Mites of the genus Eupodes (Acari, Prostigmata) from maritime Antarctica: a biometrical and taxonomic study

A series of 40 male and 40 female mites of the prostigmatid genus Eupodes from the maritime Antarctic were each scored for 58 morphological characters, and principal co‐ordinate analyses were performed on each data set. The analyses produced three clusters of points, which were interpreted as representing three species. One of these species, identified as Eupodes minutus (Strandtmann), the only species of Eupodes currently known from the maritime Antarctic, is redescribed. The other two species, E. exiguus up. and E. parvus nsp., are described. Two subspecies are recognized for the latter species, E. p. parvus from the South Orkney Islands, and E. p. grahamensis nsp. from the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. The geographical distribution and habitat preferences of the four text are discussed, and a key to the species is presented.