| abstract | In this note the authr examines the oribatid fauna of Basiluzzo, an islet of the Aeolian archipelago characterised by xerophilous and arid habitat.
In all the species he found are 55, 8 of which are described for the first time:
1. Brachychthonius meridionalis n.sp. is a small pale species. The notogastral hair c3 is on the first supraleural plate. The morphology of notogastral and prodorsal hairs is characteristic; their are foliate with dentate margins. Another diagnostic character is the pattern of the foveolae on the notogastral plates.
2. Oppia aeoliana n.sp. is similar to O. bicarinata (Paoli) but its rostrum has a medial tooth in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The lamellar and interlamellar hairs are short and ciliated.
3. Oppia arcidiaconoae n.sp. is a large species that recalls the Oppia of the nitens group. All the prodorsal hairs are long and ciliated. The head of the sensillus is spindle-shaped and bears numerous short cilia. The notogaster has 9 pairs of long ciliated hairs and another shorter pair (ta). Other typical characters are: the pattern of the prodorsal hairs, the pointed discidium and the dotted microsculpture on the epimeral surface.
4. Mystroppia dallaii n.sp. Its prodorsum is similar to that of M. sellnicki because of the cuticular sculpture and the morphology of the prodorsal hairs. The notogaster bears 9 pairs of foliate hairs and another pair (ta) different in form. The notogastral cuticule shows strips slightly in relief. The body surface is covered with a granular cerotegument, except on the epimeral surface. Also the ventral hairs are similar in morphology and pattern to those of M. sellnicki.
5. Licneremaeus giustii n.sp. differs from other European species because of the pattern of the dorsal cuticular areolae and the number of notogastral hairs. The sensillus is flabelliform.
6. Passalozetes paucesculptus n.sp. should be inserted among the species of the africanus group. It is peculiar for the absence of cuticular microsculptures on the centrodorsal and centroventral portions of the body.
7. Ceratozetes lagrecai n.sp. Its lamellae are connected with each other and form a translamella. The tutorium is long and the rostral margin has two large pointed teeth.
8. Scheloribates caprai n.sp. is similar in outline to S. latipes but smaller; it has different sacculi and an incision on each margin of the pteromorphae.
Moreover the author redescribes several classical Berleseʼs and Paoliʼs taxa (Dorycranosus alatus, Tectocepheus minor, Oppia bicarinata, O. confinis, O. unicarinata and Eupelops subexutus) on the ground of the typi of the Berleseʼs Collection and the topotypi.
The author cites also two species never before found in Italy (Cosmochthonius reticulatus and Haplochthonius sanctaeluciae) and gives informations about a phenomenon concerning Oppia confinis in Basiluzzo which has 13 or 14 pair of notogastral hairs instead of the normal 10. In order to demonstrate the isolation of this islet throughout millenia he stresses the importance of this character, now established inside the small population of Basiluzzo.
Finally, the author gives some considerations on the biogeograpy and the probable origin of the peopling of the oribatid living on the islet of Basiluzzo. |