Sperchon
Kramer, 1877
Sperchon is a of water mites ( Sperchontidae) found in freshwater running waters across Eurasia and North America. Larvae exhibit intermediate morphological traits between 'lower' and 'higher' water mites, combining -seeking adaptations with ancestral plate structures. The genus is one of the most diverse and abundant groups of arthropods in freshwater .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Sperchon: /ˈspɛr.kɒn/
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Habitat
Running waters and freshwater streams. Specimens have been collected from unnamed streams in Anhui Province, China, and various localities in Turkey.
Distribution
Eurasia and Northern America. Confirmed records from Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Vermont (USA), and Texas (USA).
Life Cycle
Larvae combine features of 'lower' and 'higher' water mites: adapted for underwater -seeking like higher mites, yet retain smaller and variable plates reminiscent of lower mites. Complete developmental stages and are not well documented.
Ecological Role
Water mites in the Sperchontidae, including Sperchon, are among the most abundant and diverse groups of arthropods in freshwater .
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- An Unusual New Species of Sperchon (Acari: Sperchontidae) from Texas, with Notes on Its Biology
- Water mites of the genus Sperchon Kramer (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Sperchontidae) from Turkey, with description of two new species
- Complete Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Water Mite Species in the Family Sperchontidae (Acari: Hydrachnidiae): Characterization and Phylogenetic Implications.