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6 Tapas Chatterjee, Bhikari Charan Guru

1996, 1997, 1999; Chatterjee & De Troch 2003). In the present paper Copidogna-thus australensis (Lohmann, 1909) and Rhombognathus validipes Bartsch, 2000 are reported here, collected among algae from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This is first record of these species from India.

Materiał and methods

The materiał examined for the present study was collected from sediments among intertidal algae from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Halacarid mites were cleared in lactic acid and mounted in glycerine jelly. Drawings were prepa-red using a camera lucida. The following abbreviations are used in the text and figurę legends: AD, anterior dorsal piąte; AP, anal piąte; ds_{] 6}, dorsal setae 1-6 on the idiosoma; GA, genitoanal piąte; GO, genital opening; GP, genital piąte; OC, ocular plate(s); PAS, parambulacral seta(e); PD, posterior dorsal piąte; PGS, peri-genital setae; P,₄, first to fourth palpal segment; SGS, subgenital setae.

Systematic account

Copidognathus australensis (Lohmann, 1909)

Halacarus australensis, Lohmann, 1909: 153 Copidognathus australensis Bartsch, 1999: 316-320, figs 1, 2.

Materiał examined

Two females and two males collected from sediments among intertidal algae Jania rubens from Chatham Island, Andaman Islands, India.

Brief descriptions based on Indian materials (Figures 1A-D, 2A-D)

Idiosomal lengths of females 326-375 pm, and of males 340-360 pm. Areo-lae and costae on dorsal plates with rosette pores, remainder of plates foveate. Each rosette porę with ostium and 4-6 canaliculi. AD with 3 areolae, 1 anterior and 2 medial. Paired ds, anterior to middle areolae on AD. Each OC with 2 cor-