Spongihalacarus longiscutus, a new genus and species of marine mite (Acari: Prostimata: Halacaridae) associated with an alga-sponge symbiosis from the Great Barrier Reef

A new genus and species of marine mite, Spongihalacarus longiscutus n. sp. was described from Great Keppel Island. A single female specimen was extracted from "sponge weed", collected at a depth of 1 metre on 2 April 1999. "Sponge weed" is a symbiosis between the red alga, Ceratodictyon spongiosum and the sponge, Haliclona cymaeformis.A new subfamily, Spongihalacarinae n. subfam. was also established to incorporate this single genus. This research was conducted as part of a survey of marine mites from northern Australia. The holotype (QMS105568) was lodged with the Museum of Tropical Queensland, Townsville.

从大克佩尔岛描述了一种海洋螨虫的新属新种——长刺海绵海螨（Spongihalacarus longiscutus n. sp.）。唯一的雌性标本采自1999年4月2日于1米水深处收集的“海绵藻”。“海绵藻”是红藻Ceratodictyon spongiosum与海绵Haliclona cymaeformis之间的共生体。同时建立了新亚科——海绵海螨亚科（Spongihalacarinae n. subfam.），以包含该单一属。本研究是澳大利亚北部海洋螨虫调查的一部分。正模标本（QMS105568）存放于汤斯维尔的昆士兰热带博物馆。