264 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



BRITISH FRESHWATER MITES. 

 By C. F. George. 



TN Science-Gossip for 1881, 1882, 1883 and 1884 

 are papers written by me on Arreniirus (a 

 family of freshwater mites), in which I described 

 and figured the members of this family I had then 

 met with and identified. 



I have now to add two more species not described 

 in any of these papers, and, so far as I know, not 

 before recorded as British. The first, Arremanis 

 crassipetiolatus, Koenike, is a very beautiful blood- 

 red mite, reminding one somewhat of A . trimspida- 

 tor, but rather larger. The males of the Arrenuri 

 are easily identified by their tails, one species 

 differing so palpably from another that a very 



creatures are most beautiful, and best examined 

 whilst alive ; yet very interesting mounts in balsam 

 can be prepared from them, although the colours, 

 of course, are greatly altered. When well mounted, 

 they form very beautiful additions to the cabinet, 

 and will last for years. I have not yet identified 

 the female of this mite ; the male was found by 

 me on September gth, 1895. 



The second mite is much smaller than A . crassi- 

 petiolatus, it is of a beautiful green colour, and is at 

 present known as Arremirus bruzclii, Kcenike. Its 

 colour becomes bluish when mounted in balsam ; 

 it appears to be Koch's A. albator, and with minute 



Fig. I. — a, Arrenurus crassi- 

 petiolatus, male ; b, tail. 



Fig. 2.— n Arrenurus bruzeHi, male; 6, tail ; f, female; rf, genital plates of female. 



casual examination under the microscope is 

 sufficient for identification. The figures accom- 

 panying this article have been kindly drawn for 

 me by my friend, Mr. Chas. D. Soar, who has had 

 the living creatures from me. The legs are not 

 figured, they are of the usual Arrenurus type, the 

 last leg having the remarkable spur on the last 

 joint but two well developed. The tail, which is 

 well and clearly figured, requires no description, 

 'iaut should be compared with the other figures of 

 the males of this family to be found in the 

 volumes of Science-Gossip mentioned in the 

 beginning of this paper. I may say that all these 



examination and some imagination, it will be found 

 to agree with the figure in his " Deutschlands 

 Crustaceen," etc.. Heft 12, Taf 15-16, published 

 1835-41 ; but why he should name it Arrenurus 

 albator, Miill., I cannot imagine. Miiller's figure 

 does not resemble it either in shape or colour. It 

 has been found and described by several authors, 

 in different countries, and under different names ; 

 according to Piersig, BruzeMus described and 

 figured it under the name of A. emarginator, in 

 1884 ; Krendowskij as A. albator, in 1885 ; Koenike 

 as A . bruzelii; whilst Berlese named it A . mallcator. 

 Kirton-in-Lindsey ; January, 1897. 



