A new species of the genus Scaptognathus (Acari,Halacaridae) from Japan

A new species under the name Scaptognathus ventridiscus sp. nov. is described from Japan. It differs from its congeners by the possession of a ventral disc in the male, a peculiar arrangement of dorsal plates and dorsal setae, and unique leg chaetotaxy.     

Phylogeny and character evolution of the marine mite genus Isobactrus (Acari: Halacaridae)

A morphology-based phylogenetic analysis of the 24 species of Isobactrus (Acari: Halacaridae) demonstrated three major monophyletic groups supported by synapomorphies. Each group is geographically distinct being tropical Pacific, North Atlantic and Holarctic. Character optimization indicates some evolutionary tendencies of character transformation. Reduction of idiosomal lateral setation, loss of setae on the genu and the addition of female subgenital setae are postulated synapomorphies congruent throughout the tropical lineage. Similarly, setal addition on the telofemur occurred in the North Atlantic lineage, while reduction of genital area sclerotization is recognized in a northern phyletic group.     

Description of a new species of Rhombognathus (Halacaridae,Acari), its spermiogenesis and spermatozoa

This is the first record of the subfamily Rhombognathinae on the Brazilian coast. A new species is described, Rhombognathus levigatoides sp. nov., which shares most diagnostic features with R. levigatus Bartsch, 2000 Bartsch, I. 2000. Rhombognathinae (Acari: Halacaridae) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 45: 165–203.  [Google Scholar], but differs from it by measurements of ds‐1, dorsal plates, and spermatophorotype. A detailed account is provided of its spermiogenesis and sperm cell morphology. Rhombognathus sperm cells show features that should be regarded as probable plesiomorphies if contrasted with those found in the other two halacarid spermatozoa studied until now, Halacarellus thomasi and Thalassarachna basteri, such as the almost unmodified mitochondria, type of nuclear condensation similar to that observed in most Actinedida mites, complete acrosomal complex, and presence of a single kind of globular secretion.     

Halacarid mites (Acari: Halacaridae) associated with a North Atlantic subtidal population of the kelp Laminaria ochroleuca

We characterised the mite fauna associated with a subtidal population of Laminaria ochroleuca in the Cantabrian Sea during a 4-year study. We found 2780 individuals belonging to 35 species. The mite assemblage comprised both north Atlantic and Mediterranean species, as usually reported from the Lusitanian region. The most abundant and diverse subfamily was Copidognathinae, followed by Halacarinae and Lohmannellinae. The greatest abundance of mites was detected on kelp holdfasts, not only strictly phytal mites were found but also interstitial mites or those associated with other macrofauna. Such a distribution could be explained by the high diversity and heterogeneity of microhabitats provided by holdfasts. Mite abundance fluctuated during the 4 years of the study. However, the lowest abundance was detected during the last year of sampling. During that year, the studied algal population suffered a severe decay leaving only degenerating holdfasts attached to the substrate, which could explain the decrease in mite numbers.     

A new genus and six new species of the Parabathynellidae (Bathynellacea,Syncarida) from the Kimberley region,Western Australia

Six new species of a new genus of the Parabathynellidae are described from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. The erection of the new genus, Kimberleybathynella gen. nov., is based on the two‐segmented antenna, the partial fusion of the second and third segments of the maxilla, and the setal condition of the uropodal exopodite, where the outer seta is longer than the inner one. The one‐segmented exopodite of thoracopods I–VII and hemispherical form of male thoracopod VIII suggest the close relationship of Kimberleybathynella to the genus Atopobathynella.     

New species of Copidognathinae (Acari: Halacaridae) from southern Africa

Three new species of Copidognathinae (Acari: Halacaridae) are described from the eastern coast of southern Africa (Mozambique; South Africa: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal). Copidognathus caloglossae sp. nov. and Acarothrix umgenica sp. nov. were collected in mangrove habitats, whereas Copidognathus xaixaiensis sp. nov. was collected on a rocky shore. Acarothrix umgenica represents the first record of the genus Acarothrix Bartsch, 1990 from the African continent.     

The diverse Grania fauna (Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) of the Esperance area,Western Australia,with descriptions of two new species

Seven species of the marine enchytraeid genus Grania Southern, 1913 are described from sediments sampled during the 2003 International Workshop on the Marine Flora and Fauna of Esperance Bay and the Recherche Archipelago, on the southern coast of Western Australia. Two species are new to science, the euryhaline Tasmanian G. dolichura Rota and Erséus, 2000 Rota, E. and Erséus, C. 2000. Two new and peculiar species of Grania (Annelida: Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) inhabiting Tasmanian estuaries.. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 27: 245–254. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] represents a new record for the state, and the remaining four species were known from other parts of Western Australia. Grania quaerens sp. n. is recognized by having a high chaetal index ( = short chaetal foot), small coelomocytes, penial apparati with long whip‐like terminal stylets, conspicuous spermathecae with ectally bulbous ducts, and ectally granulated ampullae housing sperm rings in their ental region. Grania sperantia sp. n. is readily distinguishable by the complete lack of lateral chaetae, a multiple‐banded pattern of the clitellum, extremely long sperm funnels, and the intrasegmental location of the spermathecal pores. The latter new species and four others in the collection (G. bykane Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], G. crassiducta Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], G. dolichura, and G. ersei Coates, 1990 Coates, K. A. 1990. “Marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of the Albany area, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Albany, Western Australia, 1, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 13–41. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar]) are remarkable in possessing the head organ, a sensory structure unique to Grania that was not noted previously in Western Australian species. When considering the whole genus, the geographic pattern of the head organ appears southern‐centred: of the 17 species of Grania reported to possess it, as many as 13 inhabit the southern latitudes. The seventh species of the Esperance collection, G. vacivasa Coates and Stacey, 1993 Coates, K. A. and Stacey, D. 1993. “The marine Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta, Annelida) of Rottnest Island, Western Australia.”. In The marine flora and fauna of Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Edited by: Wells, F. E, Walker, D. I, Kirkman, H and Lethbridge, R. 391–414. Perth: Western Australian Museum.  [Google Scholar], is notable for the kind of items found in its gut and the unusual appearance of its pygidium.     

Oribatid mites of Liebstadia (Acari: Oribatida: Scheloribatidae) from Mongolia,with notes on taxonomy of the genus

Three new species of oribatid mites belonging to the genus Liebstadia are described from Mongolia. The new species are characterized by the poorly developed pteromorphae; the club-shaped head of the sensilli; the absence of the dorsosejugal suture; the dorso-ventral thickness, and the length and arrangement of notogastral setae. In addition, L. similis (Michael, 1888) is redescribed and recorded for the first time in Mongolia. Protoribates serratomarginatus Mahunka, 1983 is synonymized with L. similis. A key to the known species of the genus Liebstadia is given.     

Five new Uropodina species from New Caledonia (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Five new species – Deraiophorus pinesensis sp. nov., Oplitis hallidayi sp. nov., Castriidinychus neocaledonicus sp. nov., Trigonuropoda neocaledonica sp. nov. and Trigonuropoda fendai sp. nov. – are described and illustrated on the basis of specimens collected in New Caledonia. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2F6876E3-948B-4EDC-93EF-4623033BD71E     

A primitive representative of the Parabathynellidae (Bathynellacea,Syncarida) from the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia

Billibathynella humphreysi gen. et sp. nov. is described from calcrete aquifers located in the Yilgarn Craton of north‐western Australia. This is the first parabathynellid known from the Australian Precambrian shields, which have never been inundated by the sea. A comparison of the primitive species so far known from Australia and other continents points to the new species as being the most primitive among the parabathynellids. It further suggests that the new genus has an affinity to Notobathynella Schminke, but differs in having a six‐segmented antenna and a large epipod of the male thoracopod VIII. An attempt to relate the primitiveness of the new species to the historiogeological characteristics of the region has led to the conclusion that the recent parabathynellids could have emerged from freshwater epigean ancestors. It is further assumed that the transition of their ancestors to groundwaters happened in Notogaea.     

Ten new species of the genus Brevisomabathynella Cho,Park and Ranga Reddy, 2006 (Malacostraca,Bathynellacea, Parabathynellidae) from Western Australia

Ten new species of Brevisomabathynella Cho, Park and Ranga Reddy, 2006 Cho, JL, Park, JG and Ranga Reddy, Y. 2006. Brevisomabathynella gen. nov. with two new species from Western Australia (Bathynellacea, Syncarida): the first definitive evidence of predation in Parabathynellidae. Zootaxa., 1247: 25–42.  [Google Scholar] are described and illustrated from the arid region of Western Australia. Comparison of the external morphology revealed the presence of three common characters distributed among the 10 species: the five-segmented antenna, the absence of the basipodal seta on the male thoracopod VIII and the absence of a basiventral seta on the uropodal exopod. This character combination is not found in Notobathynella and Billibathynella, but only in Brevisomabathynella, a genus known from two described species both with unusual characters. Despite the three common attributes, the 10 new species differ remarkably from these two described species, but could not be defined by their own synapomorphy. Consequently, and cognizant of a previously performed molecular analysis, we assign the 10 new species to Brevisomabathynella and amend the generic diagnosis. The species inhabit shallow aquifers in groundwater calcretes and each appears to be endemic to a given calcrete formation. The two species previously known and the 10 species now described include four sympatric species pairs, with similar-sized sympatric species differing markedly in body form. Brevisomabathynella inhabit groundwater up to at least marine salinity.     

Recent and fossil species of Characodoma Maplestone, 1900 (Bryozoa) from the Mediterranean with description of two new species

Three species of Characodoma Maplestone, 1990 from the Mediterranean are discussed here. Two, C. rostratum and C. reclinatum are described as new from Pleistocene bathyal sediments of Southern Italy. The third, C. mamillatum (Seguenza, 1880) was already known from Tertiary-to-Quaternary sediments of Southern Italy. It has been recognized as the senior synonym of C. bifurcatum (Waters, 1918). Stratigraphical, geographical and ecological distributions of all the species are discussed. Morphological studies, principally of C. mamillatum, provide useful information about the life habit of these species.     

Notes on the family Macrodinychidae (Acari: Uropodina) with description of two new species

The published records of the already known Macrodinychid species are summarized and a key to the known species of the family is given. New records of the different Macrodinychus species are presented from Saint Lucia, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Costa Rica, Suriname, Fiji, New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Thailand. Two new species (Macrodinychus malayicus sp. nov. and Macrodinychus extremicus sp. nov.) are described and illustrated. The species Macrodinychus paraguayensis Hirschmann, 1975 is proved to be the junior synonym of Macrodinychus parallelepipedus (Berlese, 1916 Berlese, A. 1916. Centuria seconda di Acari nuovi. Redia., 12: 125–177.  [Google Scholar]).     

Snout mites from caves in Brazil,with description of a new species (Acari: Trombidiformes: Bdellidae)

In this paper we describe the first species of the genus Cyta from Brazil, Cyta troglodyta sp. nov., with a key to the world species of the genus. New records of mites of the family Bdellidae are reported from caves in Brazil.     

The soil mite family Eremaeidae (Acari: Oribatida) in Mongolia,with remarks on distribution and diversity of known genera

The oribatid mite family Eremaeidae is represented in Mongolia by eight species in three genera. Three new species, Eueremaeus tenuisensillatus sp. nov., Eu. crassisetosus sp. nov. and Eu. laticostulatus sp. nov., collected from cool temperate forests, dry steppe and semi-desert habitats in central and southern Mongolia, are described on the basis of adults. Five known species, Eremaeus hepaticus C. L. Koch, Eu. oblongus (C. L. Koch), Eu. granulatus (Mihel?i?), Proteremaeus mongolicus (Golosova) and P. punctulatus Bayartogtokh are redescribed; the first three of these are recorded for the first time from Mongolia. Taxonomic status of Eu. granulatus (Mihel?i?) and Eu. silvestris (Forsslund) is discussed, and the latter is considered a junior synonym of the former species. The following new combinations are proposed: Eueremaeus brevifer (Mahunka), Eueremaeus fossulatus (Kunst) and Eueremaeus roissi (Piffl). A key to Mongolian species of Eremaeidae is given. Data on distribution and diversity of Eremaeidae of the world are discussed.     

A new genus and species of Haplozetidae (Arachnida: Acari) from Great Britain with a key to the European genera

A new genus of mite, Pseudoprotoribates of the family Haplozetidae (Oribatida), is described and its systematic position discussed. The type species P. luxtoni was found in Great Britain, new to science and described herein. A key to the European genera of Haplozetidae is provided.     

A revision of the Caridina serrata species group,with descriptions of five new species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae)

The taxonomy of the Caridina serrata species group (Caridea: Atyidae) is revised. Neotypes of C. serrata Stimpson, 1860, and C. cantonensis Yu, 1938, are designated. Additional information on Caridina sphyrapoda Liang and Zhou, 1993 is provided. Five new species of the Caridina serrata species group are described, namely Caridina nanaoensis from Guangdong Province, C. apodosis from Hong Kong, and C. yulinica, C. wumingensis and C. mutata from Guangxi Province, all in southern China. A key to all members of the species group is included.     

A revision of Caridina yunnanensis and its allied species (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) from Yunnan,southern China,with description of one new species

The taxonomy of the Caridina yunnanensis and its allied species (Caridea: Atyidae) from Yunnan Province in southern China, is revised. A neotype for C. yunnanensis Yu, 1938, is designated. Additional information is provided on C. disparidentata Liang, Yan and Wang, 1984; C. dianchiensis Liang and Yan, 1985; C. mongziensis Liang, Yan and Wang, 1987; and C. disjuncta Cai and Liang, 1999. One new species, Caridina impensa, is described. A key to members of the species group is included.     

Three new species of Cecidophyinae (Acari: Eriophyidae) from China

Three new eriophyoid mite species (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from China are described and illustrated. They are Cecidophyes truncatis sp. nov. on Acer truncatum Bunge (Aceraceae), Cecidophyes hirsutes sp. nov. on Cardamine hirsute L. (Cruciferae) and Paracolomerus fopingacer sp. nov. on Acer sp. L. (Aceraceae). All the new species described herein are vagrants on the host plant.