A review of the Macrochelidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of the British Isles

Thirty-two species of mites of the family Macrochelidae are now known to occur in the British Isles.Descriptions are given for the nine species, including one new to science, recorded for the first time, and for other selected species.Habitat and distributional data are given and keys to the genera and species for adults are provided.Two neotypes and four lectotypes are newly designated.The genus Dissoloncha Falconer, 1923 is resurrected and four specific names are newly synonymized.H.HYATT & R. M. EMBERSON some species have been undertaken.Taxonomic work has proceeded at all levels within the family both in Europe and elsewhere.Generic concepts have changed, many new species have been described and the type specimens of old species re-examined.Groups of closely related species have been recognised and in some cases distinguished with the help of breeding experiments.It therefore seems appropriate to apply this new understanding of the group to the fauna of the British Isles, particularly as part of the acarine collection of the Rev. J. E. Hull, containing some of his type material of British macrochelids, has been found and is now housed in the Arachnida collections of the British Museum (Natural History).Evans & Browning (1956) recorded and gave descriptions of twenty-three species of Macrochelidae.It now seems likely that at least one and probably two of the species recorded by them are not members of the British fauna.The inclusion of these species was based on old records and no British material was seen by Evans & Browning or in the extensive collections examined in the present study.The names of seven previously recorded species must be changed.In all, nine species, one previously undescribed, are reported from the British Isles for the first time.