Parhypochthonius urticinus Berlese

van der Hammen, L., 1959, Berlese's Primitive Oribatid Mites, Zoologische Verhandelingen 40, pp. 1-93 : 11-12

Parhypochthonius urticinus Berlese , 1910

Parypochthonius urticinus Berlese, 1910, p. 219, pl. 19 fig. 43.

Parhypochthonius urticinus , Lombardini, 1936, p. 46.

The following characters are mentioned in the original description of the species. The colour is hyaline whitish. The posterior border of the notogaster bears 8 long, remarkably shaped hairs that gradually enlarge in the basal part, but end in a long sharp point; the other notogastral hairs are simple. The sensillus is long, provided with 8 pectinations. The claws resemble those of P. aphidinus ; the median claw is considerably smaller than the laterals. The measurements are 0.380 X 0.180 mm. Berlese did not observe the tubeshaped orifice of the latero-abdominal gland, which is a striking character of P. aphidinus .

The figure shows that cp is notably long. Berlese omitted a number of notogastral hairs, among which f2 that in P. aphidinus is inserted on the thickened border of the orifice of the latero-abdominal gland; I think that h3, ps2 and ps3 also escaped his notice. Consequently, the remarkably shaped hairs probably are f1, h2, h1; and ps1. In Berlese's fig. 43 the hairs are drawn as gradually thickened in the basal part, whilst they end in a long sharp point.

In the Berlese Collection one slide (no. 80/24) is present; it contains the type, originating from Lake City, Florida. The preparation is suited for the Observation of the following supplementary details. In the left sensillus the pectinations are directed backwards, whilst these are turned upwards in the other one. The notogaster is slightly damaged, but at the right side the thickened orifice of the latero-abdominal gland is distinctly visible; when seen from above the orifice does, however, not extend beyond the lateral border of the body. Because of some deposits in the slide it was impossible to study the shape of the posterior notogastral hairs.