Scutoverticidae Grandjean, 1954

Murvanidze, Maka, Todria, Nino, Maraun, Mark & Mumladze, Levan, 2023, Annotated checklist of Georgian oribatid mites-II, Zootaxa 5227 (1), pp. 50-62 : 56

Family: Scutoverticidae Grandjean, 1954

Lamellovertex caelatus (Berlese, 1895) * ( Fig. 4 )

Distribution in Georgia: Tsavkisi. Soil from natural meadow. N 41.68618 ˚ E 44.746342 ˚ 903 m a.s.l. Two individuals collected by M. Murvanidze, 12 Jun.2021.

Global distribution: Palaearctic

Ecology: Dry soils

Remark: Previous records of L. caelatus in Caucasus are known from Novorosyisk and Northern Osetia ( Shtanchaeva & Subías 2010). Georgian findings confirm the preference of this species to dry soils and mosses ( Ayyldiz et al. 2005; Bernini 1976; Krisper et al 2002; Weigmann 2006), while Shtanchaeva and Netuzhilin (2003) refer to previous findings in soil litter.

Hypovertex saxicola Sitnikova, 1975 *

Distribution in Georgia: Tsavkisi. Soil from natural meadow. N41.686816 ˚ E44.736348 ˚ 1095m a.s.l. One individual collected by M. Murvanidze, 14 Aug. 2022.

Global distribution: Southern Palaearctic

Ecology: Dry montane soils

Remark: New record for Georgia. Previous finding in Caucasus refers to the original species description by Sitnikova (1975) in Northern Osetia which was included in the identification key of palaearctic oribatid mites by Ghilarov & Krivolutsky (1975). Later, the author provided a more detailed description of the species and specified the sampling location of the type species—soil under Juniper shrubs close to Gizeldon River at 1400 m a.s.l. ( Sitnikova 1980).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Lamellovertex caelatus (Berlese, 1895). A) Dorsal view; b) Prodorsum with bothridial seta