This Piona species has no outstanding features that distinguish it from other Piona species, presenting itself as a transparent, dirty yellow colored water mite with the dark bands of the midgut. The species can only be recognized by scrutinizing the underside. The female specimen shown here, which is almost 1.5 millimeters in size, was found together with a slightly smaller specimen on 12 July 2015 in the Daarlesche Flierleiding, near the weir at the 'Overijssels kanaal' (Zwolle-Vroomshoop canal). The 'Flierleiding' is a channeled stream with moderate current, corresponding to the description of this watermites habitats in the Atlas of the Dutch Water Mites(Smit & van der Hammen 2000). The water was quite clear and seemed cleaner than in previous years. There was quite a lot of vegetation, including the narrow-leaved waterweed that is depicted in the photo.
Photos above: the gray part on the flanks, encompassed by the arches of the midgut: these are the eggs in development. In the right photo we see the light yellow path of the excretory organ, which is Y-shaped branching on the back, seen in the left photo. The color is a bit more orange there.
The mite is shown slightly more close-up in the two photos below. Especially on the right photo, you can see how the frontal part of the idiosoma (body) protrudes considerably above the base of the palps and forelimbs, the gnathosoma . The right eye is visible through the transparent idiosoma, making it seem as if the eyes are close together. A hair cone is visible on the left palp, it is more clearly visible on the magnification page of these photos.
See the watermites BIBLIOGRAPHY.