Fortuynia Atlanticasp. nov., A Thalassobiontic Oribatid Mite from the Rocky Coast of the Bermuda Islands (Acari: Oribatida: Fortuyniidae)

Indications of parthenogenesis and morphological differentiation in Hawaiian intertidal Fortuynia (Acari, Oribatida) populations

“…Despite this morphological and ecological homogeneity, a distinct sexual dimorphism has evolved in some Fortuynia species. Males of Fortuynia yunkeri Hammen (1963) show modifications on leg IV, males of Fortuynia atlantica Krisper and Schuster (2008) possess certain lanceolate notogastral setae, enlarged notogastral porose areas and a pair of obvious lateral protuberances on the notogaster, and Fortuynia dimorpha Pfingstl, 2015 males exhibit a completely porose posterior gastronotic region and certain elongated notogastral setae (Pfingstl, 2015b). The reason and function of these different types of sexual dimorphism are yet unknown but some kind of associative mating may be involved allowing rapid mate location and sperm transfer during the short time frame between low and high tide (Pfingstl, 2015b).…”

Mites on Plants

“…Similar sexual dimorphism is known for oribatids that have colonized other extreme habitats, e.g. the rocky intertidal zone (Krisper and Schuster 2008 ) and semi-aquatic habitats (Behan-Pelletier 1996 ). At least in their latter instars, crotoniine oribatids are largely associated with the epiphytes growing on bark and tree limbs, and they are unusual in being the only sexual lineage (with moderate sexual dimporphism) in a cluster of parthenogenetic lineages (Colloff and Cameron 2009 ).…”

Morphological analysis of the oribatid mite species Scutovertex pannonicus Schuster and description of its juvenile stages (Acari: Oribatida: Scutoverticidae)

“…The subject of aggregation is already known in many other species like Phauloppia lucorum (Oliveira et al 2007), Fortuynia atlantica (Krisper & Schuster 2008), Collohmannia gigantea (Raspotnig 2006) or in some Ameronothridae (Søvik 2004).…”

“…Grandjean (1956a) reports that the setae k are not as constant as the setae on the lobes. For example Nothrus silvestris (Grandjean 1956a) with two pairs of k-setae, Machadobelba symmetrica (Wallwork 1977) with no ksetae, and Fortuynia atlantica (Krisper & Schuster 2008) with 16-18 k-setae. Also the form and length of the lobes or the tube itself are variable between species.…”