Sarraceniopus nipponensis sp. nov. and S. hughesi (Astigmata, Histiostomatidae) from Sarraceniaceous pitchers bred in Japan.

Abstract

Insectivorous pitcher plants have long been favored by many Japanese hobbyists. Some species of the family Sarraceniaceae, endemic to northern America, have been artificially hybridized for a considerable period in Japan. Three species of the genus Sarraceniopus (Histiostomatidae) have been recorded from the cylindrical or tube-like leaves containing dead and decomposing insects in the U.S. and Canada. Leaves collected from the Kyoto University Experimental Farm (Kyoto Prefecture), Atagawa Tropical and Alligator Garden (Shizuoka Prefecture) and a flower shop in Tsukuba (Ibaraki Prefecture) were investigated for Sarraceniopus mites in Japan. As a result, two species of the genus were collected: Sarraceniopus hughesi (Hunter & Hunter, 1964) was a new record in Japan and a new species, S. nipponensis sp. nov. is described here.