New pterogasterine mites from Nigeria and Brazil I. Scheloribates, Muliercula and Peloribates

Abstract

Ten new species of pterogasterine oribatid mites belonging to three genera, Scheloribates, Muliercula and Peloribates, are described. Five new species of Scheloribates from Nigeria and three from Brazil are compared with classical European as well as South African species. Certain traits that are not common in classical Scheloribates such as presence of translamella, presence of tutorium and absence of kf were found in some species. One species of Muliercula from Nigeria is described and compared with species from South Africa. The only species of Peloribates collected from Nigeria was also compared with the type species of this genus as well as other closely related species. Certain stable features of the three genera were identified as traits which, if peculiar to all oribatuloid genera of pterogaterine mites, would have to be included in a new definition of the group.