A NEW SUBSPECIES OF THE GENUS GALUMNA HEYDEN , 1826 ( ACARINA : ORIBATIDA : GALUMNIDAE ) FROM UTTARAKHAND , INDIA

von Heyden (1826) established the genus Galumna with Notaspis alata Hermann, 1804 from Germany as the type under the family Galumnidae Jacot, 1925. The super family Galumnoidea Jacot, 1925 is one of the superfamilies under suborder Cryptostigmata of the order Acarina. These mites are commonly known as galumnid mites. The "characteristicallyshaped" galumnid mites possess two wing-like "pteromorphae" at both sides of notogaster giving then1 a conspicuous look. Most of these mites are highly pigmented and heavily sclerotized.


INTRODUCTION
von Heyden (1826) established the genus Galumna with Notaspis alata Hermann, 1804 from Germany as the type under the family Galumnidae Jacot, 1925.The super family Galumnoidea Jacot, 1925 is one of the superfamilies under suborder Cryptostigmata of the order Acarina.These mites are commonly known as galumnid mites.The "characteristicallyshaped" galumnid mites possess two wing-like "pteromorphae" at both sides of notogaster giving then1 a conspicuous look.Most of these mites are highly pigmented and heavily sclerotized.
They are inhabiting in all types of soil but predominantly found in soil litter, humus and compost heaps.Galumnids have a worldwide distribution including Antarctica (Subias, 2004).
In India, a total of 13 species of Galumna are known till date.Of these, six species have been described from India as new to science (Pearce, 1906;Ewing, 1910;Deb and Raychaudhuri, 1975;Haq and Adolph, 1980).The present report is based on the material collected from Uttarkashi, Uttarankhand during the taxonomic survey of oribatid mites in the area.
The measurements of the specimen have been given in micron CJ1m).The type-specimen on which the description of new taxa is based, is deposited in the National Zoological Collection, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.Dorsosejugal suture incomplete; pteromorph with prominent median ridge, few slits and pit of ta present; notogaster with 4 pairs of clearly visible area porosae (Fig. 1); Aa largest and elongated but slightly curved in shape, 10 pairs of notogastral setae present; mp very small, circular in shape.
In ventral regIon, a crenate line present across hypostome; 3 paIrs of epimeral plates distinct.
Genital plate with 6 prominent simple setae among them anterior two sets are closely situated (Fig. 3); aggenital setae very prominent, present at equal distance between genital and anal plates.