Unionicolinae

MM169999

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

The subfamily Unionicolinae is represented by the genus Unionicola (23 spp., Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas, SA, WA, NT). Unionicola species can be discriminated from other unionicolids by this combination of characters: 5-6 pairs of genital acetabula; genital plates in females split into anterior and posterior sections; only slight dorsal sclerotisation; typically with long, movable spines on legs I.

Unionicola species are most common in standing water or slow-flowing streams. Some species live in the mantle cavities of freshwater bivalves (Viets 1980).

References

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

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

Viets, K.O. 1980. New Unionicolidae (Acari, Hydrachnellae) from Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust. 104: 27-40.