Pioninae

MM179999

The Pionidae is a family of water mites in the superfamily Hygrobatoidea. In Australia there are four genera in three subfamilies.

The subfamily Pioninae is represented by the genus Piona (5 spp., NSW, Vic, Tas, WA, NT and other records from Qld (HCP)). Piona can be differentiated from other pionids by this combination of characters: more than 3 pairs of genital acetabula; tarsal claws of leg III modified in male; tibia of leg IV with a shallow or deep concavity in the male.

Piona species inhabit standing water, particularly weedy margins of lakes and ponds.

References

Cook, D.R. 1986. Water mites from Australia. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 40: 1-568.

Harvey, M.S. 1996. A review of the water mite family Pionidae in Australia (Acarina: Hygrobatoidea). Rec. West. Aust. Mus. 17: 361-393.

Harvey, M.S. 1998. The Australian Water Mites: a Guide to Families and Genera. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Vic.