Stanislav Kalúz

Two new species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Ecuador

Abstract Two new oribatid mite species, Hermannobates bifurcatus sp. nov. (Hermanniellidae) and Xenillus brevisetosus sp. nov. (Liacaridae), are described from Ecuador. Hermannobates bifurcatus sp. nov. is similar to Hermannobates monstruosus Hammer in having the combination of a tuberculate prodorsum, foveolate notogaster, and long setiform prodorsal and exuvial notogastral setae and sensilli. However it clearly differs from the latter by having some bifurcate epimeral setae, the surface of the prodorsum, and the lengths of some notogastral setae. Xenillus brevisetosus sp. nov. is similar to Xenillus davisorum J. & P. Balogh in having the combination of the same body surface sculpture and the morphology of the lamellar complex, sensilli, and prodorsal and notogastral setae. However it clearly differs from the latter by the length of the lamellar cusps, interlamellar setae and notogastral setae h1, and number of genital setae. An identification key to Ecuadorian species of Xenillus is presented.

Two new species of Oppiidae (Acari: Oribatida) from Ecuador

Two new oribatid mite species of Oppiidae, Gittella ecuadoriensis sp. nov. and Lasiobelba (Antennoppia) chistyakovi sp. nov., are described from Ecuador. Gittella and Lasiobelba are recorded for the first time from Ecuador. Gittella ecuadoriensis sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the selective characters (long, setiform and smooth notogastral setae, granulate body surface, sensilli with long cilia, absence of muscle sigilla in interbothridial and epimeral regions). Lasiobelba (Antennoppia) chistyakovi sp. nov. differs from all species of the subgenus by the setiform sensilli with long cilia and localization of lamellar setae nearer to interlamellar setae, than rostral setae. An identification key to all known species of Gittella is presented.

Two new species of Neoribates (Neoribates) (Acari, Oribatida, Parakalummidae) from India

Two new parakalummid mites of the subgenus Neoribates (Neoribates), N. (N.) ornamentus sp. nov. and N. (N.) parabarbatus sp. nov., are described from Indian soils. The first new species is morphologically most similar to Neoribates (Neoribates) punctulatus (Balogh, 1970) and Neoribates (Neoribates) szabadosi (Balogh, 1970) from New Guinea; however, it differs from the former by the length of interlamellar setae and morphology of rostrum, and from the latter by the length of interlamellar setae and morphology of body surface. The second new species is morphologically most similar to Neoribates (Neoribates) barbatus Hammer, 1968 from New Zealand and N. (N.) Neoribates (Neoribates) Balogh and Mahunka, 1978 from Australia; however, it differs from the former by body size, absence of translamella and morphology of sensilli, and from the latter by the morphology of interlamellar setae and sensilli and length of subcapitular setae h. Neoribates auranthiacus (Oudemans, 1914) is for the first time recorded in India. An identification key to species of Neoribates (Neoribates) from the Oriental region is provided. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D2A0237B-C64C-486B-8B4A-828A97FF2FDF

A New Subgenus and Three New Species of Oribatid Mites of the Family Scheloribatidae (Acari: Oribatida) from Ecuador

Abstract. A new oribatid mite subgenus, Perscheloribates (Ecuadoribates) subgen. nov., and three new species, Perscheloribates (Ecuadoribates) pentasacculus sp. nov., Fissurobates neotropicus sp. nov. and Mucrobates microsetosus sp. nov., of the family Scheloribatidae are described from Ecuador. The new subgenus differs from Perscheloribates (Perscheloribates) by the number of notogastral sacculi and number of genital setae. Fissurobates and Mucrobates are recorded for the first time in Ecuador. The morphology of gnathosoma and legs are presented for the first time for any member of Fissurobates and Mucrobates.

Two new species of Armascirus (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from Slovakia.

Two new mite species from Central Europe, viz. Armascirus fendai sp. nov. and Armascirus masani sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata, Cunaxidae) are described and figured. The keys to the known species (females and males) of the genus Armascirus are given.

Additions to the Indian oribatid mite fauna, with description of a new species of the genus Niphocepheus (Acari, Oribatida)

Abstract An annotated checklist of oribatid mite taxa from three sites of India is presented. It includes 71 species/ subspecies, 55 genera and 35 families. Twenty nine species/subspecies are recorded for the first time in India; five species/subspecies—Trhypochthonius tectorum stercus, Hermanniella aliverdievae, Sphodrocepheus tridactylus, Caenosamerus spatiosus, Dolicheremaeu distinctus—are recorded for the first time in the Oriental region. Niphocepheus neotrichus sp. nov. (Niphocepheidae) is described; it differs from other known species of Niphocepheus by the presence of epimeral neotrichy and three pairs of anal setae.

New species of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of the genera Belbodamaeus (Damaeidae), Malaconothrus (Malaconothridae) and Nothrus (Nothridae) from India

Three new oribatid mite species, Belbodamaeus indicus sp. n. (Damaeidae), Malaconothrus macrofoveolatus sp. n. (Malaconothridae) and Nothrus phylliformis sp. n. (Nothridae), are described from Indian soils. Belbodamaeus indicus sp. n. is clearly distinguishable from all species of Belbodamaeus by the absence of discidia, very long sensilli and morphology of parastigmatic tubercles Sa. Malaconothrus macrofoveolatus sp. n. is very similar morphologically to Malaconothrus yinae Yamamoto, Aoki, Wang & Hu, 1993 from China, however it differs from the latter by the morphology of notogastral and genital setae, size of body foveolae, epimeral formula, and number of genital setae. Nothrus phylliformis sp. n. is very similar morphologically to Nothrus mystax Mahunka, 1986 from Tanzania, however it differs from the latter by the smaller body size, length of interlamellar setae and the position of notogastral setae d1. An identification key to known species of Belbodamaeus is presented.

MitesProctolaelaps superaguisp. nov. andTropicoseius braziliensison bromeliadQuesnelia arvensisin Brazil

ABSTRACT Two species of flower mites from the genera Proctolaelaps Berlese, 1923 and Tropicoseius Baker and Yunker, 1964 were recorded from inflorescence of the bromeliad Quesnelia arvensis (Vell.) Mez. on the Island of Superagüi, just off the Brazilian coast, municipality of Guaraqueçaba, State of Paraná. Female and male of Proctolaelaps superagui sp. n. are described and figured in detail. This species belongs to the P. belemensis group. Quesnelia arvensis is presumably a natural host plant for Proctolaelaps superagui sp. n. and Tropicoseius braziliensis Baker and Yunker, 1964, the second species found in this work.

A new species of the genus Grandjeana (Koçak & Kemal, 2009) (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Mauritanian bat with a key to species of the genus

The genus Diplectria (Vercammen-Grandjean 1967) nec Enderlain, 1939 in family Trombiculidae is a junior homonym of the genus Diplectria Enderlein 1939 in dipteran. On the basis of homonymy was proposed the replacement name Grandjeana Koçak & Kemal, 2009 and Diplectria was replaced by a new subgeneric name Grandjeana given by them. In the present article, the authors promote it to a full genus status. A new species Grandjeana mauritanica Kalúz & Ševčík from type host Rhinopoma cystops Thomas, 1903 (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Rhinopomatidae), from Mauritania (North-West Africa) is reported, and a key with a new combinations of names to the known species of this genus is given. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:59F61AC1-C833-4DDE-9A6C-543C24202E76

The effect of herbivore faeces on the edaphic mite community: implications for tapeworm transmission

Oribatid mites may be of epidemiological and medical importance because several species have been shown to serve as intermediate hosts for anoplocephalid tapeworms of wild and domestic animals. Despite their economic and conservation significance, relatively few studies examined factors influencing the effective number of oribatid mites that can serve as intermediate hosts. We examined variation in the structure of the edaphic arthropod community in functionally different territory parts of the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota latirostris), a known definitive host of a prevalent anoplocephalid tapeworm, Ctenotaenia marmotae. We used a field experiment to test whether the abundance of oribatid mites in marmot pastures is affected by the presence of fresh herbivore faeces. We found that the abundance of soil and litter dwelling oribatid mites in marmot pastures did not change shortly after faeces addition. In contrast, numbers of other predominant soil–litter and phoretic microarthropods increased after faeces addition. The abundance of the two predominant phoretic mites colonizing the faeces was inversely related to the abundance of oribatid mites. In contrast, the abundance of a ubiquitous soil–litter mesostigmatid mite was a positive function of oribatid numbers. Although absolute numbers of oribatid mites did not change after faeces addition, our study suggests that, depending on soil quality or type, the probability of tapeworm egg ingestion by oribatid mites can be reduced due to increased interspecific prey-predatory and trophic interactions. Latrine site selection in Alpine marmots is consistent with a reduced probability of tapeworm transmission by oribatids.