Ctenobelba

Dorsal (left) and ventral views of Ctenobelba perezinigoi, from Norton & Behan-Pelletier (2009).

Belongs within: Circumdehiscentiae.

Ctenobelba is a Palaearctic genus of oribatid mites with tactile first legs.

Characters (from Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009): Length 400–500 µm. Gnathosoma normal; chelicerae with dentate chelae, two setae; rutella normally developed. Prodorsum without true lamellae, with parallel costulae; shorter in length than notogaster. Notogaster without scalps; with ten pairs of setae, one seta anterior to lyrifissure ia; octotaxic system absent; dorsophragmata and pleurophragmata absent; paired opisthonotal glands opening directly on notogaster. Pedotectum II present. Proral setae of tarsi spiniform.

<==Ctenobelba Balogh 1943 [incl. Elapheremaeus Grandjean 1944; Ctenobelbidae] S04
    |--*C. pectinigera (Berlese 1908) S04 (see below for synonymy)
    |--C. apatomorpha Iturrondobeitia, Saloña et al. 1998 S04
    |--C. brevipilosa Mahunka 1965 S04
    |--C. csiszarae Mahunka 1977 S04
    |--C. foliata Hammer 1961 S04
    |--C. grancanariae Pérez-Íñigo & Peña 1997 S04
    |--C. longisetosa Suzuoka & Aoki 1980 S04
    |--C. mahnerti Mahunka 1974 S04
    |--C. marcuzzii Mahunka 1974 S04
    |--C. obsoleta (Koch 1841) (n. d.) [=Murcia obsoleta] S04
    |--C. parafoliata Pérez-Íñigo 1991 S04
    |--C. perezinigoi Moraza 1985 S04
    |--C. pilosella Jeleva 1962 [incl. C. tuberculata Kulijev 1966] S04
    |--C. polysetosa Aoki & Yamamoto 2000 S04
    |--C. pulchellula Gil-Martín & Subías 1997 S04
    |--C. serrata Mahunak 1964 S04
    |--C. simplex (Willmann 1940) [=Eremobelba simplex] S04
    |--C. soloduchi Pankov 1988 S04
    `--C. translamellata Iorkansky 1990 S04

*Ctenobelba pectinigera (Berlese 1908) S04 [=Eremobelba pectinigera S04, Elapheremaeus pectinigera G46; incl. Amerobelba bicarinata Berlese 1910 S04, Ctenobelba fenestrata Pérez-Íñigo 1990 S04, Notaspis maculosa Warburton & Pearce 1905 (n. d.) S04]

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[G46] Grandjean, F. 1946. Les poils et les organes sensitifs portés par les pattes et le palpe chez les oribates. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France 71: 10–29.

Norton, R. A., & V. M. Behan-Pelletier. 2009. Suborder Oribatida. In: Krantz, G. W., & D. E. Walter (eds) A Manual of Acarology 3rd ed. pp. 430–564. Texas Tech University Press.

[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.

Heterobelbidae

Dorsal view (A), cerotegument (B), leg II (C) and ventral view (D) of Heterobelba barbata, from Norton & Behan-Pelletier (2009).

Belongs within: Circumdehiscentiae.

The Heterobelbidae are a mostly pantropical (absent from Australia) group of oribatid mites which carry scalps as adults attached to a pair of humeral tubercles.

Characters (from Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009): Length 300–400 µm. Gnathosoma normal; chelicerae with dentate chelae, two setae; rutella normally developed. Prodorsum without true lamellae. Scalps present, tightly affixed on pair of humeral tubercles at anterior of notogaster; octotaxic systema absent; dorsophragmata and pleurophragmata absent; paired opisthonotal glands opening directly on notogaster. Genital plates with seven pairs of setae. Tibiae and tarsi without porose areas.

<==Heterobelbidae
    |--Furcodamaeus Pérez-Íñigo & Baggio 1980 S04
    |    `--*F. bifurcatus Pérez-Íñigo & Baggio 1980 S04
    |--Haplobelba Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    |    `--*H. simplex Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    `--Heterobelba Berlese 1913 S04
         |--*H. galerulata Berlese 1913 S04
         |--H. africana Balogh 1958 S04
         |--H. barbata Beck 1962 S04
         |--H. crassisetosa Beck 1962 S04
         |--H. furcata Mahunka 1978 S04
         |--H. magna Beck 1962 S04
         |--H. oxapampensis Beck 1962 S04
         |--H. rostrata Mondal & Kundu 1984 S04
         |--H. spinitecta Mahunka 1983 S04
         |--H. spinosissima Balogh & Mahunka 1981 S04
         |--H. spumosa Mahunka 1983 S04
         |--H. stellifera Okayama 1980 S04
         |    |--H. s. stellifera S04
         |    `--H. s. formosana Aoki 1990 S04
         `--H. zikani Sellnick 1922 S04

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

Norton, R. A., & V. M. Behan-Pelletier. 2009. Suborder Oribatida. In: Krantz, G. W., & D. E. Walter (eds) A Manual of Acarology 3rd ed. pp. 430–564. Texas Tech University Press.

[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.

Amerobelbidae

Dorsum of Mongaillardia callitoca, from Balogh & Balogh (1992, vol. 2).

Belongs within: Circumdehiscentiae.

The Amerobelbidae is a family of oribatid mites found primarily in the Palaearctic region with the outlying Mongaillardia magna found on the Atlantic island of Saint Helena (Subías 2004). Costulae are present on the prodorsum of the southern European genus Berndamerus but absent in the remaining genera (Balogh & Balogh 1992).

Characters (from Balogh & Balogh 1992): Lamellar setae far from rostral setae, but nearer to rostral setae than to interlamellar setae. Notogaster without affixed exuvia; ten pairs of notogastral setae. Epimeral, genital and aggenital setae simple, may have small barbs; six pairs of genital setae, three pairs of aggenital setae, two pairs of anal setae, three pairs of adanal seta. Legs monodactyle.

<==Amerobelbidae
    |--Amerobelba Berlese 1908 S04
    |    `--*A. decedens Berlese 1908 [incl. Eremobelba maxima Willmann 1951] S04
    |--Hellenamerus Mahunka 1974 S04
    |    `--*H. ionicus Mahunka 1974 S04
    |--Rastellobata Grandjean 1961 S04
    |    `--*R. rastelligera (Berlese 1908) [=Amerobelba rastelligera] S04
    |--Yambaramerus Aoki 1996 S04
    |    |--*Y. itoi Aoki 1996 S04
    |    `--Y. arcuatus Aoki & Yamamoto 2000 S04
    |--Berndamerus Mahunka 1977 S04
    |    |--*B. hellenicus Mahunka 1977 S04
    |    |--B. bicostatus (Berlese 1910) [=Amerobelba bicostata] S04
    |    `--B. eremuloides (Berlese 1910) [=Amerobelba eremuloides] S04
    `--Mongaillardia Grandjean 1961 S04
         |--*M. callitoca Grandjean 1961 S04
         |--M. aeoliana (Bernini 1979) [=Amerobelba aeoliana] S04
         |--M. eveana Grandjean 1961 S04
         |--M. grandjeani Calugar & Vasiliu 1984 S04
         `--M. magna Wallwork 1977 S04

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

Balogh, J. & P. Balogh. 1992. The Oribatid Mites Genera of the World vol. 1. Hungarian Natural History Museum: Budapest.

[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.

Ameridae

Amerus (Amerus) polonicus, photographed by Franziska Meyer.

Belongs within: Circumdehiscentiae.

The Ameridae are a family of oribatid mites that have the prodorsum and notogaster partially flattened and often fused. The Madagascan species Pteramerus draco has the fourth trochanters also flattened, with large wing-like crests dorsally and ventrally. In the Southern Hemisphere genus Hymenobelba the epimeral setae are dilated and blade-shaped, while the Chilean Ctenamerus flagellatus has most ventral setae branched. These latter two genera also differ from the remaining genera in lacking pedotecta II (Balogh & Balogh 1992).

Feeding habits of Ameridae are largely unknown, though stable isotope analysis of the Mediterranean species Amerus troisi suggests a diet of animal matter, possibly preying on nematodes (Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009).

Characters (from Norton & Behan-Pelletier 2009): Length 600-1050 μm. Gnathosoma normal, chelicerae with dentate chelae and two setae. Rostrum usually with pair of incisions. Prodorsum without true lamellae. Axillary saccule present at base of palp. Posterior of prodorsum and anterior of notogaster strongly flattened and usually fused. Notogaster without scalps. Longer notogastral setae often showing two distinct patterns: lm, lp and h3 arch towards midline, h1 and h2 arch posteriorly. Femora with porose areas, tibiae and tarsi without porose areas.

<==Ameridae BB92
    |--Gymnodampia Jacot 1937 NB-P09, S04
    |--Ctenamerus Balogh & Balogh 1992 S04
    |    `--*C. flagellatus (Covarrubias 1967) [=Hymenobelba flagellata] S04
    |--Haplamerus Balogh & Balogh 1992 S04
    |    `--*H. annulus (Balogh & Mahunka 1966) [=Hymenobelba annulus] S04
    |--Pteramerus Balogh 1964 S04
    |    `--*P. draco Balogh 1964 S04
    |--Andesamerus Hammer 1962 S04
    |    |--*A. peculiaris Hammer 1962 S04
    |    `--A. novaezealandiae Balogh & Balogh 1986 S04
    |--Caenosamerus Higgins & Woolley 1969 S04
    |    |--*C. litosus Higgins & Woolley 1969 S04
    |    |--C. shirakamiensis Fujikawa 2002 S04
    |    `--C. spatiosus Aoki 1977 S04
    |         |--C. s. spatiosus S04
    |         `--C. s. maoershanensis Wen 1992 S04
    |--Amerus Berlese 1896 S04
    |    |--A. (Amerus) S04
    |    |    |--*A. (A.) troisi (Berlese 1883) [=Belba troisi] S04
    |    |    `--A. (A.) polonicus Kulczynski 1902 S04
    |    `--A. (Neamerus Willmann 1939) S04
    |         |--A. (*N.) lundbladi Willmann 1939 S04
    |         `--A. (N.) laticephalus Berlese 1915 NB-P09, S04
    `--Hymenobelba Balogh 1962 S04
         |--*H. ypsilon Balogh 1962 S04
         |--H. coarctata Balogh & Mahunka 1966 S04
         |--H. diversisetosa Luxton 1988 S04
         |--H. domahidyi Balogh & Balogh 1983 S04
         |--H. flexisetosa Luxton 1988 S04
         `--H. ramulosa Covarrubias 1967 S04

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

Balogh, J., & P. Balogh. 1992. The Oribatid Mites Genera of the World vol. 1. Hungarian Natural History Museum: Budapest.

[NB-P09] Norton, R. A., & V. M. Behan-Pelletier. 2009. Suborder Oribatida. In: Krantz, G. W., & D. E. Walter (eds) A Manual of Acarology 3^rd ed. pp. 430–564. Texas Tech University Press.

[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.

Eremobelba

Eremobelba gracilior, photographed by Huijie Gan.

Belongs within: Circumdehiscentiae.

Eremobelba is a genus of oribatid mites with branched epimeral setae and usually polygonal granulation. The genus is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world with the species Eremobelba gracilior being found as far north as southern Canada in North America.

Characters (from Balogh & Balogh 1992): Lamellar setae originating nearer to rostral than to interlamellar setae. Notogaster usually with polygonally arranged granulation; affixed exuvia absent; eleven pairs of notogastral setae. Epimeral setae partly 3-5-branched. Six pairs of genital setae, eight pairs of aggenital setae, two pairs of anal setae, three pairs of adanal setae. Legs monodactyle.

<==Eremobelba Berlese 1908 [Eremobelbidae] S04
    |--*E. leporosa (Haller 1884) [=Eremaeus leporosus] S04
    |--E. balazsi Mahunka 1983 S04
    |--E. bella Hammer 1982 S04
    |--E. bellicosa Balogh & Mahunka 1967 S04
    |--E. bisulcata Balogh 1958 (n. d.) S04
    |--E. breviseta Balogh 1958 S04
    |--E. brevispathulata Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    |--E. capitata Berlese 1913 S04
    |--E. cellulosa Mahunka 1997 S04
    |--E. comteae Mahunka 1988 S04
    |--E. coronata Pérez-Íñigo & Baggio 1989 S04
    |--E. curtipeata Wen 1996 S04
    |--E. esposi Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    |--E. flexuosa Hammer 1979 S04
    |--E. foliata Hammer 1958 S04
    |--E. geographica Berlese 1908 S04
    |--E. gracilior Berlese 1908 (see below for synonymy) S04
    |--E. graciosa Mahunka 1984 S04
    |--E. hamata Hammer 1961 S04
    |--E. heterotricha Mahunka 1977 S04
    |--E. himalayensis Mondal & Kundu 1984 S04
    |--E. indica Ghosh & Bhaduri 1978 S04
    |--E. japonica Aoki 1959 S04
    |--E. leporoides Jacot 1938 [=E. leporosus leporoides] S04
    |--E. longisetosa Subías, Ruiz & Kahwash 1990 S04
    |--E. mahunkai Balogh 1968 S04
    |--E. milliae Sanyal 1992 S04
    |--E. minuta Aoki & Wen 1983 S04
    |--E. nagaroorica Haq 1978 S04
    |--E. obscura Balogh 1958 (n. d.) S04
    |--E. okinawa Aoki 1987 S04
    |--E. ornata Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    |--E. perrugosa Balogh & Mahunka 1968 S04
    |--E. piffli Mahunka 1985 S04
    |--E. porcella Mahunka 2001 S04
    |--E. pulchella Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04
    |--E. shilongensis Sanyal 1988 S04
    |--E. truncata Wen 1996 S04
    |--E. tuberculata Mahunka 1982 S04
    |--E. wittmeri Bayoumi & Mahunka 1979 S04
    |--E. yunnanensis Aoki & Yamamoto 2000 S04
    `--E. zicsii Balogh & Mahunka 1969 S04

Eremobelba gracilior Berlese 1908 [incl. E. leporosa flagellaris Jacot 1938, Oribata neosota Banks 1909, E. nervosa Hartenstein 1962] S04

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

Balogh, J., & P. Balogh. 1992. The Oribatid Mites Genera of the World vol. 1. Hungarian Natural History Museum: Budapest.

[S04] Subías, L. S. 2004. Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes, Oribatida) del mundo (1758–2002). Graellsia 60 (número extraordinario): 3–305.