Diverse mite communities (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostigmata) from a broadleaf forest in western Norway

Abstract

Broadleaf forests are rare in Norway and they are considered one of the most biodiverse terrestrial habitats in Fennoscandia. These forests are poorly studied in terms of their acarofauna. Mites of two groups, Oribatida and Mesostigmata, were studied in a broadleaf forest in western Norway. In total, 6350 oribatid mites, representing 67 species (i.e., 25% of the known Norwegian species) and 559 mesostigmatid mites representing 22 species (9% of the species recorded from Norway) were collected. The mean densities of Oribatida and Mesostigmata were 454 and 40 individuals per 0.5 dm3, respectively. The most abundant member of Oribatida was Oribatula exilis (29% of Oribatida collected), while Zercon lindrothi made up 59% of Mesostigmata. Fifteen of the oribatid species were first records for Norway, including six new to Fennoscandia: Phthiracarus compressus, Suctobelbella arcana, S. hammerae, S. prominens, Campachipteria patavina and Liebstadia longior.