SOME WATER MITES (ACARI, HYDRACHNIDIA) FROM CALDERA DE TABURIENTE NATIONAL PARK (LA PALMA, CANARY ISLANDS)

Protzia cf. lata, Lebertia fimbriata Thor, 1899; Limnesia martianezi Lundblad, 1962; Atractides gomerae Lundblad, 1962 are mentioned for the first time for the island of La Palma: Feltria menzeli Walter, 1922 and Aturus atlantica Lundblad, 1942 for the first time in the Canary islands. It is the first record of the genus Feltria Koenike, 1892 in Macaronesia.


Introduction
The fauna of water mites (Acari, Hydrachnidia) of the Canary islands is not very well known.Four previous contributions (Lundblad, 1962(Lundblad, , 1972;;Viets, 1968;Gerecke, 1999) have risen the number of species found to 16, distributed between Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma and Gomera.No doubts many more species could be found if continued and systematic sampling is done.
In this paper we report several additional records deriving from a three days sampling trip to La Palma, as well as continuous sampling done along a year, during the study on the arthropod fauna of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park on that island (see Alonso Zarazaga et al., in prep.)Methods and habitats sampled Sampling was done between 22 and 24 March 2001.Twenty four samples were taken in different habitats, including: springs, wet moss in walls, torrent water, Karaman-Chappuis (a hole done near a stream successively filled with interstitial water), streams and small waterfalls.Samples were washed through a 0.250 mm sieve and fixed in Angelier´s fluid (Valdecasas and Baltanás, 1989).In the laboratory, the samples were washed again, the mites sorted and kept in Koenike´s fluid before dissection.
Some additional mites conserved in alcohol, obtained during a year sampling study of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park (Alonso Zarazaga et al., in prep.) were also studied.
Only water mites in the sense of Cook (1974) are studied here.Some of the habitats had any mite.
LOCALITIES: Only the habitats with water mites are given (Fig. 1).The mites from the first three were conservated with Angelier´s fluid, all the other with alcohol.For a more detailed description of the localities, see Alonso Zarazaga et al. (in prep.).

Superfamily Eylaoidea
Family Eylaidae Leach, 1815 Viets, 1942 In 1962, Lundblad described the species Eylais canariensis from several localities in the Canary islands.After that, Viets (1968) found several specimens of Eylais planipons novata Viets, 1942 and taking in account the variability of this species, he decided that canariensis is a synonym of the later.Eylais species are very variable, and quite probably only molecular evidence could clear the taxonomic value of the present subspecific morphological variation.Previously found in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma and Gomera.NEW RECORDS: 3108A; HV-3; ADZA2; AD93; AD74; AD23A; AD42; AD23.

Superfamily Hydryphantoidea
Family Hydryphantidae Thor, 1900 Trichothyas (Lundbladia) petrophila rutae (Lundblad, 1941) Previously described with species rank but now considered only a subspecies (see Gerecke, 1996a y b for a recent review and past bibliography).Only one female specimen was found.The dorsal, ventral and palp morphology agree with the description given by Lundblad (1941).Previously found in Tenerife, La Palma and Gomera.

Superfamily Hydryphantoidea
Family Hydryphantidae Thor, 1900 Protzia cf.lata Walter, 1906 This is a variable species.We have found several males and females that fit within the range of variation given in the re-description done by Gerecke (1996aGerecke ( , 1996b)).
Main characteristics of the lata group are: coxa-1 with an apical set of some 10 seta; medial border of coxa-3 protruding; around 20 genital acetabula; small genital sclerite as in the figure (Fig. 2B); claw clawlets as illustrated (Fig. 2A).Gerecke (1999) described Protzia faber from Gomera.The variability of the genital area of the set of specimens available to me doesn't fit well with his description of faber and there are other differences in the palp as well, so it is possible that we are dealing with a new species.I prefer to postpone a decision until I have studied more material.
Previously found in La Palma and Gomera.
Previously found in Gomera.
Previously found in La Palma.

Superfamily Hygrobatoidea
Family Limnesiidae Thor, 1900 Limnesia martianezi Lundblad, 1962 Originally described from Tenerife from a female specimen.The specimen found is a male and the second specimen found of this species.It is very close to L. atlantica Lundblad, 1941 described from Madeira.I give below some body measurements to complete the description, but as the specimen was preserved in alcohol, they should be taken critically.Dorsal length: 720 µm; body width: 550 µm; genital area 190 µm in length, 140 µm in width; dorsal length palp segments: P-I: 25 µm; P-II: 85 µm; P-III: 70 µm; P-IV: 120 µm; P-V: 35; capitulum: 155 µm in length; chelicerae: 288 µm in length (Fig. 2D).R. Gerecke (in litteris, 25/Nov./2002)has pointed out the possibility that L. martianezi is a synonym of L. arevaloi, Viets 1918: "I remember that Henk Van der Hammen had made a confront between the types of this species and L.arevaloi, and he was convinced that they are synonym".
After comparing previous descriptions of L. arevaloi, including the original Viets paper, and due to the fact that the single specimen is poorly preserved, I can not confirm the synonym and prefer to keep the present status until further material is available.

Superfamily Hygrobatoidea
Family Hygrobatidae Koch, 1842 Atractides gomerae Lundblad 1962 Structure of the palp and last segments of first leg as illustrated by Lundblad, 1962.Previously found in Gomera.

Superfamily Hygrobatoidea
Family Feltriidae Viets, 1926 Feltria menzeli Walter, 1922 Only female specimens have been found that agree with Walter's (1922) original description.Fig. 2E illustrates the dorsal view.The dorsoglandularia C (sensu Cook, 1961) show different degree of fusion with the single dorsal plate D in the different specimens sampled.This taxon was previously recorded from Switzerland, Algeria and Corsica.
COMMENT: This is the first time that the genus Feltria Koenike, 1892 is found in Macaronesia.