Elizabeth A. Hugo-Coetzee

A new genus of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with Trinervitermes trinervoides (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa

A new monotypic genus of scutacarid mites, Gerdalbertia gen. nov. (Acari: Pygmephoroidea: Scutacaridae), with type species G. elongata sp. nov. is described from nests of and phoretic on termites, Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjostedt, 1911) (Isoptera: Termitidae), from South Africa. The taxonomic position of the new genus is discussed.

New and interesting oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) near Potchefstroom (South Africa), with description of two new species

Abstract The present study is based on oribatid mite material (Acari, Oribatida) collected near the city of Potchefstroom in South Africa. A list of identified taxa, including 44 species from 34 genera and 21 families, is presented; of these, five species (Epilohmannia dimorpha, Cultroribula bicuspidata, Suctobelbila fonticula, Protoribates paracapucinus, Galumna baloghi) and one genus (Cultroribula) are recorded in the fauna of South Africa for the first time; one species (Limnozetes palmerae) is recorded in the Ethiopian region for the first time. Two new species belonging to the genera Scheloribates and Galumna are described. Scheloribates (Scheloribates) potchefstroomensis sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to S. (S.) diversidactylus (Hammer, 1961) and Scheloribates (S.) tricarinus Coetzer, 1968, but differs by the bothridial setae with developed heads and porose body surface. Galumna (Galumna) curvifamulus sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to G. (G.) colombiana Ermilov, 2017, but differs by the posteromedial localization of setal alveoli la, tuberculate medioanterior part of prodorsum, striate pteromorphs, smooth subcapitular mentum and the positions of lyrifissures ih and ips. The systematic placement of Urubambates calcaratus Mahunka, 1984 is discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposal: Scheloribates calcaratus (Mahunka, 1984) comb. nov.

A new species of Scutacarus (Acari: Heterostigmata: Scutacaridae) associated with Trinervitermes trinervoides (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa

ABSTRACT A new termitophilous species Scutacarus termitophilus sp. nov. is described from nests of and phoretic on termites, Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjöstedt, 1911) (Isoptera: Termitidae), from South Africa. The association between mites of the genus Scutacarus and termites is recorded for the first time. www.zoobank.org/lsid:zoobank.org:pub:58874A09-47AB-4F05-9613-72C107CCA2F2

Ameroid mites (Acari; Oribatida) from northwest of Iran with description of a new species of Ctenobelba Balogh, 1943

Abstract This study deals with ameroid mites (Acari: Oribatida: Ameroidea) from East Azerbaijan province, northwest of Iran. Also, a new species Ctenobelba (C.) mikaeeli sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on adult specimens. A table with selected characters of all known species of the subgenus Ctenobelba (Ctenobelba) Balogh, 1943 is provided.

A new genus and two new species of Pygmephoridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with Trinervitermes trinervoides (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa

Abstract A new genus of pygmephorid mites, Micropygmephorus gen. nov. (Acari: Pygmephoroidea: Pygmephoridae), and two new species, M. pusillus sp. nov. and M. heterotrichus sp. nov. are described from nests of and phoretic on termites, Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjöstedt, 1911) (Isoptera: Termitidae), from South Africa. The taxonomic position of the new genus is discussed.

New Oppiidae (Acari: Oribatida) from the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in South Africa.

A checklist of Oppiidae sampled at Golden Gate Highlands National Park in central South Africa is provided. Twelve genera and 17 species were recorded of which one species, Arcoppia fenestralis, is recorded from South Africa for the first time. One new subgenus and six new species were identified and are described. The new species are Brachioppia louwi sp. nov., Brachioppiella (B.) dawidi sp. nov., Brachioppiella (B.) goblina sp. nov., Kokoppia mandelai sp. nov., Lanceoppia (L.) scytheae sp. nov., Oppiella (Q.) goldengatensis sp. nov.. Oppiella (Quattoppiella) subgen. nov. is characterized by the absence of costulae on the prodorsum and having four pairs of genital setae.

Valbehanella freestatensis gen. nov., sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida) from South Africa

Abstract A new oribatid mite genus, Valbehanella gen. nov., with type species, V. freestatensis sp. nov., is proposed and described from South Africa. The genus is tentatively included in Unduloribatidae, and if so would be the first record of this family from the southern hemisphere. Valbehanella gen. nov. can clearly be distinguished from the two other unduloribatid genera by lacking a lenticulus, having differently positioned notogastral setae and thinner cerotegument and simple lamellar cusps.

Oribatid Mites of the Genus Eremulus Berlese, 1908 (Acari: Oribatida: Eremulidae) from South Africa

ABSTRACT The oribatid mite genus Eremulus Berlese, 1908 is reported from South Africa for the first time. Two new species, Eremulus spindleformis sp. n. and E. southafricanensis sp. n., are described, and an additional description ofEremulus flagellifer is given, based on material in the collection of the National Museum (Bloemfontein, South Africa). An identification key to African species of Eremulus is presented.

Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Licnodamaeus Grandjean, 1931 and synonymy of Licnodamaeolus Covarrubias, 1998 (Acari, Oribatida, Licnodamaeidae)

Abstract Two new oribatid mite species of the genus Licnodamaeus (Oribatida, Licnodamaeidae) are described based on adult material collected from a termite nest in South Africa. Licnodamaeus navalhillensis sp. nov. is similar to L. travei (Covarrubias, 1998) comb. nov., but differs by the clavate bothridial setae. Licnodamaeus sacculatus sp. nov. is similar to L. asetosus (Ermilov & Hugo-Coetzee, 2012) comb. nov., but differs by the unilaterally dilated bothridial setae, four pairs of notogastral setae, tridactylous legs and saccules on all leg femora and trochanters III, IV. The taxonomic status of the genus Licnodamaeolus is discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposal: Licnodamaeus Grandjean, 1931 (=Licnodamaeolus Covarrubias, 1998 syn. nov.).

New taxa of the family Microdispidae (Acari: Heterostigmata) associated with Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjostedt) (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa

ABSTRACT A new genus and two new species of termitophilous microdispid mites, Parapunicodoxa striata gen. nov. and sp. nov. and Punicodoxa lineata sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata: Microdispidae), are described associated with termites, Trinervitermes trinervoides (Sjostedt) (Isoptera: Termitidae) from South Africa. The genus Punicodoxa Mahunka, 1978; is redefined. The mite family Microdispidae is recorded from South Africa for the first time. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6F02CC67-6C8C-43DA-8A43-56A6C26D049A