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Have mites (Acarina: Arachnida) colonised Antarctica and the islands of the Southern Ocean via air currents?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2003

P.J.A. Pugh
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Polytechnic University, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT ([email protected]) Publication Primadonnas, Fold Park Cottage, Broom Lane, Begelly, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire SA68 0XG

Abstract

Mites (Acarina: Arachnida) have not colonised Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands by ballooning on air currents. All acarine records from Pacific and Southern Ocean aerial plankton represent dead coastal (hemi)-edaphic species or phoretics dislodged from their flying insect hosts. The few sub-Antarctic records of mites capable of ‘ballooning’ on air currents are all verified as being attributed to anthropogenic introductions.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

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