Affiliation: | aWestfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Zoologisches Institut, AG Limnologie, Münster, Germany bBiesingerstr. 11, D-72070 Tübingen, Germany cErnst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität, Zoologisches Institut und Museum, Greifswald, Germany |
Abstract: | Females of a new water mite species of the genus Hygrobates (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) were found to parasitize Pachytriton labiatus (Unterstein, 1930) (Amphibia, Salamandridae), a newt species from S China. Obviously, their particularly modified mouthparts are an adaptation for penetrating the amphibian skin. These data provide the first record of an adult water mite parasitizing a vertebrate host. |