazdowicz & Gulvik Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 8 June 2017, (2007), despite the country’s northern location, it 3♀♀, Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS extends over a large range of latitudes and has a Occurred in small numbers at both sites large variety of habitats ranging from sea level to where it occurred in moss on both soil surface high mountain ranges all within comparatively and on dead wood. It also occurred in dead wood. short distances from one another and thus may This is a widespread species in Europe where it contain a larger diversity of species than might occurs mainly in moss and rotting wood (Hyatt & be suspected. In conclusion, to paraphrase the Emberson 1988, Karg 1993, Bolger et al. 2018). It comment of Luxton (1998) in a discussion of has been recorded from Ireland, Denmark but not the known Irish fauna, Norway may still be Finland or Latvia. “acarologically uncharted territory”.

Macrocheles submotus Falconer, 1924 HOI, Kvam: Mundheim, Furhovda, 32 N Acknowledgements. This study was partly supported by the 328026 6673275, 8 June 2017, 1♂, Tullgren grant No. 811030 from The Norwegian Taxonomy Initiative – KR 35-16 Norwegian Forest Oribatida (NFO) - highly diverse, funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS.; HOI, Kvam: but poorly known. Nes Penisula, 32 N 329553 6672694, 8 June 2017, 8♀♀, Tullgren funnel extract, det. TB, coll. AS. This species occurred in small numbers at the References two sites where it was found in moss on both soil surface and on dead wood. It also occurred in dead Arroyo, J., Kenny, J. & Bolger, T. 2013. Variation wood. Karg (1993) describes this species as having between communities in Irish forest types a European distribution occurring in the litter and - Importance of bark and moss cover in canopy. humus layers of forests and Salmane & Brumelis Pedobiologia 56, 241–250. (2010) show that forests are the only habitat in Berthet, P. & Gerard. G. 1965. A statistical study of which it has been found in Latvia. It appears to microdistribution of Oribatei (Acari). 1. Distribution have a broader distribution in Ireland and Great pattern. Oikos 16, 214–227. Britain where it has been found in peatland, flood Bhattacharyya, S.K. 1963. A revision of the British debris, saltwater marsh and the nests of small mites of the genus Pergamasus Berlese s lat. (Acari: Mesostigmata). Bulletin of the British Museum mammals (Hyatt & Emberson 1988, Bolger et al. (Natural History) Zoology 11, 133–242. 2018). It has not been recorded in either Denmark Bolger, T., Arroyo, J., Kenny, J. & Caplice, M. 2014. or Finland and Hyatt & Emberson (1988) stated Hierarchical analysis of mite community structures that at that point they were not aware of records in Irish forests-A study of the relative contribution outside of the British Isles. of location, forest type and microhabitat. Applied Soil Ecology 83, 39–43.

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Received: 21 September 2018 Accepted: 2 November 2018

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