Neoxystonotus Wolcott, 1900

GoldschmidtK, Tom, SchmidtK, Jessica C. & Boles, Ed, 2022, Hidden treasures - a first study on the unexplored diversity of water mites (Acari ; Hydrachnidia) from Belize, Acarologia 62 (3), pp. 694-720 : 714-715

Genus Neoxystonotus Wolcott, 1900

The genus shows a New World distribution, with some North American and 14 described Neotropical species. Habitat: standing as well as running waters ( Figure 24 ).

Faunistic and biogeographic comparison of the so far known water mite fauna of Belize with neighboring regions

In total, 23 families, 61 genera are known from Central America north of Costa Rica to the south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. One of these families ( Hungarohydracaridae ) and three genera ( Santiagocarus , Neoaxona (Lamellaxona) , Stygarrenurus ) in the present study have been found for the first time in this region. Overall, 14 families and 27 genera are now known from Belize. Therefore, with the results of the limited study we are presenting here, the knowledge on the water mite fauna of Belize reaches (or even surpasses) the level of information we have on other areas of the region ( Table 3). Out of the 61 genera overall known from the region defined above, six have been registered in all the four areas surrounding Belize (four as well found in the present study); eight are registered from three areas (five in the present study); 13 from two areas (seven in the present study); 16 from one area (five in the present study).

In order to compare the similarity the known water mite fauna of Belize shows with neighboring areas, we calculated the respective Sörensen-quotients. Overall, the highest similarity exists between Southern Mexico and Yucatan (62%) and Guatemala (63%) respectively. The known fauna of Belize is most similar (57%) to the fauna of Guatemala, the lowest similarity (42%) is with the Yucatan Peninsula, probably because most records from Yucatan refer to standing waters, whereas most samples from Belize are from running waters ( Table 4).

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Figures

Figure 24 Neoxystonotus sp., female, dorsal and ventral view, sample site Be18-1b.