Water mites of the family Hydrodromidae (Acari: Hydrachnidia) from Iran

Hydrodromidae (V i e t s 1936) is a cosmopolitan monotypic family of water mites. So far, only three species of the genus Hydrodroma Koch, 1837, are known to occur in Iran: Hydrodroma despiciens (MUller, 1776), H. torrenticola (Walter, 1908) and H. rheophila Cook, 1967. During a survey of the freshwater fauna of Iran, several species of the water mite genus Hydrodroma Koch were collected, including two new species for the fauna of Iran. All species have been deposited in the collection of the first author. In the section "Locality records" collecting site abbreviations derive from the geographical database Pesic, The composition of the material is given as: (males/females/deutonymphs). List of established species of the water mite family Hydrodromidae in Iran: Hydrodroma rheophila Cook, 1967 Material examined: IR16 Southeastern Iran, Kerman Province, stream in Sirch village (50 km E from Kerman), 24.07.2003, leg. Pesic (0/4/0). Record from the study area: Far s -S c h woe r bel and S epa s g 0 s a ria n (1978). Distribution: India, Iran. Remarks: A combination of further diagnostic characters is a single, short swimming hair on segments four and five of the third and fourth legs and the palpal segments are much stockier, especially P-4 (C 0 0 k 1967). The specimens from Kerman are in a general agreement with the orginal description. Hydrodroma reinhardi Pesic, 2002 Material examined: IR49 Tehran Province, Elbrus Mt., Shahrestanak stream (on Karaj-Chalus road), 18.08.2003, leg. Pesic, Asadi & Saboori (2/5/0). Distribution: Mediterranean (France-Corsica, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro). New for the water mite fauna of Iran. Remarks: The number of swimming setae on legs in two specimens from the Shahrestanak stream is in the range of variability recorded by Pes i c (2002) for the Mediterranean samples (in square brackets see Table 1). Hydrodroma torrenticola (Walter, 1908) Material examined: IR8 Mazandaran Province, Abshar stream near Ramsar (on lavaher deh road), 36°55'N 50 T=240, 19.07.2003, leg. Pesic, Asadi, Saboori (0/1/0). Record from the study area: Mazandaran (Lahidjan) S c h woe r bel and S epa s g 0 s a ria n (1978). Distribution: Europe, Iran. Remarks: The number of swimming setae on legs in the specimen from the Mazandaran Province is in the range of variability recorded by G ere c k e (1991) for the Sicilian specimens (in square brackets; Table 1).