Chelicerata are a basically terrestrial group of invertebrates,
including many clades whose representatives have never found an
evolutionary way to aquatic live. An exception is made by some spiders
and the highly diverse aquatic mites which in inland water habitats are
represented by members of numerous different clades having evolved an
aquatic or amphibious lifestyle along various evolutionary pathways. For
the first time in limnofaunistic bibliography, the present taxonomic
knowledge about these different groups of invertebrates is brought
together in an overview for the Central-European fauna.
This second volume includes taxonomic keys and ecological information
for the two species-rich superfamilies Hydryphantoidea and Lebertioidea
of the freshwater mites (Hydrachnidia). A further volume in preparation
will include the remaining two superfamilies, Hygrobatoidea and
Arrenuroidea.
The chelicerata volumes of this series are a basic tool for all
limnologists interested in diversity and ecology - in particular for
biologists investigating the ecotones between ground- and surface water,
between benthos and plankton, and between water and land.