Polarized Mite

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TonyT
Posts: 184
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2020 8:30 pm
Location: New Brunswick, CANADA

Polarized Mite

#1 Post by TonyT » Fri Nov 05, 2021 8:45 pm

I am still sorting through different Berlese funnel litter samples. Mites are very abundant, haven't counted but seems like 20-30 species.
For all species, except 1, there are numerous individuals. The odd one was this critter, a hard black ball that appears to be carrying a house on its back.
Top image: Nikon MPlan 20x, reflected light; mite in Euparal.
2nd image: closeup of weird bent hairs on the dorsal surface
3rd image: the even weirder legs that terminate in a very fine point with a single claw.
Olympus BH2, 20x Splan objective, 1.25x intermediate tube, 2.5x projection eyepiece.

Mite extracted into 100% Methanol, washed in methanol, excess removed, mounted in Euparal.
Any ideas as to species?
Attachments
polarized mite 29x21.jpg
polarized mite 29x21.jpg (43.95 KiB) Viewed 2267 times
polarized mite hairs 29x21.jpg
polarized mite hairs 29x21.jpg (15.37 KiB) Viewed 2267 times
polarized mite legs 29x21.jpg
polarized mite legs 29x21.jpg (43.23 KiB) Viewed 2267 times
New Brunswick
Canada

BramHuntingNematodes
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:29 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Polarized Mite

#2 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:15 pm

Should see lots of these beetle mites Berlese described some himself they crawl about in the moss and dirt
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Polarized Mite

#3 Post by dtsh » Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:21 pm

Very nice. I'd love to see a ventral view if you happen upon one.

Sure Squintsalot
Posts: 393
Joined: Mon May 16, 2022 3:44 pm

Re: Polarized Mite

#4 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Tue May 17, 2022 10:26 pm

That's pretty wild.

How did you get them on to a slide? Cover slip? Did you permanently mount them?

Greg Howald
Posts: 1185
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 6:44 am

Re: Polarized Mite

#5 Post by Greg Howald » Sat Jun 18, 2022 2:52 pm

There ya go. How can such an ugly thing be so beautiful. Good work.

Javier
Posts: 806
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 11:19 am
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Re: Polarized Mite

#6 Post by Javier » Sat Jun 18, 2022 3:59 pm

Awesome work, thanks for sharing!

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