Belongs within: Holonota.
The Hermanniidae are a cosmopolitan group of oribatid mites. The best-known species, the Holarctic Hermannia gibba, is an unspecialised feeder on decaying litter and fungi (Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009).
Moderately convex
Published 9 June 2025
Workers on oribatid taxonomy will often refer to the distinction between ‘higher’ oribatids and ‘lower’ oribatids. Though the distinction is a matter of pragmatism rather than phylogenetics (the ‘higher’ oribatids or Brachypylina are most likely monophyletic but the ‘lower’ oribatids are certainly not), it remains useful for discussing the distribution of a number of features of morphology and lifestyle. Nevertheless, it is hardly surprising that some taxa would not comply easily with such a simple division, and foremost among these is the genus Hermannia.
Hermannia species have a relatively long genu (the segment between femur and tibia) in each leg that is not shortened to form a distinct ‘knee’ segment as in higher oribatids. Nevertheless, they share with higher oribatids the close position and fusion of the genital and anal plates on the underside of the body, so the two open in sync like the bomb-bay doors of a military plane (Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009). As a result, multiple authors have suggested that Hermannia represents a transitional group between high and low, the sister lineage to the Brachypylina. However, recent molecular analyses have suggested that Hermannia is instead the sister group of the highly derived Astigmatina (e.g. Dabert et al. 2010), implying that their shared features with Brachypylina reflect a convergence.
Hermannia convexa was one of the first species currently included in the genus to be described, as far back as 1839. It is a relatively large oribatid, growing well over a millimetre in length, and may be recognised by its relatively broad notogaster, long, thread-like bothridia, and finely punctate cuticle (Woas 1978). The majority of records of H. convexa are from localities in central and northern Europe, to which it may be endemic; isolated records from further afield, in Virginia and the Seychelles, probably warrant reinvestigation.
A widespread feature of oribatids (including Astigmatina) is the presence of oil glands in the opisthosoma. The compounds secreted by these oil glands may serve multiple functions but two prominent uses are as alarm signals or for defense. The oil glands of Hermannia convexa were investigated by Raspotnig et al. (2005) who found that juvenile H. convexa produced a range of compounds similarly to those found in Astigmatina–a potentially interesting result if Hermannia and Astigmatina are indeed close relatives. However, in adult H. convexa, the oil glands became much reduced and possibly non-functional. Juvenile oribatids lack the tough protective cuticle of the adults; perhaps the defensive functions of the oil glands become redundant once the mite is protected by its physical armour.
Systematics of Hermanniidae
Characters (Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009): Holoid, with epimera II and III fused so that sejugal articulation is only present dorsally; proterosoma not retractable into hysterosoma. Base of bothridial seta with conspicuous sharp proximal d bend. Hysterosoma rather globose, sometimes granulate but without carinae or other strong surface topography; notogaster distinct from ventral region throughout its length, not subdivided transversely. Ventral region of brachypyline type, with adanal and aggenital regions broad, completely fused, aggenital region fused with epimere IV; genital and anal plates closely adjacent. Legs with five free segments past coxisternum, femora undivided; genua similar to tibiae in size and shape, not reduced to kneelike segment.
<==Hermanniidae [Hermannioidea]S04 |--Galapagacarus Balogh 1985 [Galapagacaridae]S04 | `--*G. shatzi Balogh 1985S04 |--Neohermannia Bayoumi & Mahunka 1979S04 | `--*N. trichosa Bayoumi & Mahunka 1979S04 `--Hermannia Nicolet 1855S04 | i. s.: H. ovulum (Haupt 1882) [=Nothrus ovulum]M98 | H. sellnickiSC19 |--H. (Hermannia)S04 | |--H. (H.) gibba (Koch 1839) [=Nothrus gibbus; incl. *H. crassipes Nicolet 1855]S04 | |--H. (H.) canariensis Pérez-Íñigo & Peña 1996S04 | |--H. (H.) clara Sitnikova 1975S04 | |--H. (H.) convexa (Koch 1839) (see below for synonymy)S04 | |--H. (H.) dentipes Canestrini 1898 (n. d.)S04 | |--H. (H.) doliaris (Koch 1839) (n. d.) [=Nothrus doliaris]S04 | |--H. (H.) exilis Canestrini 897 (n. d.)S04 | |--H. (H.) fungifer Mahunka 1988S04 | |--H. (H.) gigantea Sitnikova 1975S04 | |--H. (H.) heterotricha Mahunka 1988S04 | |--H. (H.) hokkaidensis Aoki & Ohnishi 1974S04 | |--H. (H.) jesti Travé 1977S04 | |--H. (H.) neotricha Choi 1994S04 | `--H. (H.) trinebulosa Riley 1885 (n. d.)S04 |--H. (Heterohermannia Woas 1992)S04 | |--H. (*H.) reticulata Thorell 1871 [incl. H. quadriseriata Banks 1899]S04 | |--H. (H.) evidens Pérez-Íñigo 1992S04 | |--H. (H.) gracilis Woas 1978S04 | |--H. (H.) intermedia Woas 1980S04 | |--H. (H.) minuta Woas 1980S04 | |--H. (H.) nodosa Michael 1888S04 | |--H. (H.) polystriata Woas 1978S04 | |--H. (H.) pseudonodosa Woas 1981S04 | |--H. (H.) pulchella Willmann 1952S04 | |--H. (H.) scabra (Koch 1879) [=Nothrus scaber]S04 | |--H. (H.) schusteri Woas 1981S04 | |--H. (H.) subglabra Berlese 1910S04 | `--H. (H.) woasi Pérez-Íñigo 1992S04 `--H. (Phyllhermannia Nicolet 1855) [incl. Lawrencoppia Jacot 1936]S04 |--H. (*P.) phyllophora Michael 1908S04 |--H. (P.) africana (Balogh 1958) [=Phyllhermannia africana]S04 |--H. (P.) angulata (Balogh & Mahunka 1966) [=Phyllhermannia angulata]S04 |--H. (P.) becki (Pérez-Íñigo & Baggio 1988) [=Phyllhermannia becki]S04 |--H. (P.) berlesei (Mondal 1984) [=Phyllhermannia berlesei]S04 |--H. (P.) bimaculata (Hammer 1979) [=Phyllhermannia bimaculata]S04 |--H. (P.) clavata Mahunka 1985S04 |--H. (P.) colloffi (Luxton 1991) [=Phyllhermannia colloffi]S04 |--H. (P.) comparabilis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) coronata (Mahunka 1991) [=Phyllhermannia coronata]S04 |--H. (P.) dentata (Trägårdh 1931) [=Phyllhermannia dentata; incl. P. dentata glabra Hammer 1962]S04 |--H. (P.) dinghuensis Lu & Wang 1995S04 |--H. (P.) engelbrechti Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) eusetosa (Lee 1985) [=Phyllhermannia eusetosa]S04 |--H. (P.) exobothridialis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) exornata (Balogh 1964) [=Phyllhermannia exornata]S04 |--H. (P.) falklandica (Balogh 1988) [=Phyllhermannia falklandica]S04 |--H. (P.) foliata (Hammer 1966) [=Phyllhermannia foliata]S04 |--H. (P.) forsteri (Balogh 1985) [=Phyllhermannia forsteri]S04 |--H. (P.) foveolata (Sanyal 1990) [=Phyllhermannia foveolata]S04 |--H. (P.) gladiata (Aoki 1965) [=Phyllhermannia gladiata]S04 |--H. (P.) javensis (Hammer 1979) [=Phyllhermannia javensis]S04 |--H. (P.) kanoi Aoki 1959S04 |--H. (P.) louisiae Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) mauritii (Jacot 1936) [=Lawrencoppia mauritii]S04 |--H. (P.) modesta (Mahunka 1978) [=Phyllhermannia modesta]S04 |--H. (P.) mollis (Hammer 1966) [=Phyllhermannia mollis]S04 |--H. (P.) natalensis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) nathanaeli Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) neonominata Subías 2004S04 (see below for synonymy) |--H. (P.) neotropica Woas 1992S04 |--H. (P.) notogastralis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) pacifica (Hammer 1972) [=Phyllhermannia pacifica]S04 |--H. (P.) pauliani (Balogh 1964) [=Phyllhermannia pauliani]S04 |--H. (P.) phylliformis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) pocsi Mahunka 1985 (n. d.)S04 |--H. (P.) pulchra (Aoki 1973) [=Phyllhermannia pulchra]S04 |--H. (P.) punctata (Sanyal 1990) [=Phyllhermannia punctata]S04 |--H. (P.) quadrirotunda (Hammer 1979) [=Phyllhermannia quadrirotunda]S04 |--H. (P.) rubra (Hammer 1966) [=Phyllhermannia rubra]S04 |--H. (P.) sculpturata Mahunka 1983S04 |--H. (P.) serrata (Balogh & Mahunka 1966) [=Phyllhermannia serrata]S04 |--H. (P.) setiformis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) similis (Balogh & Mahunka 1967) [=Phyllhermannia similis]S04 |--H. (P.) spathulata Mahunak 1985S04 |--H. (P.) tenuiseta (Balogh 1988) [=Phyllhermannia tenuiseta]S04 |--H. (P.) transvaalensis Wet 1993S04 |--H. (P.) tremicta (Mahunka 1978) [=Phyllhermannia tremicta]S04 |--H. (P.) truncata (Wang 1993) [=Phyllhermannia truncata]S04 `--H. (P.) tuberculata (Covarrubias 1967) [=Phyllhermannia tuberculata]S04
Hermannia (Hermannia) convexa (Koch 1839) [=Nothrus convexus; incl. H. grandis Berlese 1910, Claviceps rugosus Koch 1879]S04
Hermannia (Phyllhermannia) neonominata Subías 2004S04 [=Phyllhermannia mauritii Balogh 1978 non Lawrencoppia mauritii Jacot 1936S04, P. mauritanicaM78]
*Type species of generic name indicated
References
Dabert, M., W. Witalinski, A. Kazmierski, Z. Olszanowski & J. Dabert. 2010. Molecular phylogeny of acariform mites (Acari, Arachnida): strong conflict between phylogenetic signal and long-branch attraction artifacts. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56 (1): 222-241.
[M78] Mahunka, S. 1978. Neue und interessante Milben aus dem Genfer Museum XXVII. A first survey of the oribatid (Acari) fauna of Mauritius, Reunion and the Seychelles I. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 85 (1): 177–236.
[M98] Michael, A. D. 1898. Oribatidae. In: H. Lohmann (ed.) Das Tierreich. Eine Zusammenstellung und Kennzeichnung der rezenten Tierformen vol. 3. Acarina pp. 1–93. R. Friedländer und Sohn: Berlin.
Norton, R. A., & V. M. Behan-Pelletier. 2009. Suborder Oribatida. In: Krantz, G. W., & D. E. Walter (eds) A Manual of Acarology 3rd ed. pp. 430–564. Texas Tech University Press.
Raspotnig, G., G. Krisper & R. Schuster. 2005. Ontogenetic changes in the chemistry and morphology of oil glands in Hermannia convexa (Acari: Oribatida). Experimental and Applied Acarology 35: 47–58.
[SC19] Schaefer, I., & T. Caruso. 2019. Oribatid mites show that soil food web complexity and close aboveground-belowground linkages emerged in the early Paleozoic. Communications Biology 2: 387.
[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.
Woas, S. 1978. Die Arten der Gattung Hermannia Nicolet 1855 (Acari, Oribatei). I. Beitr. Naturk. Forsch. SüdwDtl. 37: 113–141.