This article was downloaded by: [Universita Studi la Sapienza] On: 22 July 2014, At: 03:27 Publisher: Taylor & Francis Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Italian Journal of Zoology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tizo20 The water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) of the standing waters of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily: review and new data R. Gereckea, F. Marroneb, G. Sorgic, M. Dossenad & F. Stoche a Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Abteilung Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Germany b Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche & Farmaceutiche, Università di Palermo, Italy c Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientale, Sezione di Biologia Animale, Università di Catania, Italy d Queen Mary School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of London, UK e Department of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Italy Published online: 21 Jul 2014. To cite this article: R. Gerecke, F. Marrone, G. Sorgi, M. Dossena & F. Stoch (2014): The water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) of the standing waters of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily: review and new data, Italian Journal of Zoology, DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2014.922129 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.922129 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions Italian Journal of Zoology, 2014, 1–20 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.922129 The water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) of the standing waters of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily: review and new data R. GERECKE1*, F. MARRONE2, G. SORGI3, M. DOSSENA4, & F. STOCH5 1Institut für Evolution und Ökologie, Abteilung Evolutionsbiologie der Invertebraten, Universität Tübingen, Germany, 2Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche & Farmaceutiche, Università di Palermo, Italy, 3Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche, Geologiche e Ambientale, Sezione di Biologia Animale, Università di Catania, Italy, 4Queen Mary School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of London, UK, and 5Department of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, Italy (Received 7 March 2014; accepted 28 April 2014) Abstract A compilation of our present knowledge of the water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia) adapted to life in standing waters on the three large islands in the western Mediterranean (Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily) is provided. In addition to published data, this study deals with a rich volume of new material from recent field work, mostly deriving from intermittent ponds and pools, an extremely poorly investigated yet peculiar habitat type in the Mediterranean area. Species richness of water mites reported for the standing waters of the three islands amounts to 91 species. Out of the 47 species for which we present new distributional data, Hydrachna incisa Halbert, 1903, Hydrachna leegei Koenike, 1895, Piersigia limophila Protz, 1896, Hydryphantes crassipalpis Koenike, 1914 and Piona laminata (Thor, 1900) have not been recorded previously from the Mediterranean area. Most of these species were believed to have typical North European distributions. In addition to these, a further 13 species are recorded for the first time from the area covered. In total, 11 species are new for Italy, seven more are new for Sicily, three for Sardinia and seven for Corsica. Redescriptions are given of Axonopsis complanata (Müller, 1776) (A. graeca, nov. syn), Brachypoda baderi (reported for the first time after the original description from Abruzzo, Italy, synonymization with B. mutila rejected) and B. mutila (recorded for the first time outside Algeria with certainty). For each species, information is given on habitat preference and geographical distribution; the significance of the data is discussed under perspectives of zoogeography and nature protection. The completeness of our knowledge for the three investigated island is assessed using rarefaction curves and non-parametric estimators of species richness; while Sicily can be considered fairly well known, Corsica and Sardinia require further sampling to assess their water mite diversity. Keywords: Water mites, diversity, standing waters, faunistics, threatened habitats Downloaded by [Universita Studi la Sapienza] at 03:27 22 July 2014 Introduction smaller wetlands of the circum-Mediterranean coun- Available knowledge on the diversity and distribu- tries which, in spite of its outstanding diversity and tion of certain “less charismatic” aquatic invertebrate conservation value, has been nearly neglected till groups is far from being satisfactory even in Europe; recent times (Alvarez Cobelas et al. 2005). This is indeed, it has often been stressed that species distri- unfortunate, as ponds and pools have been shown to bution currently reflects taxonomists’ distribution contribute as much to the regional biodiversity of (Ruffo & Stoch 2006). This scenario is further wor- Mediterranean countries as rivers or lakes; they sened by to the so-called taxonomy crisis (Boero host a distinguishing fauna, and provide stepping- 2001), and there is an undeniable risk that much stones and increased connectivity between other biological diversity might in fact disappear even freshwater habitats (Boix et al. 2012). before being known and described. Furthermore, Notwithstanding their particular significance for certain geographical areas or habitat typologies are understanding and investigating the ecology of often overlooked due to historical, cultural or eco- inland water invertebrate assemblages (Smit & Van nomical reasons; this is the case for the biota of the der Hammen 1992; Dohet et al. 2008), water mites *Correspondence: R. Gerecke, Biesingerstr. 11, DE 72070 Tübingen, Germany. Tel: 0049 7071 49410. Email: [email protected] © 2014 Unione Zoologica Italiana 2 R. Gerecke et al. are not included in the “European Water Framework century were fixed in situ in 80% ethanol and sorted Directive” (Directive 2000/60/EC of the European in the laboratory under a stereomicroscope. All Parliament). Updated faunal works and taxonomical material was stored in separate tubes; when neces- keys for Northern and Central European faunas are sary, selected specimens were dissected and slide- nowadays available (Gerecke 2007, 2010), while our mounted as described by Davids et al. (2007). If no knowledge of the circum-Mediterranean fauna is to other bibliography is mentioned, species identifica- date unsatisfactory. We are thus aiming in this paper tion was based on K. Viets (1936), Lundblad (1956) to contribute to fill this gap on the circum- and Gerecke (2007, 2010). Mediterranean water mite fauna, focusing on the A total of about 1000 water mite specimens were lentic inland water bodies of the three larger western studied. Several locations were investigated only Mediterranean islands (Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily). once; others were visited several times as indicated in Table I. Species were classified as standing water dwellers Materials and methods (lenitobionts) based on the presence of swimming Most samplings were carried out from 2004 to 2013. setae. This rather simple character works surprisingly In addition, we add also earlier, unpublished data well and, in many cases, all members of selected from collecting activities during the last two decades genera are lenitobionts, while other genera include of the 20th century. Each sampled site was unam- species that avoid standing waters. However, the biguously identified through its WGS84 geographi- following restrictions were necessary: in cal coordinates; some notes on the habitat typology Hydryphantes, H. handschini Walter, 1925 and H. and hydroperiod of each sampling site were also armentarius Gerecke, 1996, both characterized by recorded (Figure 1). very low numbers of swimming setae, have a clear Invertebrate samples were collected using 150-μm preference for helocrenic springs (Gerecke 1996). mesh-sized hand- and towing nets. The material They were therefore excluded from this paper, but from the 1980s and 1990s was sorted out in the a few new records of the latter are included, which field from the living material and stored in was collected in some