﻿128 Journal New York Ent. Soc. [Voi. iii. 



SOME ACARIANS FROM A SPHAGNUM SWAMP. 



By Nathan Banks. 



Near the village of Roslyn, L. I., N. Y., there is, on a hill about 

 one hundred feet high, a deep swamp, locally known as "The Black 

 Swamp." Sphagnum grows abundantly in the swamp, and in some 

 places it is covered with water for a considerable portion of the year. 

 It was from the sphagnum which was covered with a few inches of 

 water that the following mites were taken. None of the forms exhibit 

 any peculiar structure fitting them for their semi-aquatic life. One of 

 the Oribatids has very long setfe, and another species, which I have also 

 found elsewhere, has slightly longer setas than when in drier situations. 



GAMASID.-E. 

 Laelaps placidus, sp. nov. 



Length .65 mm. Reddish yellow, legs and venter more yellowish 

 Body oval, narrower in front, broadly rounded behind ; dorsal shield smooth 

 undivided, covering entire dorsum, with a few very short and fine hairs, es- 

 pecially behind ; epistoma longer than broad, rounded at tip, with a faint median 

 spine and minute denticulations each side ; the mandibles moderate, the superior 

 branch bearing a sharp tooth or spine near its tip beneath and one or two short basal 

 hairs, the finger or movable branch much more slender than the superior branch. 

 The scuta which bears the peritreme on its lower margin gradually broadens in 

 front, the circular spot of peritreme opposite the space between third and fourth 

 coxse. The legs about equally stout, the first pair a little longer than the fourth, and 

 not quite as long as the body ; all provided with short stiff bristles, and terminate in 

 a prominent sucker, as well developed on the first pair as on the rest ; anterior coxae 

 separated by the bases of the mandible and palpi ; the latter one-half as large as the 

 legs and two-thirds as long as the body. Ventral shield divided at the third coxce ; 

 not covering the whole of the venter, .but leaving a quite broad, membraneous, white 

 portion on the sides and behind ; the shield smooth, bluntly pointed behind and there 

 containing a round, white dot; a narrow, interrupted, transverse shield at bases of 

 mandibles and palpi. 



Several specimens in wet sphagnum, near Roslyn, N. Y. Like 

 some other species of the genus it resembles a Uropoda. 



ORIBATID.E. 

 Oribata palustris, sp. nov. 



Length .42 mm. Red-brown, legs yellowish, a white spot at base of abdomen. 

 Tectal plate very short, no superior bristles, anterior bristles short; setae moder 

 ate, clavate, not as long as depth of wings, which are much deeper than long at base. 

 Body short, high, broad, globose, wings prominent ; venter finely granulate, genital 

 opening about its length in front of the much larger and somewhat triangular anal 



