Majka, C.G., V. Behan-Pelletier, D. Bajerlein, J. Bloszyk, G.W. Krantz, Z. Lucas, B. Oconnor & I.M. Smith. 2007. New records of mites (Arachnida: Acari) from Sable Island, Nova Scotia. The Canadian Entomologist 139: 690-699.

Summary: Reported here are 14 mite species found on Sable Island. Uropoda orbicularis (Müller) and Scarabaspis inexpectatus (Oudemans) are newly recorded for North America, Macrocheles nemerdarius Krantz and Whitaker is newly recorded for Canada, and Trichoribates striatus Hammer is recorded for the first time south of the sub-arctic zone.

Given the remote location of the island, there are several possible modes of dispersal and colonization for the different components of the mite fauna, including:

·         Dispersal via post-glacial continental-shelf bridges – postglacial emergent islands may have served as a conduit for species from refugia on George's Bank to Sable Island.

·         Avian-mediated colonization – mites may have been transported to Sable Island from the mainland in association with birds.

·         Introduced taxa and human-mediated dispersal – some mites may have arrived with dung beetles that were inadvertently introduced in association with imported livestock and plants.

 The presence of subarctic mites such as Trichoribates striatus and Trhypochthoniellus setosus canadensis on Sable Island is particularly interesting. Postglacial paleontological evidence (Miller & Elias 2000) indicates that between 12,700 and 11,800 years BP, beetle assemblages in Nova Scotia consisted of tundra and tree-line species. These are not found in younger sediments (11,800-10,800 BP)—found instead are typical boreal assemblages that flourished as the climate warmed and trees began to appear. Subarctic mites could have reached Sable via continental shelf land bridges behind the retreating ice and might represent a surviving relict of the former subarctic fauna of the Maritime Provinces.