Scheloribates Berlese and Megascheloribates gen. nov. from southeastern Australia, with comments on Scheloribatidae (Acarida : Cryptostigmata : Oriopodoidea)

Abstract

The cosmopolitan oribate mite genus Scheloribates Berlese, 1908 and the Scheloribatidae Grandjean, 1933 are redefined and a new genus, Megascheloribates, is established. Previous scheloribatid records (all unidentified species of Scheloribates) from Australia are reviewed. Records of Megascheloribates, Scheloribates and Setobates Balogh, 1962, from nine florally diverse sites in South Australia, are listed to indicate their possible value as ecological indicators. Records are given of two unidentified Scheloribates species as intermediate hosts of anoplocephalid tapeworms in New South Wales and Victoria indicating that species vary in their susceptibility to infestation. Eleven new species from eight sites in South Australia are described, grouped in three species-complexes of Scheloribates and in Megascheloribates as follows: Scheloribates eusetosus-complex – S. eusetosus, S. brevipodus, S. diforamenatus, S. nanus, S. parabrevipodus, S, parananus; Scheloribates crassipodus-complex – S. crassipodus; Scheloribates heterosetosus-complex – S. hetersetosus, S. unisetosus; Megascheloribates, gen. nov. – M. microsetosus, M. calcaratus. A key is given to distinguish Australian genera of Scheloribatidae and species of Megascheloribates and Scheloribates. Some morphological characters, including leg size and shape, are considered. New synonymies are proposed as follows: Hemileiidae Balogh & Balogh, 1984 under Scheloribatidae; Neoscheloribates Hammer, 1973 and Semischeloribates Hammer, 1973 under Scheloribates; Propescheloribates Jacot, 1936 under Styloribates Jacot, 1934b. The synonymy of Styloribates under Muliercula Coetzer, 1968 by Coetzer, 1968 is revoked. New combinations, previously with Scheloribates, are proposed as follows: Megascheloribates anzacensis (Hammer, 1961); M. giganteus (Hammer, 1967); M. maximus (Balogh, 1962); M. microclava (Balogh, 1962); M. rostrodentatus (Hammer, 1977); Perscheloribates conjuges (Hammer, 1967); P. keriensis (Hammer, 1967); P. monodactylus (Zandalinas, 1987).