Diversityof soil mite communities in different habitats of Saskhori quarries, Georgia

Murvanidze, Maka; Todria, Nino; Mumladze, Levan; Kalatozishvili, Levan

doi:10.22073/pja.v7i3.37647

Diversityof soil mite communities in different habitats of Saskhori quarries, Georgia

Authors

Maka Murvanidze ¹

Nino Todria ²

Levan Mumladze ³

Levan Kalatozishvili ⁴

¹ Institute of Entomology, Agricultural University of Georgia. 240, D. Aghmashenebeli Alley, 0131 Tbilisi, Georgia; E-mail: m.murvanidze@agruni.edu.ge

² Institute of Entomology,Agricultural University of Georgia. 240, D. Aghmashenebely Alley, 0156Tbilisi, Georgia;E-mail: m.murvanidze@agruni.edu.ge,ntodr2013@agruni.edu.ge

³ Institute of Ecologyand Insititute of Zoology,Ilia State University. Cholokashviliave 3/5, 0165, Tbilisi, Georgia;E-mail: lmumladze@gmail.com

⁴ nstitute of Botany,Ilia State University,Cholokashviliave 3/5, 0165, Tbilisi, Georgia;E-mail: kalatozishvililevan@gmail.com

10.22073/pja.v7i3.37647

Abstract

Faunal diversity of the oribatid and mesostigmatid mites was investigated in four habitats (woodland, hemy-xerophiticshrubs, degraded steppe and perennial calcareous and oligotrophic grassland) of Saskhori limestone quarry. Mining processes are not yet started and semi-natural ecosystems are still preserved. Fifty one species of oribatidmites and nine morphospecies of mesostigmatid mites were identified. Two species of mesostigmatid mites ZerconmonigenusBłaszak, 1972and TrachytesstammeniHirschmannetZirngiebl-Nicol, 1969are new records for Caucasian fauna and two more - Proprioseiopsismessor(Wainstein, 1960) and Neoseiulus montanus (Wainstein, 1962a)(both Gamasina) are new for Georgia. Highest number of species was recorded on perennial calcareous and oligotrophic grasslands (43), which were followed by forests (37) and shrubs (25). Degraded steppes were extremely poor by soil mite species – only three oribatid species and no mesostigmatans were recorded there. Overall faunal composition indicateshabitat specific anthropogenic disturbance in studied habitats and less disturbed harboring important rare and sensitive species of mites.

Keywords

Oribatida

Mesostigmata

Saskhori quarry

HeidelbergCementCaucasus