New species of the genus Camisia (Acari: Oribatida): an arboreal mite with enclosed sensilli

Abstract

AbstractA new oribatid mite (Acari), Camisia abdosensillasp.nov., is described from all instars, based on specimens from British Columbia, Canada. This species occurs on branches and foliose lichens in the canopies of western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg., 1898 (Pinaceae), and Pacific silver fir, Abies amabilis (Dougl. ex Loud.) Dougl. ex J. Forbes, 1939 (Pinaceae), growing in high elevation coastal forests. The most unusual feature of this species is the distinctive structure of the prodorsal trichobothrium in adults; the significantly reduced sensillus is completely enclosed within the bothridium. A resemblance between the structure of this organ and those of the superfamily Crotonioidea appears to have resulted from parallel evolution rather than being evidence of a sister-group relationship. Another species, Camisia islandica Gjelstrup and Solhøy, 1994, is herein recognized as a junior synonym of Camisia solhoeyi Colloff, 1993. A key of the Nearctic species of the genus Camisia is given.