Abstract
The oribatid fauna in Ozegahara, Central Japan, was surveyed in relation to vegetation type and soil water content. Thirty six oribatid faunae under7vegetation types comprised175species which were classified into four groups based upon the quotient of similarity(Sø rensen). Two notable features of the faunae in Sphagnum communities which is the main vegetation in Ozegahara were that: 1)the number of species decreased with soil water content; 2)many species present belong to the Crotonioidea. Characteristic species in Ozegahara were the following hygrophilous species: a)Limnozetes rugosus, Hydronothrus crispus, Trimalaconothrus sp. 1and Hydrozetes terrestris in a submerged area; and b)Limnozetes ciliatus, Trhypochthoniellus setosus and Rostrozetes ovulum on a high moor. Microdistribution of these species were different from one another in relation to soil water content.
