Halacarellus obsoletus n. sp. (Arachnida: Acari: Halacaridae), an Associate with Antarctic Hexactinellid Sponges

• Published in: Mitteilungen aus dem Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin. Zoologisches Museum und Institut für Spezielle Zoologie (Berlin)
• Main Author: Bartsch, Ilse
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1995
• Subjects: Antarctic; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mmnz.19950710113; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fmmnz.19950710113; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/mmnz.19950710113

Abstract Halacarellus obsoletus n. sp. is described. The halacarid was found within the tissue of the hexactinellid sponges Rossella antarctica, R. nuda, R. racovitzae , and Scolymastra joubini which are abundant in the shelf area of eastern Weddell Sea. H. obsoletus is thought to be an obligate associate with these sponges. The species is characterized by slender idiosoma with extremely delicate plates and slender legs ending with scythe‐shaped claws.