Mites of the genus Polyaspinus (Mesostigmata, Uropodina) from Slovakia with description of a new species

Three species of the genus Polyaspinus were found in Slovakia. Polyaspinus kovaci sp. n. has been newly described, P, schweizeri and P. nicolae have been redescribed. Critical revision of previously published data on Polyaspinus specimens from Slovakia confirmed that P. schweizeri and P. kovaci sp. n. had been misidentified as P. cylindricus or Uroseius cylindricus, respectively. Some features of both occurrence and distribution indicate that P. schweizeri belongs to an endemic component of the mountains of the Carpathian sub-provenance (optimum occurrence at altitudes from 450 to 1,350 m a. s. l.). P. kovaci sp, n, prefers lowland floodplain forests (known occurrence at altitudes from 115 to 145 m a. s. l.). A key to adults of European Polyaspinus species is presented.