WATERMITES - taxonomy

Taxonomy of the watermites is complex, because the ancestors were probably several land species which moved to the water at one time or another, and so watermites form a heterogeneous group (Wesenberg Lund 1939). Early naturalists did not have our knowledge and excellent books, and they didn't know what to think of the encountered watermite larvae and nymphs, often these were inadvertently named as different species. Reading parts of Kritisch historisch overzicht der Acaralogie (Oudemans, 1929) gives a good impression of the difficulties the first investigators must have had, with their rather primitive equipment. And so the watermites were classified again and again in different systems on the basis of new insights by later investigators like Koenike, Kramer, Piersig and Williamson. Their names are still present in the scientific names of watermites:
- as an author name: Hygrobates calliger Piersig 1986
- as an species name: Limnesia Koenikei Piersig 1984
- as an genus name: Neumania imitata Koenike 1908.

There are many classification systems for animals. On this page a scheme I constructed on basis of a small part of the ”Taxon Tree” of the Fauna Europaeae (see link lower on this page).

Please note: The scheme on this page is incomplete, may contain errors and is not based on my own insights. It's only here to show a possible taxonomic place for the watermite species on this website and to show the complexity of the watermite taxonomy. Do NOT use it as a reference.

The scheme starts at the top with the giant phylum of the arthropods (Arthropoda), one of the fifteen phyla in the subkingdom Eumetazoa, which holds almost all animal species. Other phyla are for example the molluscs (Mollusca) and the vertebrates (Chordata).

Within the arthropods the watermites are placed in the Chelicerata, the ”animals that wear chelicerae”. Spiders have chelicerae in the form of a sort of fangs, which are poisonous. Watermites have other, more knife- or needlelike chelicerae which are not poisonous as far as I know, but the mouthparts do inject protein dissolving saliva.

Descending the scheme, we meet with the infraclass Acarina, here the mitelike and ticklike creatures have been gathered in a large group, some works give this group the alternative name Acari. )¹ The Acarina are subsequently devided in the mitelike creatures (Acariformes) and the ticklike creatures (Parasitiformes). )² The Acariformes are subdivided in three orders, the order Prostigmata contains the watermites. Prostigmata are mites that have the openings of their breathing tubes (stigmata) lying at front (Pro-), upon the mouthparts.

In this scheme the watermites are grouped in eight superfamilies which, together with a number of superfamilies of land mites are gathered in a suborder, the Anystina. )³

See also page 1 for a description of the relations of some of the (sub)orders in this scheme.