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Fossil oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) from the Florisbad Quaternary deposits, South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Louise Coetzee  and
James S Brink
Louise Coetzee
Affiliation:
Department of Acarology, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfotein 9300, South Africa
James S Brink
Affiliation:
Florisbad Quaternary Research, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfotein 9300, South Africa
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Abstract

In a pioneer application of acarology to Quaternary fossil-bearing sediments in southern Africa, the oribatid composition in the Florisbad Quaternary sediments was determined and compared to the currently known distribution of those species. Nine species of oribatid mites were recorded in the Holocene aeolian deposits of the third test pit, three species from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) horizon sediments of the third test pit, and thirteen species from the Holocene spring sediments. The Florisbad results indicate a better agreement between the oribatid fauna of the last interglacial MSA horizon of the third test pit and the organic-rich mid-Holocene deposits near the spring than between either of these and early- and late-Holocene aeolian sediments of the third test pit, suggesting some similarity in microsedimentary environments. The majority of the species recorded in the sediments are parthenogenetic and can be regarded as pioneer species.

Keywords

FlorisbadQuaternary sedimentsOribatid mitesParthenogenesis
Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 59 , Issue 2 , March 2003 , pp. 246 - 254
Copyright
Elsevier Science (USA)

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