Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 46(3) 2003

Issue:

VOL 46(3) 2003

Keywords:

Eupodoidea, Endeostigmata, morphology, subcapitulum, lateral lips+rutella, labrum, hypostome

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Observations on the morphology of some eupodoid and endeostigmatic gnathosomata (Actinotrichida, Actinedida, Eupodoidea and Endeostigmata)

• Katarzyna JESIONOWSKA

Abstract:

The paper presents a new description of the gnathosoma, especially the subcapitulum (= infracapitulum) and hypostome of some eupodoid and endeostigmatic mites. As a result of these observations a new interpretation of the subcapitulum and hypostome is offered. The subcapitulum is formed by partly fused aspidosoma limbs such as laterallips+rutella type, hypostome type and the labrum, not by enlarged pedipalp coxae and their endites. The subcapitulum contains only preoral cavity, not the pharynx which lies in aspidosoma (idiosoma). The unpaired hypostome delimiting the subcapitulum from below continues anteriorly into free labium. It is most probably remnant of the primary limbs positioned behind the basal parts of the lateral lips+rutella, and is homologous with anactinotrichid tritosternum. The basal parts of the chelicerae and pedipalps (coxal regions) arise from aspidosoma and have no evident morphological connection with the subcapitulum. The chelicerae and pedipalps have rather functional contact with subcapitulum in order to simplify food reception.