Water mites (Acariformes: Hydrachnidia, Halacaroidea) of the Visimsky Nature Reserve (Central Urals)

Abstract

Water mites of the Urals have been poorly studied. In 2019–2020, we studied water mites from the water bodies of the Visimsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve and its surroundings, as well as from the territory of the Chusovaya River Nature Park. Different sites of watercourse of the Sulyom River, its tributaries, spring, permanent and temporary ponds were investigated. In total, 64 species of water mites Hydrachnidia and 6 species of Halacaridae were revealed. The upper areas of the Sulyom River and its small tributary, the Kamenka River, were richest in species diversity and number of water mites. In these rivers, rhitrobiontic species prevailed. In the middle and lower course of the Sulyom River the number and quantity of mite species were significantly lower. The diversity of mites in the Chusovaya River, near the confluence of the Sulyom River was low however, the highest mite numbers were noted here. The most specific associations of mites were revealed in the helocrene spring and in the sphagnum bogs. At the same time, mites from the standing waters of the Visimsky Reserve neighborhood, provided by water reservoir, artificial ponds and ditches, had a rather poor species composition and a low number. According to the faunal composition and structure of the acarofauna of the Visimsky Nature Reserve and the Central Urals are similar to East European, however, it has both, Eastern Palearctic elements and species currently only known from the Urals.

Keywords

• distribution
• fauna
• ecology
• number
• ural mountains
• rivers