Family BRACHYCHTHONIIDAE Thor, 1934
- Brachychthoniidae Thor, S. 1934. Neue Beiträge zur Kenntnis der invertebraten Fauna von Svalbard. Zoologischer Anzeiger 107: 114-139.
Introduction
The family Brachychthoniidae is large and cosmopolitan, with 11 genera and 169 species (Schatz et al. 2011; Subias 2011). They are diverse and abundant in forest litter and soil, grassland, and Arctic and Subarctic habitats (Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009). They are very small and, perhaps for that reason, very little is known of their feeding habits or other aspects of their biology. The Australian fauna includes seven identified species in four genera, as well as records of unidentified species in two more genera. Some of the records may be questionable, and are based on misidentifications or misspelled names (see Colloff & Halliday (1998) for details). Unidentified species have been recorded from Australia a number of times as listed for each genus, and unidentified Brachychthoniidae were also reported by Springett (1979, as Brachypthonidae), Noble et al. (1996) and Adolphson & Kinnear (2008).
Marshall et al. (1987) recorded Liochthonius brevis (Michael, 1888) from Australia. This observation was based on the record of Brachychthonius cf. perpusillus (Berlese, 1910) from Australia by Womersley (1945), and the fact that B. perpusillus was considered to be a synonym of L. brevis. However, Womersley's identification of B. perpusillus was only tentative, and Lee (1982) considered that the Womersley specimens were actually Liochthonius simplex (Forsslund, 1942), and not L. perpusillus or L. brevis.
Excluded Taxa
- Misidentifications
BRACHYCHTHONIIDAE: Brachychthonius perpusillus Berlese, 1910 — Berlese, A. 1910. Acari nuovi. Manipulus V, VI. Redia. Giornale di entomologia, Firenze 6: 199-234 pls XVIII-XXI
BRACHYCHTHONIIDAE: Liochthonius brevis (Michael, 1888) — Michael, A.D. 1888. British Oribatidae. London : Ray Society Vol. II pp. i–xi + 337–657 + Plates XXV–LIV.
General References
Adolphson, H. & Kinnear, A. 2008. Acari (mite) assemblages under plantations of bluegum, Eucalyptus globulus, in southwestern Australia. Pedobiologia 51: 427–437
Berlese, A. 1910. Acari nuovi. Manipulus V, VI. Redia. Giornale di entomologia, Firenze 6: 199-234 pls XVIII-XXI
Forsslund, K.H. 1942. Schwedische Oribatei (Acari). I. Arkiv för Zoologi 34A(10): 1-11
Lee, D.C. 1982. Sarcoptiformes (Acari) of South Australian soils. 3. Arthronotina (Cryptostigmata). Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 18: 327-359
Marshall, V.G., Reeves, R.M. & Norton, R.A. 1987. Catalogue of the Oribatida (Acari) of continental United States and Canada. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 139: 1-418
Noble, J.C., Whitford, W.G. & Kaliszewski, M. 1996. Soil and litter microarthropod populations from two contrasting ecosystems in semi-arid eastern Australia. Journal of Arid Environments 32: 329-346
Norton, R.A. & Behan-Pelletier, V.M. 2009. Suborder Oribatida. pp. 430–564 in Krantz, G.W. & Walter, D.E. (eds). A Manual of Acarology. Lubbock, Texas : Texas Tech University Press Third edition, 807 pp.
Schatz, H., Behan-Pelletier, V.M., OConnor, B.M. & Norton, R.A. 2011. Suborder Oribatida van der Hammen, 1968. pp. 141–148 in Zhang, Z.-Q. Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness. Auckland : Magnolia Press.
Springett, J.A. 1979. The effects of a single hot summer fire on soil fauna and on litter decomposition in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 4: 279-291
Subias, L.S February 2011. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes: Oribatida) del mundo (excepto fósiles). Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain. http://www.ucm.es/info/zoo/Artropodos/Catalogo.pdf [date of access 1 October 2011]
Womersley, H. 1945. Australian Acarina. The genera Brachychthonius Berl. & Cosmochthonius Berl. (Hypochthonidae - Oribatoidea). Records of the South Australian Museum (Adelaide) 8: 219-223
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05-Dec-2019 | Acari | 20-Sep-2021 | MODIFIED | Dr Bruce Halliday |
| 01-May-2017 | Acari | 20-Sep-2021 | MODIFIED | Dr Bruce Halliday |
| 07-May-2013 | 20-Sep-2021 | MODIFIED | ||
| 07-May-2013 | 07-Aug-2012 | MOVED | ||
| 07-May-2013 | 28-Jul-2010 | MOVED | ||
| 07-May-2013 | 28-Jul-2010 | MOVED | ||
| 08-Jul-2010 | MODIFIED |