Nestor Fernandez

The family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) I. Description of a new genus, Bovicarabodes with three new species, and the redescription of Hardybodes mirabilis Balogh, 1970

This is the first part of a revision of the family Carabodidae by us. The new genus Bovicarabodes comprises three new species from Madagascar, Bovicarabodes deharvengi, Bovicarabodes levyi and Bovicarabodes fortdauphini, which are described and illustrated. Many morphological aspects found in the genus Bovicarabodes, that also exist in several other genera but have not been described before, are introduced and discussed in particular sections such as “Protection mechanisms” and “Medial eye”. Other Carabodid genera which also present these features are indicated, studied and compared. The study is based on adult specimens using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The system of leg folding as well as the structure of the medial eyes were studied and compared to type material of many other Carabodid genera. A redescription of Hardybodes mirabilis Balogh, 1970, based on a study of the type material, is included. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F7E57D3B-026C-4763-80ED-42E2B0CF8EDF

Family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) V. The genus Congocepheus Balogh, 1958 (Second Part), with a redescription of Congocepheus involutus Mahunka, 1997, and descriptions of two new species

ABSTRACT The species Congocepheus involutus Mahunka, 1997 is redescribed, and two new species are described, Congocepheus gabonensis n. sp. and Congocepheus ektactesi n. sp., using optical and scanning electron microscopy.

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) IV. Afticarabodes anjavidilavai gen. nov., sp. nov., Rugocepheus joffrevillei sp. nov. and redefinition of the genus Rugocepheus Mahunka, 2009

Afticarabodes anjavidilavai gen. nov., sp. nov. and Rugocepheus joffrevillei sp. nov., both found on the island of Madagascar, are described and figured based on adult specimens, with the aid of optical and scanning electron microscopy. The genus Rugocepheus Mahunka, 2009 is redefined. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:55F39F3B-B8DD-47DC-A029-FC91FAA2AB3E

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) VI. Mangabebodes kymatismosi gen. nov., sp. nov. and Antongilibodes paulae gen. nov., sp. nov. from Madagascar

This is the sixth in a series of revisions on the family Carabodidae, in which we describe and illustrate two new genera, Mangabebodes kymatismosi gen. nov., sp. nov. and Antongilibodes paulae gen. nov., sp. nov., both from the island of Madagascar. The work is based on adult specimens studied with the aid of optical and scanning electron microscopy. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5D0FD938-0B9A-4594-8FFE-65A8DD2B8CC4

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) III. Redefinition of Meriocepheus peregrinus Aoki, 1973; Bathocepheus concavus Aoki, 1978; and Opisthocepheus kirai Aoki, 1976

Meriocepheus peregrinus Aoki, 1973; Bathocepheus concavus Aoki, 1978; and Opisthocepheus kirai Aoki, 1976 are redescribed and illustrated based on adult specimens studied by means of optical microscopy. The three genera are redefined.

The family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) V. The genus Congocepheus (first part) with redescriptions of Congocepheus heterotrichus Balogh 1958, Congocepheus orientalis Mahunka 1987 and Congocepheus hauseri Mahunka 1989

Congocepheus heterotrichus Balogh 1958, Congocepheus orientalis Mahunka 1987 and Congocepheus hauseri Mahunka 1989 are redescribed and illustrated based on adult specimens, using optical microscopy. Detailed descriptions are given of the three species, but detailed leg studies are available only for specimens of C.orientalis and C.hauseri. Several errors in the original descriptions are addressed.

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) II. Redescription of Austrocarabodes ensifer (Sellnick, 1931), Aokiella florens Balogh & Mahunka, 1967 and Singabodes rarus Mahunka, 1998

Austrocarabodes ensifer (Sellnick, 1931) is redescribed and illustrated based on adult specimens using optical microscopy as well as scanning electron microscopy. Aokiella florens Balogh & Mahunka, 1967 and Singabodes rarus Mahunka, 1998 are redescribed and figured based on adult specimens using optical microscopy only. These three species are the type species of their respective genera, thus allowing us to redefine each. Although it is likely that Singabodes may be a synonym for Aokiella, further study is necessary to resolve the uncertainty.

Oribatid mites from deep soils of Hòn Chông limestone hills, Vietnam: the family Lohmanniidae (Acari: Oribatida), with the descriptions of Bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen., n. sp., and Paulianacarus vietnamese n. sp.

ABSTRACT In this first work on the oribatid mite fauna of Hòn Chông limestone hills, Vietnam, we describe Bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen., n. sp. and Paulianacarus Vietnamese n. sp., in both cases studied with optical microscopy. Bedoslohmannia n. gen. presents a very interesting “leg-folding process”, unusually shaped legs and significant notogastral neotrichy. Paulianacarus Balogh, 1960 is newly reported from Vietnam and P. Vietnamese n. sp. is most similar to P. rugulosus Mahunka, 1995 from Thailand.

The family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VIII. The genus Machadocepheus (first part) Machadocepheus leoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheus rachii sp. n. from Gabon

Abstract The genus Machadocepheus, being one of the more complex genera of the Carabodidae family, is briefly outlined to demonstrate this complexity. Descriptions of two new species from Gabon, Machadocepheus leoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheus rachii sp. n. are given.

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VII. Redefinition of the genus Malgasodes; redescription of M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000; and complementary description of M. hungarorum Mahunka, 2010. Phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed

Abstract The genus Malgasodes is redefined; the type species M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000, is redescribed by means of studies using optic and Scanning Electron Microsopy (SEM), and a complementary description of M. hungarorum Mahunka, 2000 is included. Comparison of genera Malgasodes Mahunka, 2000, Bovicarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013a, Cavaecarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, Rodriguez Castillo, 2014, Afticarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013b, and Congocepheus Balogh, 1958 is made. Problems concerning chaetotaxy, regressive evolution and neotrichy are explained and phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed.