Description of predominantly arboreal plateremaeoid mites from eastern Australia (Acarina: Cryptostigamata: Plateremaeoidea)

Abstract

Two new genera of the superfamily Plateremaeoidea, Labiogena and Darthvaderum, are proposed, and Novazelandiella Paschoal rediagnosed. The genera are tentatively assigned to the family Hammeriellidae. Four new species are described from eastern Australian arboreal habitats: Labiogena convexa n.sp., Labiogena walteri n.sp., Novazelandiella kellyi n.sp., and Darthvaderum greensladeae n.sp., the type species of Darthvaderum n.gen. One new combination is established, Labiogena queenslandica (Pedrocortesella) (P. Balogh, 1985) and the species is redescribed and designated the type species of Labiogena n.gen. Keys are given to the species of Labiogena, and to plateremaeoid genera recorded from arboreal habitats in Australia.