Sergey G. Ermilov

Catalogue and historical overview of juvenile instars of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida)

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) comprise a taxonomically and morphologically diverse suborder of about 10,000 described species, not including the hyporder Astigmata, with collectively a global distribution. They are primarily soil and litter inhabitants, feeding on fungi and decaying plant remains with various levels of specificity. Though all five active instars are important for reasons that relate to both ecology and systematics, most species are known only as adults. Our purpose was to gather the existing world literature on the active juvenile instars (i.e., excluding prelarva) of oribatid mites, to put classifications and nomenclature in a current context, and to identify the nature of the information in each paper. A selected historical overview identifies the contributions of 19th century authors C.L. Koch, H. Nicolet and A.D. Michael, and summarizes errors that resulted in various oribatid mite juveniles being classified in genera, families and even suborders that were different from those of their adult instars. The catalogue includes all species known to us for which juveniles have been described: 805 species in 310 genera, representing only about 8% of the known oribatid mite species and 30% of genera. These represent 118 families, about 70% of those known. At the superfamily level, representation is weakest among the diverse Oppioidea and Oribatuloidea, and those superfamilies with juveniles that are endophagous in organic substrates, such as Phthiracaroidea, Euphthiracaroidea and Carabodoidea. Representation is strongest in the middle-derivative hyporder Nothrina, in which adults and juveniles are more easily associated, and in brachypyline superfamilies that are mostly affiliated with aquatic, semiaquatic or intertidal environments, such as Limnozetoidea and Ameronothroidea. Juvenile instars remain unknown for 45 families of Brachypylina. Four new nomenclatural actions were proposed: Ojaithrus nymphoides Habeeb, 1982 is a junior synonym of Hydrozetes californiensis Habeeb, 1974, Cepheus feideri Suciu & Panu, 1972 is a junior synonym of Conoppia palmicincta (Michael, 1880). Two species are recombined: Ceratozetes kirgisicus (Shaldybina, 1970) comb. nov. (from Ceratozetella); Scheloribates (Hemileius) nicki (Denmark & Woodring, 1965) comb. nov. (from Hemileius).

The Galumnoid fauna (Acari: Oribatida) of Cat Tien National Park (Southern Vietnam) with description of two new species

ABSTRACT We have registered 11 species, five genera, two families, of Galumnoidea in Cat Tien National Park (southern Vietnam). Genera Leptogalumna Balogh, 1960 and Neogalumna Hammer, 1970 are the first records for Vietnam. Two new species Pergalumna indistincta n. sp. and Galumna pseudokhoii n. sp. are described from dark loamy soil of Lagerstroemia forest. P. indistincta n. sp. is similar in notogastral indistinct areae porosae, punctate body surfaces, morphology of prodorsal setae, and incomplete dorsosejugal suture only to Pergalumna amorpha Mahunka, 2008 from Thailand, but differs by body size, morphology of notogastral areae porosae, and development of adanal setae ad 2. G. pseudokhoii n. sp. is very similar in location and morphology of notogastral areae porosae, morphology of rostral, lamellar, and interlamellar setae; location of lamellar lines; and incomplete dorsosejugal suture to Galumna khoii Mahunka, 1989 from Vietnam, but differs by body size, morphology of sensilli, and number of genital setae on anterior parts of genital plates.

Oribatid mites of the genera Epilohmannia, Furcoppia and Unguizetes (Acari: Oribatida: Epilohmanniidae; Astegistidae; Mochlozetidae) from Vietnam

Abstract Three new species of oribatid mites, Epilohmannia crassisetosa sp. nov., Furcoppia cattienica sp. nov. and Unguizetes asiaticus sp. nov., are described. All three are from dark loamy soil of Lagerstroemia forest in the Cat Tien National Park (southern Vietnam). The species E. pallida pacifica Aoki and U. sphaerula (Berlese) are newly recorded in Vietnam. Diagnostic keys to the Vietnamese species of Epilohmannia and Unguizetes are presented. Mochlozetes atypicus Mahunka, 1982 is reinstated in the genus Unguizetes.

Three new species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida: Galumnoidea) from Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Three new species of oribatid mites of the superfamily Galumnoidea, Galumna lanceosensilla n. sp., Trichogalumna africana n. sp. (both Galumnidae), and Galumnopsis giganteus n. sp. (Galumnellidae), are proposed and described. All new species were collected in soil from Bale Mountains National Park of Southern Ethiopia.

A new species of Dolicheremaeus (Acari: Oribatida: Tetracondylidae) from Ethiopia

Abstract The oribatid mite genus Dolicheremaeus comprises more than 160 species. We describe a new species, Dolicheremaeus aethiopicus sp. nov., collected in soil from Bale Mountains National Park (African region, Ethiopia). This new species differs from other species by a combination of the length of prodorsal setae; morphology of rostral setae and sensilli; morphology and number of notogastral condyles and the morphology of the notogastral setae; number of epimeral setae; and the morphology of leg setae u.

Taxonomic study of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) of Bi Dup—Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam)

A list of oribatid mite taxa from six localities of Bi Dup-Nui Ba National Park (southern Vietnam) is provided. It includes 89 species/subspecies, 68 genera, and 40 families, of these 23 species, two subgenera, 15 genera and seven families are recorded for the first time in Vietnam. Three species (Elaphoppia quadripilosa, Exoribatula cf. longior, Allogalumna (Allogalumna) rotundiceps), one subgenus (Lohamnnia (Carolohmannia) and one genus (Elaphoppia) are recorded for the first time in the Oriental region. Fourteen new species, Lohmannia (Carolohmannia) monosetosa sp. nov., Tectodamaeus heterotrichus sp. nov., Allosuctobelba vietnamensis sp. nov., Epieremulus bidupensis sp. nov., Dolicheremaeus insolitus sp. nov., Fissicepheus striganovae sp. nov., Tegeocranellus martinezi sp. nov., Anachipteria svetlanae sp. nov., Indoribates (Indoribates) bicarinatus sp. nov., Peloribates tatyanae sp. nov., Neoribates (Neoribates) monodactylus sp. nov., Allogalumna (Allogalumna) paramachadoi sp. nov., Galumna (Neogalumna) longilineata sp. nov., G. (N.) tolstikovi sp. nov., are described. The taxonomic status of the two galumnid genera, Neogalumna and Globogalumna, is discussed: Neogalumna is proposed as the subgenus Galumna (Neogalumna) stat. nov.; Globogalumna is proposed as the subgenus Allogalumna (Globogalumna) stat. nov. An identification key to the known species of Galumna (Neogalumna) is given.

Two new species of Pergalumna (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae) from Costa Rica, including a key to all species of the genus from the Neotropical region.

Abstract Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Pergalumna (Oribatida, Galumnidae), P. elongatiporosa sp. n. and P. striatiprodorsum sp. n., are described from leaf litter of a secondary forest in Costa Rica. Pergalumna elongatiporosa sp. n. is most similar morphologically to P. horvathorum P. Balogh, 1997 and P. sura P. Balogh, 1997, however, it differs from both by the body size, body surface ornamentation and morphology of notogastral porose areas A1 and A3. Pergalumna striatiprodorsum sp. n. is most similar morphologically to P. hawaiiensis hawaiiensis (Jacot, 1934) and P. strigulata Mahunka, 1978, however, it differs from P. hawaiiensis by the length of interlamellar setae and surface ornamentation of the prodorsum; from P. strigulata by the surface of ornamentation of the notogaster, length of interlamellar setae and morphology of bothridial setae. An identification key to known species of Pergalumna from the Neotropical region is given.

Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae (Acari, Oribatida) from Vietnam

Abstract Two new species of oribatid mites of the family Galumnidae, Allogalumna monodactyla sp. n. and Galumna (Galumna) paracalcicola sp. n., are described from dark loamy soil under crown of Ficus sp. in southern Vietnam. Allogalumna monodactyla sp. n. is the first identified member of Allogalumna recorded for Vietnam. The identification keys to the species of Allogalumna from the Oriental region and species of Galumna (Galumna) from Vietnam and the calcicola-group are given.

Morphology of adult and juvenile instars of Galumna obvia (Acari, Oribatida, Galumnidae), with discussion of its taxonomic status

Abstract The adult instar of the oribatid mite, Galumna obvia (Berlese, 1914), is redescribed in detail, on the basis of specimens from Finland. The morphology of juvenile instars of G. obvia is described and illustrated for the first time, and compared to that of other species of the family Galumnidae. The position of the insertion of the lamellar seta in adults proved variable in studied European populations, being either on or medial to the lamellar line. Since the genera Galumna and Pergalumna are currently distinguished only by the relative positions of the seta and line, specimens of G. obvia in some populations show an intermediate situation between other studied Galumna species – with lamellar seta on or lateral of lamellar line – and Pergalumna with lamellar seta at a distinct distance medially of lamellar line. A detailed reevaluation of the two genera is needed.

Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) from acacia and pine plantations in southern Vietnam, with description of a new species of the subgenus Galumna (Cosmogalumna)

Abstract An annotated checklist of oribatid mite taxa from acacia and pine plantations of Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve (Southern Vietnam) is presented. The species Ctenacarus araneola, Nehypochthonius porosus,Scheloribates mahunkai, Scheloribates kraepelini, Indoribates panabokkei, genera Ctenacarus,Nehypochthonius and families Ctenacaridae and Nehypochthoniidae are first records from Vietnam, and of these Nehypochthoniidae, Nehypochthonius and Nehypochthonius porosus are first records from the Oriental region. A new oribatid mite species, Galumna (Cosmogalumna) dongnaiensis sp. nov. (Galumnidae), is described from soil in a pine plantation. The new species is distinguishable from all species of the subgenus Galumna (Cosmogalumna) by the sculpturing of the prodorsum and pteromorphs and the number of notogastral porose areas.