Water Mites (Hydrachnidia) From the Bolshoy Yugan River Basin, Western Siberia

Abstract

In this work, we present the data pertaining to the fauna and ecology of water mites found in the water bodies of the Bolshoy Yugan River Basin in the vicinity of the Yugansky State Nature Reserve. The Bolshoy Yugan River, Nyogusyakh River, Lake Yegipamynglor, as well as a number of floodplain lakes were studied. We collected 29 species of water mites from 12 families, including a rare species, Lebertia oblonga Koenike, 1911. The distribution and seasonal dynamics of these water mites were investigated. In the rivers, water mites are represented by rheophilous fauna, which, albeit its regular occurrence in samples, is low in abundance and diversity of species. The fauna of stagnant waters is more numerous and diverse, and is represented by eurytopic species. Only two of the eurytopic species are common to rivers and lakes.