Acta Zoologica 09. (1963)

1963 / 1-2. szám - BALOGH JÁNOS: Identification keys of Holarctic oribatid mites (Acari) families and genera

IDENTIFICATION KEYS OF HOLARCTIC ORIBATID MITES (ACARI) FAMILIES AND GENERA By J. Balogh ZOOSYSTEMATICAL INSTITUTE OF THE L. EÖTVÖS UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCES, BUDAPEST (DIRECTOR: PROF. DR. E. DUDICH) (Received August 31, 1962) Introduction In 1961, I published in this same periodical a paper titled »Identification Keys of World Oribatid (Acari) Families and Genera«. Since the interest taken in this work was the greatest from the part of acarologists working in the Holarctic Region, I have compiled another key, containing, however, only the Holarctic genera. By omitting the tropic and subtropic genera, it was possible to construct simpler keys than were the earlier ones. In order to further facilitate identification work I also left out the families from the several keys, presenting the genera within the superfamilies proper. All these alterations necessitated the complete recast of the majority of keys as sub­mitted in my previous paper. Since I endeavoured to insert in the keys also genera described long ago, I tried to make use of the simplest characteristics, well discernible also in a dorsoventral view. These features had namely been described or figured adequately even by a part of the earlier authors. Despite this fact, I failed in including a number of genera in the keys. These genera are relegated as »genera inquirenda« to the end of the respective keys, and also designated by an asterisk in the catalogue. Let us hope that their number will, by the critical work of Oribatidologists, show a rapid decrease. 1 also tried to correct printers’ errors in the previous paper, and to substitute by new figures some old ones, having become obsolete in the meantime. On the other hand, I was compelled to use the earlier and unsatisfactory figures if no others were available. I should like to stress the fact that this paper affords only a limited possibility in the identification of Palearctic Oribatid genera. Hence, the smallest doubt demands the perusal of the original descriptions. The main purpose of the paper is to present to its reader a comprehensive picture of the main forms of Oribatids, therefore it lies only the foundations of further, more intensive taxonomical investigations. Finally, it is my agreeable task to express my thanks also in this place to acarologists, who, either by their critical notes and advices or the courtesy of data, drawings, and research material, gave considerable help in my work. Their list is as follows: 1 Acta Zoologica IX/1—2

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