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Background Rare Eye Diseases (RED) are the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness for children and young adults in Europe. This heterogeneous group of conditions includes over 900 disorders ranging from relatively prevalent disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa to very rare entities such as developmental eye anomalies. A significant number of patients with RED have an underlying genetic etiology. One of the aims of the European Reference Network for Rare Eye Diseases (ERN–EYE) is to facilitate improvement in diagnosis of RED in European member states. Main body Technological advances have allowed genetic and genomic testing for RED. The outcome of genetic testing allows better understanding of the condition and allows reproductive and therapeutic options. The increase of the number of clinical trials for RED has provided urgency for genetic testing in RED. A survey of countries participating in ERN-EYE demonstrated that the majority are able to access some forms of genomic testing. However, there is significant variability, particularly regarding testing as part of clinical service. Some countries have a well-delineated rare disease pathway and have a national plan for rare diseases combined or not with a national plan for genomics in medicine. In other countries, there is a well-established organization of genetic centres that offer reimbursed genomic testing of RED and other rare diseases. Clinicians often rely upon research-funded laboratories or private companies. Notably, some member states rely on cross-border testing by way of an academic research project. Consequently, many clinicians are either unable to access testing or are confronted with long turnaround times. Overall, while the cost of sequencing has dropped, the cumulative cost of a genomic testing service for populations remains considerable. Importantly, the majority of countries reported healthcare budgets that limit testing. Short conclusion Despite technological advances, critical gaps in genomic testing remain in Europe, especially in smaller countries where no formal genomic testing pathways exist. Even within larger countries, the existing arrangements are insufficient to meet the demand and to ensure access. ERN-EYE promotes access to genetic testing in RED and emphasizes the clinical need and relevance of genetic testing in RED.

Oribatella texana sp. nov. (Figs. 23E, 24, 25) Material examined. Holotype: adult female. USA: Texas, Kendall Co., Guadeloupe State Park, 29’ 52.443N 98’ 29.139W, 3.iii.2007 (VBP) from palmetto and oak litter; deposited in the CNC, type number 23958. Paratypes: same data as holotype, 2 males; Texas, Bandera Co., Lost Maples State Natural Area, 29’ 48.984N 99’ 34.599W, 28.ii.2007 (VBP) 1 female from wash of oak twigs; Uvalde Co., Garner State Park, 29°34.090N 99°44.876, 2.iii.2007 (VBP) 1 female, 1 male from mesic deep oak and cedar litter in depression; deposited in the CNC and RNC. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 298–326 µm. Integument of notogaster, ventral and anal plates and coxisternal region micropunctate. Lamella (including cusp) about 108 µm long, cusp about 77 µm long, about 36 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps fused posteromedially along length of about 24 µm, leaving prodorsum only visible through small oval opening, about 10 µm wide; translamella without tooth, about 10 µm at greatest width, 24 µm deep. Medial dens on lamellar cusp about 31 µm long, without teeth; lateral dens about 41 µm long with 3–4 teeth on lateral margin. Bothridial setae with barbed, narrowly fusiform head, rounded distally. Epimeral setae 3c about 19 µm long, thickly barbed, and 4c about 32 µm long, much thicker and more heavily barbed that other epimeral setae. Genital setae 1+5 or 2+4, 1 or 2 pairs of genital setae on anterior margin of genital plates. Ten pairs of long, curved, smooth to weakly barbed notogastral setae present; about 41 µm long, positioned so that lm posteromedial of Aa, and lp anterior of A1. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Mean total length: female (n = 2) 323 µm (320, 326); male (n = 4) 304 µm (range 298–322). Mean notogastral width: female (n =2) 223 µm (220, 226); male (n =3) 209 µm (range 206–216). Integument: Prodorsum, lateral of lamellae, notogaster, anal plate, pedotectum I with widely spaced micropuncta. Coxisternum, lamella, pedotectum I, tutorium and anterior of pteromorph with fine to very fine striae (Fig. 25). Mentum and genital plate microtuberculate. Prodorsum: Rostrum with medial crest dorsally; rostral margin undulating, with pair of minute dens laterally (Fig. 25). Lamella (including cusp) about 108 µm long, cusp about 77 µm long, about 36 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps converging then diverging or parallel anteromedially; fused posteromedially, leaving prodorsum only visible through small oval opening, about 10 µm wide; translamella without tooth, about 10 µm at greatest width, about 24 µm deep (Figs. 23E arrow, 24). Medial dens on cusp about 31 µm long, without teeth; lateral dens about 41 µm long with 3–4 teeth (Fig. 24), varying among specimens and on either side of same specimen. Setae ro about 53 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially. Setae le about 58 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in about 103 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of pair about 31 µm. Bothridial setae 72–77 µm long, with barbed, narrowly fusiform head, rounded to tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally (Figs. 23E, 24). Exobothridial setae about 19 µm long, thin, barbed tapered. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, with dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally. Tutorium about 108 µm long, of which cusp about 50 µm long, rectangular, distal margin with 3–5 dens. Custodium about 29 µm long (Fig. 25). Porose area Al about 10 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 5–7 transverse ridges (Fig. 24). Pteromorph with short ridges at anterior margin forming reticulate pattern; with small dens on anteroventral margin. Octotaxic system in form of 4 relatively small porose areas, about 8 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of long, curved, smooth to weakly barbed notogastral setae present; about 41 µm long, lm posteromedial of Aa, and lp anterior of A1 (Fig. 24). Distance setae h 1 –h 1 subequal to distance p 1 –p 1 , 14–16 µm. Subtriangular lenticulus present (not illustrated). Ventral region: Epimeral setae 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 3a, 3b about 8–10 µm long, weakly barbed; 4a, 4b about 13 µm long, weakly barbed; 3c about 19 µm long, thickly barbed; 4c about 32 µm long, much thicker and more heavily barbed than other epimeral setae (Fig. 25). Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae weakly barbed, about 8–10 µm long. Genital setae positioned in curved row, 1 or 2 pairs on anterior margin of plates. Postanal porose area oval, 12 x 6 µm. Gnathosoma: Mentum with transverse carina anteriorly. Axillary saccule about 5 x 2 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Seta l” of genu I about 32 µm, l” of genu II about 29 µm. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Etymology. The specific epithet ‘texana’ refers to the provenance of this species, Texas, USA. Remarks. This species is similar to O. pusilla, but differs from the latter in depth of the translamella about 24 µm (15 µm deep in pusilla), and epimeral seta 4c being thick and barbed (subequal in shape, but more distinctly barbed in pusilla). Distribution and Ecology. This species is known only from thick deciduous and coniferous litter from various parts of Texas., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 47-50, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835

Oribatella flagellata sp. nov. (Figs. 5, 6A–C) Material examined. Holotype: male USA: Virginia, Grayson Co., Hwy 603 at Fox Creek, 6km W Troutdale, 5.viii.1986 (EEL) from Trametes versicolor (L.) polypore fungi and lichen on hardwood, deposited in the CNC, type number 23954. Paratypes: 1 female with same data as holotype; Virginia, Nelson Co., Washington National Forest, Blue Ridge Parkway, Wintergreen Trail, 1.x.1992 (VBP) 1 male from litter under dead shagbark hickory in oak/hemlock forest; Canada, Québec, Gatineau Park, 22.x.1965 (W.G. Matthewman) 1 from Fomes fomentarius; 9.v.–31.x.1968 (D.P. Pielou) 24 from Polyporus betulinus. Paratypes deposited in the CNC. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 410–440 µm. Integument of prodorsum, notogaster, anal plates, genital plates, venter and mentum microtuberculate. Rostrum with medial indentation and 2 strong lateral teeth; without strong medial crest. Lamella (including cusp) about 133 µm long; cusp about 90 µm long, about 38 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Translamella without tooth, interlamellar region distinctly V-shaped posteriorly. Ten pairs of smooth, flagellate notogastral setae present; about 50 µm long (tips of some setae broken on specimens), lm posterior of Aa, and lp anteromedial of A1; mutual distance p 1 –p 1 about 20 µm, narrower than distance h 1 –h 1 (about 35 µm). Tarsi heterotridactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Total length: paratype female 440 µm; holotype male 410 µm. Notogastral width: paratype female 310 µm; holotype male 275 µm. Integument: Prodorsum, notogaster, anal plates, genital plates, venter and mentum microtuberculate, microtubercles and striae on coxisternum. Tutorium with small reticulate pattern dorsally. Lamellae with widely spaced, faint longitudinal striae. Prodorsum: Rostrum with medial indentation and 2 strong lateral teeth; without strong medial crest (Fig. 6A). Lamella (including cusp) about 133 µm long, cusp about 90 µm long, about 38 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps contiguous anteromedially; separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through oval opening, about 13 µm wide x 33 µm long. Translamella without tooth, about 13 µm at greatest width, interlamellar region distinctly V-shaped posteriorly (Fig. 5). Medial dens on lamellar cusp about 40 µm long, without teeth; lateral dens about 50 µm long with 0–1 tooth on lateral margin (Fig. 5). Setae ro about 88 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially. Setae le about 85 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in about 130 µm long, thick (less so than le), barbed, tapered, parallel; mutual distance of pair about 40 µm. Bothridial setae about 75 µm long, with barbed, club-shaped head, tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anteromedially (Fig. 5). Exobothridial setae about 16 µm long, thin, smooth. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, with dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally (Fig. 6A). Tutorium broad, rectangular about 133 µm long, of which cusp about 68 µm long, rectangular, distal margin with 5–6 dens (Fig. 6B). Custodium about 31 µm long, extending to middle of pedotectum II (Fig. 6C). Porose area Al about 7 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 2–3 transverse ridges. Pteromorph without striae; with or without small dens on anteroventral margin. Octotaxic system in form of porose areas, 10–12 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of smooth, flagellate notogastral setae present; about 50 µm long (tips of some setae broken on specimens), with c seta longest; lm posterior of Aa, and lp anteromedial of A1; distance p 1 –p 1 about 20 µm, narrower than distance h 1 –h 1 (about 35 µm) (Fig. 5). Diffuse subtriangular lenticulus present (not illustrated). Ventral region: Epimeral setae mostly about 11–21 µm long, weakly barbed acuminate, 3c about 32 µm long, distinctly barbed, 4c about 32 µm long, thick and heavily barbed, much thicker than other epimeral setae (Fig. 6C). Genital, anal and adanal setae weakly barbed, about 13 µm long; genital setae 3 + 3, 3 setae on anterior margin of plate. Aggenital setae about 5 µm. Lyrifissure iad anterolateral of and almost parallel to anal plate. Postanal porose area about 30 x 5 µm. Gnathosoma: Mentum without transverse carina anteriorly, without tectum. Axillary saccule about 4 x 2 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Setae l” on genu I about 38 µm; l” on genu II about 43 µm. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the flagellate form of the notogastral setae. Distribution and Ecology. This species is known only from different species of polypore fungi. The 1965 record from Gatineau Park, Québec was included in the study of the fauna of Fomes fomentarius (Pielou & Matthewman 1966), incorrectly identified as Oribatella quadricornuta., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on page 13, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Pielou, P. D. & Matthewman, W. G. (1966) The fauna of Fomes fomentarius (Linnaeus ex Fries) Kickx. growing on dead birch in Gatineau Park, Quebec. The Canadian Entomologist, 98, 1308 - 1312."]}

Oribatella transtriata sp. nov. (Figs. 23F, 26) Material examined. Holotype: adult male. Canada, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Aspy Trail, 28.viii.1984 (VBP) from lichens and moss on trunks of maple about 2m above ground; deposited in the CNC, type number 23959. Paratypes: 1 male, 1 female; Ontario, Leeds-Grenville Co., near Otter Lake, 44��34.87N 76��19.77W, 22.vii.2003 (VBP, J. Chen, J. Johnson) from moss with lichen on W-facing limestone slope; Newfoundland, Pasadena, 28.vii.1976 (EEL) 1 male, 1 female from moss on rotting log; New Brunswick, Kouchibouguac National Park, 21.ix.1977 1 male from mushrooms and leaf litter; Ontario, Leeds-Grenville Co., Chaffey���s Locks 30.v.1974 (IMS) 1 female from moss on rocks near spring. Paratypes deposited in the CNC and RNC. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 450���452 ��m. Prodorsum, notogaster, anal plate, pedotectum I with widely spaced micropuncta. Ventral plate with shallow foveae. Genital plate micropunctate with strong striae. Lamella with distinct transverse striae. Lamella (including cusp) about 175 ��m long, cusp about 148 ��m long, about 60 ��m wide at level of insertion of seta le. Translamella without tooth. Medial dens on lamellar cusp, thickened, narrow, slightly concave laterally, about 80 ��m long, without teeth; lateral dens shorter, about 65 ��m long, 2-3 times width of medial dens, with 8���10 teeth. Bothridial setae with barbed, fusiform head, tapered distally. Epimeral seta 3c longest and thickest, about 49 ��m long; 4c weakly barbed, about 17 ��m long. Genital setae 2+4, 2 pairs of genital setae on anterior margin of genital plates. Ten pairs of long, curved, weakly barbed notogastral setae about 63 ��m long, lm posterior of Aa, and lp anterior of A1. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Mean total length: female (n = 1) 450 ��m; male (n = 2) 451 ��m (450, 452). Mean notogastral width: female (n =1) 295 ��m; male (n =2) 295 ��m (290, 300). Integument: Prodorsum, lateral of lamellae, notogaster, anal plate, pedotectum I with widely spaced micropuncta. Ventral plate with shallow foveae. Coxisternum, lamella, pedotectum I, anterior of pteromorph with striae and micropuncta. Lamella with distinct transverse striae (Figs. 23F, 26). Genital plate micropunctate with strong striae. Prodorsum: Rostrum with distinct medial crest dorsally; rostral margin slightly undulating, with pair of minute dens laterally. Lamella (including cusp) about 175 ��m long, cusp about 148 ��m long, about 60 ��m wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps parallel or diverging anteromedially; prodorsum visible through oval opening, about 15 ��m wide, 37 ��m long; translamella without tooth, about 15 ��m at greatest width (Fig. 23F). Medial dens on lamellar cusp, narrow, thickened, slightly convex laterally, about 80 ��m long, without teeth; lateral dens shorter, 2���3 times width medial dens, about 65 ��m long with 8���10 teeth on lateral margin (Fig. 26), varying among specimens and on either side of same specimen. Setae ro 108���125 ��m long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially. Setae le 130���133 ��m long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in 168���175 ��m long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, parallel; mutual distance of pair about 80 ��m. Bothridial setae 120���130 ��m long, with barbed, narrowly fusiform head, tapered distally, stalk long, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally (Figs. 23F, 26). Exobothridial setae about 19 ��m long, thin, barbed tapered. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, with dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally. Tutorium extending anterior of rostrum, about 200 ��m long, of which cusp about 130 ��m long, rectangular, slightly convex ventrally, distal margin with about 7 dens. Custodium 32���35 ��m long, tapered. Porose area Al about 10 ��m in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 5���7 transverse ridges. Pteromorph with short ridges at anterior margin; with small dens on anteroventral margin. Octotaxic system in form of 4 pairs of relatively small porose areas. Ten pairs of long, curved, smooth to weakly barbed notogastral setae present; about 63 ��m long, lm posterial of Aa, and lp anterior of A1 (Fig. 26). Distance setae h 1 ��� h 1 about 35 ��m, greater than distance p 1 ���p 1 , about 25 ��m. Lenticulus U-shaped. Ventral region: Epimeral setae 10���50 ��m long, barbed; 3c longest and thickest, about 49 ��m long; 4c weakly barbed, about 17 ��m long. Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae weakly barbed, about 8���10 ��m long. Genital setae arranged in curve, 2+4, 2 pairs of setae on anterior margin of plates. Postanal porose area oval, 12 x 10 ��m. Gnathosoma: Mentum with transverse carina anteriorly, reflexed, without tectum. Axillary saccule about 5 x 2 ��m. Legs. Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Seta l��� of genua I and II about 24 ��m. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Etymology. The specific epithet, transtriata, refers to the transverse striae on the lamellae. Remarks. This species is easily distinguished from other eastern North American species of Oribatella by the transverse striae on the lamellae and by the very narrow medial dens of the lamellar cusp, which is distinctly longer than the lateral dens. Distribution and Ecology. Oribatella transtriata is known from boreal habitats in eastern Canada, but it probably has a wider boreal distribution in North America., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 50-52, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835

Oribatella Banks, 1895 Type species: Oribatella quadridentata Banks, 1895, p. 8. Diagnosis. Adult. Species comprising this genus are unique among Oribatellidae (Grandjean 1953b, Bernini 1978) in having the following combination of character states. Notogaster with immovable pteromorphs. Octotaxic system as 4 pairs of porose areas or saccules; usually without sexual dimorphism, when present that of male modified. Notogaster with 10 to 14 pairs of short to very long setae. Lamellae long, broad, with large cusps, medially converging or contiguous; cusps usually with large medial and lateral dens; translamella (Fig. 4B arrow) variable in width and depth, with or without medial tooth. Bothridial wall distally expanded. Genal tooth with longitudinal ridge ventrally, either broad, subtriangular to subrectangular in shape, with dens ventrodistally (Fig. 1B arrow), or broad, subrectangular, rounded distally, without dens ventrodistally (Fig. 2E arrow). Tutorium broad, lamelliform, cusp rectangular or subrectangular, with dens distally, lying parallel to dorsal contour of prodorsum in lateral aspect, extending well anterior to insertion of rostral seta. Custodium usually present, with short to long, free distal point. Axillary saccule present at base of palp. Chelicera chelate-dentate, elongated in one species. Mentum with or without tectum, with or without recurved ridge distally (Fig. 2D). Palp setal formula 0–2–1–3–9(1) or 0–2–1–3– 8(1); eupathidium acm subequal in length to solenidion, forming double horn with solenidion along length or distally; in one species solenidion almost 2.5x length of acm (Fig. 20E). Humerosejugal porose organ Ah expressed as porose area (Fig. 9C) or saccule; porose area Al present or absent, when present expressed as porose area or saccule. Legs monodactylous, heterobidactylous or heterotridactylous. Femur III with seta l’ present or absent; seta v' of genua I and II present or absent. Setae l” of genua and tibiae I and II thicker, more heavily barbed and longer than setae l’ on these segments. Setae l' on genu and tibia IV thicker, more heavily barbed and longer than other setae on these segments. One or two anterodorsal spines may be present on tibia I close to, or between, solenidia φ 1 and φ 2 (Fig. 2F arrow). Immatures. Apopheredermous, with scalps of preceding instar maintained away from dorsal integument by modified setae da and dorsally directed h 1. Body colorless, cuticle without plicae. All or most gastronotic setae long; setation usually unideficient; larva with 11 or 12 pairs, protonymph with 15 pairs (adult loses at least c 1 ), deutonymph and tritonymph with 13 to 15 pairs. Setae dm and dp subequal in length to da in all immatures, or much shorter than da in deutonymph and tritonymph, or dm and dp absent from deutonymph and tritonymph. Hysterosomal sclerites absent. Pair of humeral organs present laterally in sejugal region. Without apodemato-acetabular tracheal system or porose homologues. Paraprocts atrichous in larva, protonymph and deutonymph. Genital setal formula (larva to adult): 0–1–3–5–6. Aggenital setal formula 0–0–1–1–1, or aggenital seta absent. Opisthonotal gland present in all instars. Cupule development normal. Bothridium and bothridial seta fully formed in all instars. Setation of protonymphal leg IV normal (0–0–0–0–7). Larva to deutonymph with circular line of dehiscence, such that dorsal scalp separates from ventral piece at ecdysis., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 3-4, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Banks, N. (1895) On the Oribatoidea of the United States. Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 22, 1 - 16.","Grandjean, F. (1953 b) Essai de classification des oribates (acariens). Bulletin de la Societe. Zoologique de France, 78, 421 - 446.","Bernini, F. (1978) Notulae Oribatologicae XX. Il genere Oribatella in Italia (Acarida, Oribatida). Redia, 61, 503 - 538."]}

Oribatella nortoni sp. nov. (Figs. 15–18, 19A, B) Material examined. Holotype: adult female. USA: Alabama: Lee Co., nr. Auburn in coastal plain, 7.xi.1975 (unknown), RAN 75–150; deposited in the CNC, type number 23957. Paratypes: 20 (15 females, 5 males) with same data as holotype; deposited in the CNC, RNC and the FM. Other material examined. New York, Newcomb, Lake Harris Campground, i. vii.1971 (EEL) 1 from moss on tree trunk; Arkansas, Polk Co., N. slope Rich Mountain, below 272–82 intersection, 25.iii.1992 (HWR) 4 from oldgrowth; Canada, New Brunswick, Kent Co., Kouchibouguac National Park, 21.vii.1978 (IMS) 3 from moss and litter at base of red oak (living); same data except 3 from bark and litter at base of red oak (dead); same data except, 15.vi.1978 (R. Cope) 1 from moose dung in mixed woods; same data except, 9.viii.1977 (EEL) 2 from mixed deciduous litter. Diagnosis. Length of adult 295–320 µm. Rostrum flattened medially with minute lateral teeth. Translamella without tooth, about 9 µm at greatest width, 13 µm at greatest depth. Medial dens on lamellar cusp about 7–10 µm long, without marginal teeth, less than third length lateral dens; latter about 31 µm long, without marginal teeth. Bothridial setae about 100 µm long, with barbed, long bacilliform head, tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally. Ten pairs of short, smooth notogastral setae present, 24 to 41 µm long, with c seta longest, setae lm medial to Aa, lp anteromedial to A1; distance h 1 –h 1 about 27 µm, wider than distance p 1 –p 1 about 21 µm. Epimeral seta 3c barbed, about 32 µm, and 4c smallest, thinnest epimeral seta, about 8 µm long. Genital setae in single curved line, or 2+4. Mentum with thickened, reverted transverse ridge anteriorly, with tectum. Femur III with 2 setae, l’ absent. Tarsi monodactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Mean total length female (n = 10) 317 µm (range 310–320), mean total length male (n = 9) 301 µm (range 295–310). Mean notogastral width female (n = 3) 208 (range 205–210); mean notogastral width male (n = 4) 208 µm (range 200–225). Integument: Prodorsum, notogaster, venter and mentum faintly micropunctate. Coxisternum, lamellae and pedotectum I with fine striae, lamella laterally with strong striae (Fig. 15). Prodorsum: Rostrum flattened medially with minute lateral teeth (Fig. 16). Lamella (including cusp) about 118 µm long, cusp about 70 µm long, about 41 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps contiguous, or not, anteromedially, separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through long oval opening, 9 µm wide x 16 µm long; translamella without tooth, about 9 µm at greatest width, 13 µm at greatest depth (Fig. 15). Medial dens on lamellar cusp about 7–10 µm long, without marginal teeth, less than third length lateral dens; latter about 31 µm long, without marginal teeth (Figs. 15, 19A). Setae ro about 80 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially. Setae le about 93 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in about 133 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of insertions of pair about 47 µm. Bothridial setae about 100 µm long, with barbed, long bacilliform head, tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally (Fig. 15). Exobothridial setae about 20 µm long, thin, acuminate. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, with dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally (Fig. 19B). Tutorium about 120 µm long of, which cusp about 72 µm long, rectangular; distal margin variable, with distinct dorsal and ventral dens (Fig. 19B), or with 6–10 dens along anterodorsal and distal margin. Custodium about 29–40 µm long, tapered (Fig. 16). Porose area Al about 11 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 5–7 transverse ridges. Pteromorph with striae along margin; with small dens on anteroventral margin. Octotaxic system in form of small porose areas, about 7 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of short, smooth notogastral setae present; 24 to 41 µm long, with c seta longest, setae positioned medially and laterally, lm medial to Aa, lp anteromedial of A1; distance h 1 –h 1 about 27 µm, wider than distance p 1 –p 1 , about 21 µm (Fig. 15). Subtriangular lenticulus present. Ventral region: Seta 3c largest epimeral seta, barbed, about 32 µm, 4c smallest, thinnest, about 8 µm long; other epimeral setae mostly 14–18 µm long, smooth. Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae weakly barbed, about 11 µm long. Genital setae in single curved line or 2+4. Lyrifissure iad anterior of anterolateral corner of anal plates. Postanal porose area oval 18 x 6 µm. Gnathosoma: Mentum with thickened, reverted transverse ridge anteriorly, with tectum. Axillary saccule about 5 x 2 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-2-2; f, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)-3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Seta l’ absent from femur III. Setae l” on genua I and II 22-24 µm. Tarsi monodactylous. Description. Immatures. Dimensions: Length: larva (n = 1) (specimen distorted, not measured); protonymph (n = 1) 235 µm; tritonymph (n = 1) 290 µm. Larva. Prodorsum: Setae ro le, in and ex strongly barbed, tapered, in thickest seta, about 32, 49, 73 and 37 µm long, respectively. Mutual distance of setae ro about 9 µm, of setae le about 13 µm and of setae in about 20 µm. Setae ex directed laterally, other prodorsal setae directed anteriorly or anterolaterally (Fig. 17). Bothridial seta setiform, heavily barbed, about 80 µm long, almost blunt distally (Fig. 17). Gastronotic region: Rounded; outline slightly uneven, caused by swelling around setal tubercles (Fig. 17). Humeral organ as for tritonymph (Fig. 17 arrow). Gastronotal setae, other than h 2 , long, broad, heavily barbed, tapered, seta h 2 thin, weakly barbed, acuminate; seta h 1 absent; all setae, other than h 2 , directed posteriorly, h 2 directed laterally; setae c 1 , da and dm overlapping in larva and on larval scalps carried by protonymph. Setal lengths (in µm) approximate (due to difficulty in measurement): c 1 (78), c 2 (81), c 3 (54), da (52), dm (49), dp (36), la (48), lm (44), lp (35), h 3 (32), h 2 (21); distance da–da and dm–dm subequal 14–15 m, distance dp–dp about 23 µm. Ventral region: Epimeral setation 3-1-2; setae all smooth, about 5 µm, except 1c scaliform. Tritonymph. Integument: weakly sclerotized; weakly microtuberculate. Prodorsum: Setae ro le, in and ex broad, strongly barbed, tapered, about 36, 84, 90 and 60 µm long, respectively. Mutual distance of setal pair ro about 12 µm, of pair le about 17 µm and of pair in about 38 µm. Setae ex directed laterally, other prodorsal setae directed anteriorly or anterolaterally (Fig. 18A). Bothridial seta setiform, heavily barbed, about 120 µm long (Fig. 18A). Gastronotic region: Margin carinate except anteriorly; outline slightly uneven, caused by weak swelling around setal tubercles (Fig. 18A). Two oval porose regions closely medial to each seta lp; about 13 µm at widest dimension (not illustrated). Opisthonotal gland opening ventromedial to seta lp (Fig. 18B). Humeral organ present as small saccule 3 x 3 µm, ventral to seta c 3 (Fig. 18A, arrow). Setae c 2 broken from specimen examined. Other gastronotal setae long, broadened, heavily barbed, tapered; c 1, da , directed posteriorly. Setal lengths (in µm) approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c 1 (45), c 2 (broken), c 3 (108), da (75), dm (90), dp (50), la (105), lm (110), lp (108), h 1 (97), h 2 (81), h 3 (103), p 1 (52), p 2 (47), p 3 (24). Distance da–da about 22 µm, dm–dm about 42 µm and dp–dp about 82 µm; c 1 and dp broadest setae, subequal in shape and length; da narrowest seta, subequal in shape to bo; setae p 1 and p 2 subequal in size and shape, broader than p 3 . Ventral surface of scalps with pair of sheathlike callosities, accommodating seta da of previous instar; sheaths browner, more sclerotized than rest of scalp. Ventral region: Epimeral plates contiguous medially. Epimeral setation 3-1-3-3; all smooth, about 5 µm, except 3c barbed, about 8 µm. Five pairs of genital setae, about 6 µm, aligned in longitudinal row. Aggenital seta smooth, about 8 µm. Three pairs of adanal setae about 8 µm, ad 1 barbed, ad 2 and ad 3 smooth (Fig. 18B); two pairs of anal setae smooth, about 5µm; cupule iad present. Axillary saccule present, about 4 x 2 µm. Legs: Setae l” of femur, genu and tibia I, II and l’ of genu III very broad, barbed, spinous, almost blunt distally. Protonymph. Similar to tritonymph in form and proportions. Epimeral setation 3-1-2-1. Paraprocts atrichous in protonymph. Scalps of protonymph with molded integument to accommodate setae da of larval scalp. Legs: Ontogeny of leg setae and solenidia for known immatures and adult given in Table 3. Etymology. This species is named in honour of my friend, colleague and preeminent expert on oribatid mites, Dr. Roy A. Norton. Remarks. Adults of Oribatella nortoni sp. nov. are very similar to those of O. sexdentata, described from Italy on the basis of a single specimen (Berlese 1916), see also Mahunka and Mahunka-Papp (1995). This species was redescribed by Bernini (1977) and Chistyakov (1984a), and is keyed to species in Bernini (1978) and in Weigmann (2006). The redescription of this species by Bernini (1977) and Chistyakov (1984a) is used for comparison herein, and character states for O. sexdentata are in parentheses below. In O. nortoni sp. nov. seta bo is tapered distally (blunt distally); notogastral seta lm is medial of Aa (posterior to posteromedial of Aa: Bernini 1977, his Fig. XII b; Chistyakov 1984a, his Fig. 13; see also, Weigmann 2006, his Fig. 193 a and Shtanchaeva & Subías 2009, their Fig. 7). Epimeral seta 4c is the smallest, thinnest epimeral seta in O. nortoni (a character state also found in O. eutricha Berlese, 1908 known from Italy); unfortunately, this character is broken on the type of O. sexdentata (Bernini 1977) and is not illustrated in Chistyakov (1984a). The immatures of O. sexdentata were described by Chistyakov (1984a). These differ markedly from immatures of O. nortoni in the shape of gastronotal setae. Furthermore, seta c 1 of all nymphs of O. sexdentata are smooth and shorter than other gastronotal setae, whereas in known nymphs of O. nortoni seta c 1 are equally well barbed and broad as other gastronotal setae. Bernini (1977) questioned the record of O. sexdentata from Virginia, USA (Sengbusch 1957). It is possible that this record related instead to O. nortoni. However, Sengbusch’s specimens are not available, so both species are included in the key to species (see below). Development of leg setae is similar to that given for Oribatella canadensis (Behan-Pelletier & Eamer 2010) except on leg II, v’ is tritonymphal on the genu and pair (v) are tritonymphal on the tibia (adult in O. canadensis); on leg III, l’ is absent from the femur; and on legs III and IV, (l) is tritonymphal on the tibia (adult in O. canadensis). Distribution and Ecology. This species is known only from a few localities in eastern North America from New Brunswick, Canada to Alabama, USA (Table 1)., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 30-36, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Berlese, A. (1916) Centuria terza di Acari nuovi. Redia, 12, 283 - 338.","Mahunka, S. & Mahunka-Papp, L. (1995) The Oribatid species described by Berlese (Acari). Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, 325 pp.","Bernini, F. (1977) Notulae Oribatologicae XVII. Nuovi dati sul genere Oribatella in Italia (Acarida, Oribatei). Redia, 60, 457 - 505.","Chistyakov, M. P. (1984 a) The postembryonic development of Oribatella sexdentata Berlese, 1916 (Oribatei). Gor'kovskiy Gosudarstvennyy Pedagogicheskiy Institut imeni A. M. Gor'kogo. Gor'kiy. Deponirovano v VINITI. 68, 1 - 28. [In Russian]","Bernini, F. (1978) Notulae Oribatologicae XX. Il genere Oribatella in Italia (Acarida, Oribatida). Redia, 61, 503 - 538.","Weigmann, G. (2006) Hornmilben (Oribatida). Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 76. Teil. Goecke & Evers, Keltern, 520 pp.","Shtanchaeva, U. Ya. & Subias, L. S. (2009) A review of oribatid mites of the family Oribatellidae (Acariformes, Oribatida) from the Caucasus. Entomological Review, 89 (2), 218 - 238. (English version)","Berlese, A. (1908) Elenco di generi e specie nuovi di Acari. Redia, 5, 1 - 15.","Sengbusch, H. G. (1957) Checklist of Oribatoid mites in the vicinity of Mountain Lake Biological Station - Virginia. Virginia Journal Science, 8 (2), 128 - 134.","Behan-Pelletier, V. M. & Eamer, B. (2010) The first sexually dimorphic species of Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) and a review of sexual dimorphism in the Brachypylina. Zootaxa, 2332, 1 - 20."]}

Oribatella metzi sp. nov. (Figs. 10–13) Material examined. Holotype: female USA: North Carolina, Durham Co., Duke Forest, 4.v.1979 (L. Metz), deposited in the CNC, type number 23956. Paratypes: 7 (5 males, 2 females) with same data as holotype; North Carolina, Buncombe Co., Bent Creek Experimental forest (A.P. Jacot) (RNC) (2 males) (“montum” of Jacot, see Remarks); West Virginia, Mercer Co., 1.5 mi N on Brushcock Falls Trail, 13.vi.1971 (W. Sheer) 1 female from deep litter near cliff (RNC); Missouri, Boone Co., Hinkson Creek, Columbia, S.U. Mo. Campus, 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85–127 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 female from mixed deciduous litter on dry ridgetop (FM); Alabama, DeKalb Co., De Soto State Park, Lost Falls Trail 26.ix.1992 (VBP) 1 female from moist maple litter by Lost Falls; same data except, 27.ix.1992, Rhodendron Trail, 1 male from moss at base of hemlock. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 275–290 µm. Rostral margin rounded, undulating in ventral aspect with 2 small lateral dens. Microtubercles aligned on striae on posterior of notogaster, on coxisternum, on genital plates and on ventral plate laterally and posteriorly of anal plates. Translamella without tooth. Lamella (including cusp) 105–109 µm long, cusp 72–77 µm long, about 38 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Medial dens on cusp about 31 µm long, without teeth; lateral dens about 37 µm long with at most 1 tooth on lateral margin. Bothridial seta 90–111 µm long, with barbed, fusiform head, tapered distally. Notogastral porose areas small, about 5 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of short, smooth notogastral setae present, 16–27 µm long, with c seta longest, setae positioned laterally; lm posterior of Aa, and directed laterally, lp anterior of A1. Mutual distance p 1 –p 1 about 19 µm, subequal to distance h 1 –h 1 . Aggenital setae absent. Tarsi monodactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Mean total length: female (n = 3) 288 µm (range 285–290); male (n = 5) 279 µm (range 275–280). Mean notogastral width: female (n =3) 198 µm (range 195–200); male (n =5) 188 µm (range 180–190). Integument: Prodorsum, notogaster, anal plates, genital plates, venter and mentum microtuberculate, microtubercles aligned on striae on posterior of notogaster, coxisternum, genital plates and on ventral plate laterally and posterior of anal plates (Fig. 10). With striae on tutorium, pteromorph and pedotectum I. Lamellae smooth medially, with longitudinal striae laterally (Fig. 10). Prodorsum: Rostrum rounded triangle in dorsal aspect; margin rounded, undulating in ventral aspect with 2 small lateral dens. (Fig. 11). Lamella (including cusp) 105–109 µm long, cusp 72–77 µm long, about 38 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps contiguous anteromedially; separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through oval opening, about 14 µm wide x 21 µm long; translamella without tooth, about 11 µm at greatest width, 6 µm depth (Fig. 10). Medial dens on lamellar cusp about 31 µm long, without teeth; lateral dens about 37 µm long with at most 1 tooth on lateral margin. Long striae extending longitudinally along outer margin of lamella and cusp; lamella without striae medially (Fig. 10). Setae ro about 73 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, curved anteromedially (Fig. 11). Setae le about 57–66 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in 113–124 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of pair 52–54 µm. Bothridial setae about 90–111 µm long, with barbed, fusiform head, tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anterodorsally (Fig. 10). Exobothridial setae about 11 µm long, thin, smooth. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, with dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally. Tutorium broad, rectangular about 97 µm long of which cusp about 54 µm long, rectangular, distal margin with 5–6 dens. Custodium about 26 µm long, extending to middle of pedotectum II (Fig. 11). Porose area Al about 10 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 5–9 transverse ridges. Pteromorph with striae; with or without small dens on anteroventral margin (Fig. 11). Octotaxic system in form of relatively small porose areas, about 5 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of short, smooth notogastral setae present, 16–27 µm long, with c seta longest, setae positioned laterally, so that lm posterior of Aa, and directed laterally, and lp anterior of A1 (Fig. 10); distance p 1 –p 1 about 19 µm, subequal to distance h 1 –h 1 about 19 µm. Diffuse subtriangular lenticulus present (not illustrated). Ventral region: Epimeral setae mostly about 6–8 µm long, smooth, 4c about 32 µm long, thick and heavily barbed. Genital, anal and adanal setae smooth, about 6–8 µm long; genital setae 3 + 3, 3 setae on anterior margin of plate. Aggenital setae absent. Lyrifissure iad anterolateral and almost parallel to anal plate. Postanal porose area oval 11 x 5 µm. Gnathosoma: Mentum with transverse carina anteriorly, with short tectum (Fig. 11). Axillary saccule about 4 x 2 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-2/3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Setae l” on genua I and II 21 µm; l” on tibiae I and II 14 µm. Tarsi monodactylous. Description. Immatures. Dimensions: Mean length: larva (n = 1) 200 µm; deutonymph (n = 1) 209 µm; tritonymph (n = 7) 282 µm (range 275–290). Larva. Integument weakly microtuberculate. Prodorsum: Setae ro le, in and ex long, barbed, tapered, about 50, 70, 80 and 70 µm long, respectively. Mutual distance of pair ro about 9 µm, of pair le about 10 µm and of pair in about 30 µm. Setae ex directed laterally, other prodorsal setae directed anteriorly or anterolaterally (Fig. 12). Bothridial seta fusiform, heavily barbed, about 80 µm long, tapered distally (Fig. 12). Gastronotic region: Margin carinate except anteriorly; outline uneven, caused by weak swelling around setal tubercles. Twelve pairs of setae, long, barbed, tapered, subequal in shape. Setal lengths (in µm) approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c 1 (92), c 2 (90), c 3 (90), da (100), dm (90), dp (70), la (80), lm (80), lp (60), h 1 (?), h 2 (?), h 3 (27). Tritonymph: Integument of gastronotal region weakly microtuberculate medially, with short striae laterally. Integument of prodorsum weakly microtuberculate. Prodorsum: Setae ro le, in and ex barbed, tapered, about 38, 59, 66 and 45 µm long, respectively. Mutual distance of setae ro about 15 µm, of setae le about 16 µm and of setae in about 33 µm. Setae ex directed laterally, other prodorsal setae directed anteriorly or anterolaterally (Fig. 13). Bothridial seta bacilliform, heavily barbed, about 76 µm long, blunt distally (Fig. 13). Gastronotic region: Margin carinate except anteriorly; outline slightly uneven, caused by weak swelling around setal tubercles (Fig. 13). Setae barbed, tapered, with c 1 thinnest seta and da thickest seta; dm and dp absent (Fig. 13). Setae c 1, c 2, da , directed posteriorly; c 1 generally lying beneath scalps of previous instars. Setae c 3 la, lm, lp, h 3, h 2 directed posterolaterally. Setal lengths (in µm) approximate (due to some terminal breakage and difficulty in measurement): c 1 (23), c 2 (36), c 3 (41), da (30), la (42), lm (40), lp (37), h 1 (30), h 2 (32), h 3 (34), p 1 (26), p 2 (22), p 3 (22). Ventral surface of scalps with pair of setiform, sheathlike callosities, accommodating seta da of preceding instar; sheaths browner, more sclerotized than rest of scalp. Ventral region: Epimeral plates contiguous medially. Epimeral setation 3-1-3-3; all smooth, about 6 µm. Five pairs of genital setae, about 6 µm, aligned in longitudinal row. Aggenital seta absent. Three pairs of adanal setae barbed, about 9–13 µm; two pairs of anal setae barbed, about 9µm; cupule iad present. Axillary saccule present, about 4 x 2 µm. Other nymphal instars: Similar to tritonymph in form and proportions, except as follows. Setae of d series of deutonymph as for tritonymph, i.e., setae dm and dp absent. Setae of d series of protonymph (observation from protonymphal scalp; no specimen available) represented by da, similar in shape to that of tritonymph, about 24 µm long and dp, similar in shape to l series, about 38 µm long; setae dm absent; distance setal bases da and dp about 74 µm, three times length da. Legs: Ontogeny of leg setae and solenidia for known nymphs and adult given in Table 2. Etymology. This species in named in honour of the late Dr. Louis J. Metz, who contributed extensively to oribatid mite research and soil faunal studies in North America. Remarks. This species made it necessary to modify the diagnosis of Oribatella (see above) for characters relating to the ontogeny of gastronotic setae. In other species the protonymph, deutonymph and tritonymph have 15 pairs of gastronotal setae (adult loses at least c 1 ). Oribatella metzi is unique among Oribatella, and among all known brachypyline Oribatida, in that deutonymphal and tritonymphal gastronotal setal loss differs from that of the protonymph, the protonymph having 14 pairs of gastronotal setae (seta dm lost) and the deutonymph and tritonymph with 13 pairs of gastronotal setae (setae dm and dp lost). The development of leg setae is similar to that given for Oribatella canadensis (Behan-Pelletier & Eamer 2010), which is the only species of Oribatella for which this is known. The only clear exception is that seta l’ is deutonymphal on tibia III and tritonymphal on tibia IV (both form in adult in O. canadensis). In 1 tritonymph, femur III on 1 side bears seta l’. Jacot frequently labeled slides with names that were used in internal USDA reports, but which were never published, such as ‘montum’ noted in the Material Examined Section. Distribution and Ecology. This species is known only from litter in mideastern states of the USA (Table 1)., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 21-27, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Behan-Pelletier, V. M. & Eamer, B. (2010) The first sexually dimorphic species of Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) and a review of sexual dimorphism in the Brachypylina. Zootaxa, 2332, 1 - 20."]}

Oribatella brevicornuta Jacot, 1934 Oribatella brevicornuta Jacot, 1934, p. 707. (Figs. 2A–F, 3A–D) Type material examined. Specimens (3 females, 1 male) on 4 slides labelled paratype: USA, New York: Ithaca, Buttermilk Creek, 21.v., 26B81d, Remtd v. 1947, A.P. Jacot Coll. (MCZ). Specimens on 3 slides labelled Cotypes: New York: Danby to West Danby, 19.v.1917 (A.P. Jacot), slides labelled 171 Oo 1a (dissected female), 171 Oo 1b (1 female), 171 Oo 1c (1male, 1 female) (MCZ). Other material examined. USA, Missouri: Roaring Rocks State Park, Trail to lookout tower, 13.v.1999 (VBP) 1 from soil under rotting oak; Arkansas: Montgomery Co., Crystal/Collier area, 3.iv.1992 (HWR); Newton Co., Richland Creek Wilderness, 35°46’308N 092°56’016”W, 21.ix.2001 (HWR) 2; Scott Co., Dry Creek Wilderness Area, NE boundary at 2100’, 6.iii.1999 (HWR) 2 from old growth; Georgia: Okefenokee, (RNC) 1; Glynn Co., Jekyll Island, 31°07.22’N 081°24.58W, 28.ii.2005 (VBP) 3 from Serenoa litter on seashore; Camden Co., Crooked River State Park, coastal shell midden forest, 30°50.79’N 081°32.80W, 26.ii.2005 (VBP) 2 from Quercus myrthifolia Willd. litter; same data, except 2 from litter of old Quercus laurifolia Michx.; Mississippi, Oktibbeha Co., HWY 25, 11 mi S from Starkville, 21.ix.1988 (G.T. Baker) 1; Texas, Aransas Co., Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, 28°16’24”N 096°47’56”W, 3.iii.1995 (VBP) 1 from moist yaupon, live oak, persimmon litter on sand by bay; Bandera Co., Lost Maples State Natural Area, East Trail, 29°48.984’N 099°34.999W, 27.ii.2007 (VBP) 1 from bigtooth maple and oak litter; Canada: Québec: Mont Orford Park, 2.viii.1985 (VBP) 1 from beech litter, some Lycopodium; Mont Joli, 25.x.1954 (J.E.H. Martin) 1; Cedarville, 45°01’30.35”N 72°13’58.97”W, Descente 20, 23.viii.1985 (VBP) 2 from litter under Hericium on fallen dead beech; Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Mackenzie Mountain, 25.viii.1983 (M. Sharkey) 1 from litter and moss. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 470–572 µm. Notogastral width 300–382 µm. Integument of prodorsum, notogaster, venter and mentum micropunctate. Integument of coxisternum with distinct striae (Fig. 2D). Rostrum flattened, undulating, with (Fig. 2F, arrow) or without minute lateral teeth. Lamella (with cusp) 177–188 µm long, cusp 121–133 µm long, 61–65 µm wide at level of insertion of seta le. Lamellar cusps diverging or parallel anteromedially; separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through oval opening 35–54 µm long x 17–23 µm wide. Medial dens of lamellar cusps 38–50 µm, subequal or slightly shorter than lateral dens (48–65 µm long); medial dens smooth; lateral dens with 0–4 small teeth on lateral edge (varying among specimens and on either side of same specimen). Long striae extending longitudinally along outer margin of lamella. Translamella without tooth, about 17–19 µm at greatest width, about 13–16 µm deep (Fig. 2C). Setae ro 108–128 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, strongly directly medially. Setae le about 105–115 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in 197–228 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of pair about 57–74 µm. Bothridial setae 133–149 µm long, subequal in shape to seta le; with barbed, bacilliform head, rounded distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anteromedially (Fig. 2A). Exobothridial setae about 43–65 µm long, thin, smooth, acuminate. Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, rounded distally, without dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally (Fig. 2D black arrow, 2E arrow). Tutorium 168–201 µm long, of which cusp about 106–127 µm long, rectangular, convex ventrally, distal margin with 5 to 7 dens (Fig. 2E). Custodium about 48–62 µm long, with 2 adjacent knobs along length (Fig. 3C) (1 cotype specimen with knob distally). Porose area Al about 10 µm in diameter. Anterior margin of notogaster undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with about 10 transverse ridges (Fig. 2A–C). Pteromorph with short ridges at anterior margin; with dens anteroventrally. Porose areas present, Aa about 22 µm in diameter. Ten pairs of long, barbed notogastral setae present; c series 99–127 µm, l and h series 90–100 µm, p series about 77 µm long; c, l and h directed laterally, positioned so that lm medial of Aa, and lp anteromedial of A1. Distance h 1 –h 1 about 58–67 µm, almost twice distance p 1 –p 1 (38–41 µm). Lenticulus subtriangular. Epimeral setae about 22–65 µm long, barbed, 3b, 3c about 48 µm long, 4c about 65 µm long and more barbed than other epimeral setae, reaching tip of custodium (Fig. 3C). Genital setae in longitudinal row, 1+5, one seta on anterior of genital plate; genital and aggenital setae about 29 µm long; anal and adanal setae barbed, about 23–38 µm long. Postanal porose area oval, about 50 µm wide. Mentum with small reticulate pattern, with anterior tectum covering base of gena, with transverse carina anteriorly (Fig. 2D). Axillary saccule about 8 x 3 µm. Leg setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)-3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Seta l" on genua and tibiae I and II about 43–55 µm. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Remarks. Jacot (1934 a, p. 710) described the subspecies O. brevicornuta extensa, from Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia. He distinguished the subspecies on the basis of lamellar cusps being longer and more slender than those of O. brevicornuta sensu stricto. Subsequently this subspecies was elevated to species status (Johnston 1965), without any rationale given. I examined one type specimen of O. brevicornuta extensa, specifically: cotype female (with 5 eggs) labelled Cotype: “26Ew147, Arcola Ill, July 4, 06. B147. K. & P. in 80% alc. M. July 7, ’06. H. e. Ewing” (MCZ). All character states fall within the range of variation in O. brevicornuta sensu stricto noted in the diagnosis given above. More specifically the length and width of lamellar cusps and the length and width at midlength of cusp dens fall within the range of variation for the type material of brevicornuta sensu stricto. Thus, the elevation of the subspecies to species by Johnston (1965) should be rejected, but I consider it premature to reject subspecific status, i.e., retention of O. brevicornuta extensa, until the species is studied with molecular methods. Jacot usually denoted his type material as “cotypes”. The word “ paratype ” on labels for the 4 specimens from USA, New York: Ithaca, Buttermilk Creek, 21.v.,.26B81d, Remtd v. 1947, A.P. Jacot Coll., noted in the Material Examined Section is not in Jacot’s handwriting. Distribution and Ecology. Oribatella brevicornuta is widely distributed in deciduous forests throughout eastern North America, from Nova Scotia, Canada to Texas, USA (Table 1). In addition to the Material examined above, it has been recorded from Connecticut and North Carolina (refs. in Marshall et al. 1987)., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 7-10, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Jacot, A. P. (1934) A new four-horned mossmite (Oribatoidea-Acarina). American Midland Naturalist, 15, 706 - 712.","Johnston, D. E. (1965) A catalog of the determined species of Acari (excl. Ixodides) in the collections of the Institute of Acarology. Institute of Acarology, Ohio Agricultural experimental Station, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Series, 29, iv + 67 pp.","Marshall, V. G. Reeves, R. M. & Norton, R. A. (1987) Catalogue of the Oribatida of continental United States and Canada. Memoirs of the entomological Society of Canada 139. 418 pp."]}

Behan-Pelletier, V. M. (2011): Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America. Zootaxa 2973 (1): 1-56, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, URL: https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.2973.1.1

Oribatella jacoti sp. nov. (Figs. 7, 8) Material examined. Holotype: female, USA, Missouri, Boone Co., Hinkson Creek S Univ. Mo. Campus, 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85–128 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) from red and chestnut oak, sugar maple litter on ridge top (FM). Paratypes (all in FM if not indicated otherwise): Missouri, Boone Co., Hinkson Creek S Univ. Mo. Campus, 24.iv.1985 FMHD #85–115 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 female from moss on base of tree; 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85– 122 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 female from red chestnut oak litter in limestone pit; 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85–126 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 female from wood of rotten log at base of slope; 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85–127 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 female from mixed deciduous litter on dry ridge top; 25.iv.1985 FMHD #85–130 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 2 males from floodplain litter in mixed mesophytic forest; 29.iv.1985 FMHD #85–160 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 male from red and chestnut oak, sugar maple litter at log; 30.iv.1985 FMHD #85–166 (J. Kethley, R.A. Norton) 1 male from red cedar litter on ridge top; Lake of the Ozarks State Park, Woodland Trail, elv. 900’, 38°05’N 92°37’W, 14.v.1999 (VBP) 1 female from soil in dried up stream (CNC). Other material examined: Wisconsin: Nicolet National Forest, Scott Lake Nature Trail, 45°46’N 89°W; 25.x.1998 (VBP and M. Behan) 2 from hemlock litter in 200+ year old stand, some birch; Illinois, Pope Co., Shawnee National Forest, Bell Smith Springs, 37°30’10”N 88°3’30”W, 23.ix.1992 (VBP) 2 from lichens, moss, cedar litter on sandstone ridge above canyon; Arkansas, Scott Co., Dry Creek Wilderness Area, NE boundary at 2100’, 6.iii.1999 (HWR) 4 from old growth; Polk Co., Bard Springs, 6.vi.1992 (HWR) 2; Newton Co., Richland Creek Wilderness, 35°46’308”N 92°56’016”W, viii, 2002 (HWR) 1; Canada, Ontario, Leeds-Grenville Co., nr. Otter Lake, 44°34.85’N 76°20’W, 23.vii.2003 (J. Chen, VBP, J. Johnson) 1 from rotting paper birch litter; Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Mica Mt. Trail, 7.ix.1983 (VBP) 1 from lichen, Ledum, shrub Abies and Vaccinium litter in hollow; North Mountain Bog, 26.viii.1983 (M. Sharkey) 2. Diagnosis. Total length of adult 576–634 µm. Integument of prodorsum, notogaster, genital and ventral plate micropunctate, mentum microtuberculate; short striae present on lenticulus and long striae on lateral of lamellae and in coxisternal region. Lamella (including cusp) about 226 µm long, cusp about 163 µm long, about 71 µm wide at level of seta le. Medial dens about 72 µm long, without teeth, lateral dens about 72 µm with 0–6 teeth on lateral margin. Bothridial setae 115–156 µm long, with barbed, fusiform head, rounded to tapered distally. Tutorium extending well anterior of rostrum, about 228 µm long of which cusp about 144 µm long, rectangular, distal margin with about 10 dens. Custodium about 62 µm long, tapered. Notogastral setae 72–86 µm long, lm posterior or posteromedial to Aa, lp anterior to A1. Setal pair h 1 closely adjacent, directed posteriorly, blunt distally; distance h 1 – h 1 about 24 µm, equidistant to distance p 1 –p 1 . Epimeral seta 3c 75 µm, thickest and longest seta, subequal in shape to other epimeral setae. Mentum with transverse carina anteriorly; with tectum. Seta l” of genu I about 53 µm, l” of genu II about 62 µm. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Description. Adult. Dimensions: Mean total length: female (n = 4) 631 µm (range 624–634); male (n = 4) 588 µm (range 576–595). Mean notogastral width: female (n =2) 471 µm (461, 480); male (n =3) 439 µm (range 432– 442). Integument: Prodorsum, notogaster, genital and ventral plate micropunctate, mentum microtuberculate; short striae present on lenticulus and long striae on lateral of lamellae (Fig. 7) and in coxisternal region. Prodorsum: Rostral margin rounded to undulating with minute dens laterally (as in Fig. 2F). Lamella (including cusp) about 226 µm long, cusp about 163 µm long, about 71 µm wide at level of seta le. Lamellar cusps contiguous, or not, anteromedially, separated posteromedially, leaving prodorsum visible through oval opening, about 62 µm long by up to 24 µm wide. Medial dens about 72 µm long without teeth; lateral dens about 72 µm with 0–6 teeth (Fig. 7) on lateral margin, varying among specimens and on either side of same specimen. Translamella without tooth, about 19 µm at greatest width, about 19 µm deep (Fig. 7). Setae ro about 120 µm long, strongly barbed along length, acuminate, strongly directly medially. Setae le about 96 µm long, thick, heavily barbed, tapered. Setae in about 211 µm long, thick (less so than le), heavily barbed, tapered; mutual distance of pair about 72 µm. Bothridial setae 115–156 µm long, with barbed, fusiform head, rounded to tapered distally, stalk short, smooth; head directed slightly anteromedially. Exobothridial setae thin, smooth, about 60 µm. Lateral aspect of podosoma: Genal tooth broad, subrectangular, rounded distally, without dens ventrodistally, with longitudinal ridge ventrally (as for Fig. 2E). Tutorium extending well anterior of rostrum; about 228 µm long, of which cusp about 144 µm long, rectangular, distal margin with about 10 dens. Custodium about 62 µm long, tapered (Fig. 8). Porose area Al about 21 µm in diameter. Notogaster: Length subequal to width. Anterior margin undulating, convex lateral of bothridium, with 10–12 transverse ridges (Fig. 7). Pteromorph with ridges at anterior and ventral margins (Fig. 7); with or without small dens on anteroventral margin (Fig. 8). Porose areas large, about 17 µm in diameter, clearly defined. Ten pairs of long, barbed, tapered (other than seta h 1 ), notogastral setae present, 72–86 µm long, with c, la and h setae longest; lm posterior to posteromedial of Aa, and directed laterally, lp anterior of A1. Setae h 1 closely adjacent, directed posteriorly, blunt distally (Fig. 7); distance h 1 –h 1 about 24 µm, subequal to distance p 1 –p 1 . Lenticulus U-shaped, with fine short striae (Fig. 7). Ventral region: Epimeral setae mostly 24–36 µm long, setal length (in µm) approximate, 1b 36, 2a 24, 3a, 24, 4a 24; 3c 75, thickest and longest seta and more barbed than 4c 72, which subequal in shape to other epimeral setae, though more barbed. Genital, aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth, about 10–14 µm long. Genital setae about 10 µm, positioned 1+5, with 1 seta on anterior margin of plate. Postanal porose area oval, 25 x 12 µm. Gnathosoma: Mentum with transverse carina anteriorly; with tectum (Fig. 8, as for Fig. 2D). Axillary saccule about 8x3 µm. Legs: Setation (I to IV): trochanters, 1-1-2-1; femora, 5-5-3-2; genua, 3(1)-3(1)-1(1)-2; tibiae 4(2)-4(1)-3(1)- 3(1); tarsi, 20(2)-15(2)-15-12. Setae l” of genu I about 53 µm, l” of genu II about 62 µm. Tarsi heterotridactylous. Etymology. This species is named in honour of A. P. Jacot, (1890–1939), the world-renowned acarologist, who was and is seminal to our knowledge of North American Oribatida. A short biographical overview of his life is given in Metz et al. (1977). Remarks. This species is similar in size and shape to O. brevicornuta from which it is easily distinguished by the closely adjacent, posteriorly directed setae h 1 , and the distance h 1 – h 1 being subequal to the distance p 1 –p 1, about 24 µm. Distribution and Ecology. This species is widely distributed throughout eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Arkansas., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V. M., 2011, Oribatella (Acari, Oribatida, Oribatellidae) of eastern North America, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 2973 (1) on pages 16-20, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2973.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5295835, {"references":["Metz, L. J., Reeves, R. M. & Norton, R. A. (1977) The works of A. P. Jacot. In: Dindal D. L. (ed.) Biology of Oribatid mites. State University of New York, Syracuse: 1 - 31."]}

Pelopsis baloghi sp. n. (Figs 1–14) Material examined – Holotype: adult m. Costa Rica: Heredia, Estación Biologica La Selva, Swampo Experimentale, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 9 June 1997 (V. BEHAN- PELLETIER), aquatic vegetation and debris, deposited in the Acari collections of INBio, Insitituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica. Paratypes: 10 with same data as holotype; 2 with same data as holotype, except 17 May 1995, from saturated soil. Paratypes deposited in the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids, Agricultureand Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada, INBio, thecollections of R. A. N ORTON and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. Etymology – This species is named in honor of Professor JÁNOS BALOGH for his outstanding contributions to knowledge of Oribatida worldwide. Diagnosis. Adult – Total length 420–508 µm; integument striate on notogaster, pteromorphs, epimeres, ventral, genital and anal plates and mentum; lamella developed as very strong ridge, 91–101 µm long; lamellar setae arising anteroventrally on lamellar cusps; seta in 98–127 µm long; sensillus 60–72 µm long, with heavily barbed, long clavate head; notogastral setae very short, thin, at most 6 µm long. Description. Adult: Measurements – Mean total length: females (n = 10) 454 µm (range 420–508); males (n = 3) 441 µm (range 422–499). Mean notogastral width: females (n = 10) 304 µm (range288–336), males (n = 3), 303 µm (range288–336). Integument. Microtuberculate on prodorsum, tutorium, genal process, pedotectum I, anterolaterally on epimere I, and on leg segments. Striate on notogaster, pteromorphs, epimeres, ventral, genital and anal plates, mentum, abaxially on femora III and IV and dorsodistally on trochanters III and IV. Prodorsum – Rostral margin strongly concave medially, with 2 lateral dens (Figs 11, 12). Seta ro 53–58 µm long, weakly barbed, acuminate (Figs 1, 12). Lamella developed as very strong ridge, 91–101 µm long, almost parallel (Figs 1, 9), ridge undulating in bothridial region (Fig. 9); lamellar cusp 17–19 µm long, parallel (Fig. 8). Seta le barbed, 19–24 µm long, arising anteroventrally on lamellar cusp, directed anterolaterally, extending beyond tip of rostrum (Figs 10, 11). Seta in 98–127 µm long, inserted on transverse ridge, dorsoventrally flattened, strongly barbed dorsally and laterally, narrow proximally and distally, broadening medially, with conspicuous medial and lateral dens about 24 µm long and small dens between them about 4–7 µm long (Figs 1, 10). Mutual distance of setal pairs ro-ro, le-le and in-in, about 60 µm, 22–24 µm and 29–31 µm, respectively. Seta ex barbed, about 35 µm long. Sensillus 60–72 µm long, with heavily barbed, long clavate head, rounded distally, curved anteromedially (Figs 1, 8). Dorsal apodemes (dorsophragmata) well separated basally (Fig. 1). Porose area Ad circular and medial to bothridium. Lateral aspect of prodorsum – Genal process triangular, tapered to point, with well-developed ridge(Fig. 12). Tutorium, including cusp, about 112 µm long, distinctly pointed distally, (Figs 3, 12), with longitudinal ridges dorsoproximally (Fig. 9); tutorial cusp about 36 µm long. Tutorium strongly curved medially forming concise fit with ridge on genal process (Figs 11, 12). Pedotectum I with strongly concave dorsal margin, with dorsal insertion posterior of seta ex (Fig. 3). Custodium about 12 µm long (Fig. 14). Circumpedal carina strongly developed, curving to level of setae 3b (Figs 3, 13, 14). Notogaster – Longer than wide, ratio 1.2:1. Lenticulus well-developed, subrectangular in shape (Fig. 1). Notogastral striae with thumb-print pattern, directed longitudinally on anterior third of notogaster and transversly posterior to level of saccule S1 (Fig. 6). Notogastral setae very short, thin, at most 6 µm long (Fig. 1). Saccules small, clearly evident, Sa positioned anterior of seta lm, S1 posterolateral of lp, S2 midway between setae h 3 and h 2, S3 lateral of seta h 1 (Fig. 1). Ventral region – Epimere I tuberculate anterolaterally, remainder of epimeres I to IV striate (Figs 11, 12). Epimeral setae weakly barbed, tapered, 3b longest setae, about 34 µm, other epimeral setae 16–24 µm long. Genital plates with longitudinal striae, anal plates with predominantly transverse striae, striae on ventral plate predominantly longitudinal (Fig. 2). Genital setae about 17 µm, g 1 and g 2 weakly barbed, positioned on anterior margin of plate (Fig. 13). Aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth, thin, about 6–10 µm long. Postanal porose area not evident. Gnathosoma – Mentum with predominantly longitudinal striae; gena with striae directed anteromedially (Figs 2, 11). Axillary saccule of subcapitulum about 10 µm long. Legs – Setation (I-IV): trochanters, 1–1–2–1; femora, 5–5–2–2; genua 3(1)–3(1)–1(1)–2; tibiae, 4(2)–4(1)–3(1)–3(1); tarsi, 20(2)–15(2)–15–12 (Figs 4, 5). Tibia I with small anterodorsal dens rior of circumventral groove indicated by arrowhead (Fig. 4). Tibiae I and II indented abaxially (Fig. 10). Femur II with ventral ridge and ventral projection, with seta bv” positioned abaxial to ridge (Fig. 5). Tibia and tarsus II with dorsal ridge; tarsus II with two tandem dorsal spines abaxial of solenidia (Fig. 5). Trochanters and femora III and IV with ventral carina and ridge; femora III and IV and trochanter IV with striae abaxally. Tibia and tarsus IV thickened dorsally; dorsal integument of tibia and tarsus III not thickened. Remarks – The presence of dens dorsally on tarsus II is one of the character states used by HAMMER (1961) to separate Pelopsis bidentatus from thetypespe - cies, Pelopsis bifurcata. Neither EWING (1909), in theoriginal description of the type species, or WOOLLEY (1958) who redescribed the species, noted dens dorsally on tarsus II. Dens are not evident on a cotype slide specimen of P. bifurcata that we have examined. However, variation in this character state in specimens from North America argues for caution in its use as a key character. Adults of Pelopsis baloghi though similar to the two other described species in the genus, can be easily distinguished on the basis of character states outlined in the following key., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V., Eamer, B. & K. W, 2003, Redefinition Of Pelopsis (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae), With Description Of Pelopsis Baloghi Sp. N. From Costa Rica, pp. 5-15 in Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (1) on pages 10-14, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5731728, {"references":["HAMMER, M. (1961) Investigations on the oribatid fauna of the Andes Mountains. II. Peru. Biol. Skr. Dan. Vid. Selsk. 13: 1 - 157.","EWING, H. E. (1909) New American Oribatoidea. J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 17: 116 - 136.","WOOLLEY, T. A. (1958) Redescriptions of Ewing's oribatid mites, VIII - IX. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc. 77: 258 - 279."]}

Pelopsis HALL, 1919 Type species: Pelops bifurcatus EWING, 1909 (= Pelopsis nudiuscula HALL, 1911) Diagnosis. Adults areuniqueamong theMycobatidaein having thefollow - ing combination of character states: granular cerotegument extending ventrally in groove at edge of ventral plate; rostrum with lateral minitecta; enantiophysis present between base of seta in and bothridium; seta in borne on ridge extending between enantiophysis; seta in broad, heavily barbed dorsally and laterally, bifurcate distally; tutorium with large triangular cusp; pedotectum I with proximal third concave, expressed as narrow ridge, strongly convex medially; semicircular carina present close to margin of ventral plate, between circumpedal carina and porose area Ah; circumpedal carina not merging with discidium; octotaxic system of four pairs of saccules; posterior notogastral tectum without overlapping lobes; subcapitulum without mental tectum. Description. Poronotic, brachypyline oribatid mites, with character states of the Mycobatidae (GRANDJEAN 1954). Adult: Granular cerotegument restricted to region between pteromorphs, pedotectum I, tutorium, and lateral body wall, extending medially along dorsosejugal scissure and circumventrally in groove at edge of ventral plate (Fig. 14). Rostrum convex, margin medially concave, with or without lateral dens. Rostrum with pair of lateral minitecta extending from ventral of lamellar setae to edge of genal process (Fig. 12). Rostral seta barbed, directed anteromedially. Lamella present or reduced to ridge, with or without cusp; translamella absent. Lamellar setae borne anteriorly or anteroventrally on cusp, or borne directly on prodorsum. Interlamellar seta broad, strongly barbed dorsally and laterally, bifurcatedistally (Figs 7, 9), borneon ridge(Fig. 9). Enantiophysis welldeveloped between base of seta in and bothridium (Fig. 9). Bothridium cup-shaped (Fig. 9). Sensillus clavate (Figs 1, 8, 9). Porose area Ad present. Tutorium with well-developed triangular cusp. Pedotectum I with proximal third concave, expressed as narrow ridge, strongly convex medially; not covering base of exobothridial seta (Fig. 3). Porose areas Am and Ah present, porose area Al absent. Discidium large, triangular (Fig. 2). Posteriorly directed, semicircular carina present posterodorsal of acetabulum IV, between circumpedal carina and porose area Ah (Fig. 3; arrowhead). Postanal porose area present or absent. Dorsal apodemes (dorsophragmata) separate. Notogaster with 10 pairs of setae or their alveoli. Notogaster with medial process on anterior tectum, process flattened or slightly convex, often covering base of seta in (Fig. 8). Pair of thickened bands of integument bordering medial process, evident in transmitted light. Concave ridges extending from medial process almost to anterior edge of pteromorph (Figs 9, 10). Lenticulus present. Octotaxic system present as four pairs of saccules. Pteromorphs curved ventrally, with line of desclerotization clearly evident, extending four-fifths length of pteromorph (Fig. 7). Undivided posterior notogastral tectum present. Epimeral setal formula 3–1–3–3. Small custodium present. Circumpedal carina ending on ventral plate medial to discidium (Fig. 13). Spermapositor (male genital sclerite) normal for family, approximately half length of genital plate, when measured in ventral view on slide-mounted specimens. Genital papilla Va of maleand femalesubequal in sizeand shapeto Vm and Vp. Palp setal formula 0–2–1–3–9(1). Subcapitulum without mental tectum. Gena without posteriorly directed tectum covering base of seta m. Seta l’ of palptibia setiform. Axillary saccule of subcapitulum present. Tarsi tridactylous. Dorsal integument of tibiae and tarsi II and IV thickened (Fig. 5). Femora II to IV with projection ventrally and abaxially. Seta s of tarsus I eupathidial; seta l” on genua I and II setiform (Fig. 14). Tarsus II with or without dens abaxial to solenidia. Immatures – Unknown. Relationship. We have examined the syntypes of Pelopsis bidentatus (HAMMER 1961). The purported longitudinal groove and the “sense papillae” on the rostrum noted by HAMMER (1961) arethickenings of thebaseof therostral tectum. These, present in all species of Pelopsis, are visible in transmitted light, but being enclosed in the camerostome, are not evident in scanning electron micrographs (Figs 10, 12). The lamellae are lamellate proximally and ridge-like distally. The “short ridges” on the anterior of the notogaster are the thickenings of the notogastral tectum present in all species of Pelopsis. In Pelopsis the cerotegument extends as a circumventral band in the groove formed at the edge of the ventral plate. A similar development of the cerotegument is found in all members of the ceratozetoid family Zetomimidae (BEHAN- PELLETIER & EAMER 2003). It is possiblethat in Pelopsis this band of cerotegument forms a “circumventral plastron” as has been observed in the zetomimid genus Heterozetes (BEHAN- PELLETIER & EAMER 2003). The presence of a semicircular carina posterodorsal of acetabulum IV and close to the margin of the ventral plate, is a character state shared with the mycobatid genera Mycobates and Punctoribates. These latter genera also have a linear carina, anterior to the semicircular carina, which is also found in the mycobatid genus Zachvatkinibates (BEHAN- PELLETIER 1994). The pedotectum I with strongly concave dorsal margin is a character state also found in the genera Punctoribates and Minunthozetes and in some species of Zachvatkinibates (BEHAN- PELLETIER 1988). The presence of (1) minitecta on the rostrum; (2) bifurcate and barbed interlamellar setae, and (3) octotaxic system developed as saccules, are character states uniqueto Pelopsis among theMycobatidae(B EHAN- PELLETIER 1988). Pelopsis shares the following four character states with the mycobatid genera Zachvatkinibates, Punctoribates and Minunthozetes: interlamellar setae borne on a ridge; enantiophysis present between interlamellar setae and bothridium; notogaster with medial process; thickened bands bordering medial process. These character states are considered synapomorphic (BEHAN- PELLETIER 1988), and definethesubfamily Minunthozetinae GRANDJEAN (sensu SHALDYBINA (1975) and PAVLITSHENKO (1994)) of the family Mycobatidae., Published as part of Behan-Pelletier, V., Eamer, B. & K. W, 2003, Redefinition Of Pelopsis (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae), With Description Of Pelopsis Baloghi Sp. N. From Costa Rica, pp. 5-15 in Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (1) on pages 6-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5731728, {"references":["EWING, H. E. (1909) New American Oribatoidea. J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 17: 116 - 136.","HALL, H. V. M. (1911) Studies in Acarina I. Pomona Coll. J. Ent. 3: 504 - 510.","GRANDJEAN, F. (1954) Essai de classification des oribates (acariens). Bull. Soc. Zool. France 78: 421 - 446.","HAMMER, M. (1961) Investigations on the oribatid fauna of the Andes Mountains. II. Peru. Biol. Skr. Dan. Vid. Selsk. 13: 1 - 157.","BEHAN- PELLETIER, V. M. & EAMER, B. (2003) Zetomimidae (Acari: Oribatida) of North America. In SMITH, I. M. (ed.): An acarological tribute to David R. Cock. Indira Publ. House. [in press]","BEHAN- PELLETIER V. M. (1994) Mycobates (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae) of America north of Mexico. Can. Ent. 126: 1301 - 1361.","BEHAN- PELLETIER, V. M. (1988) Redefinition of Zachvatkinibates (Acari: Mycobatidae) with description of a new species and immatures of Z. maritimus Shaldybina, 1973. Can. Ent. 120: 797 - 813.","SHALDYBINA, E. S. (1975) Ceratozetoidea. Pp. 275 - 319. In GILYAROV, M. S. (e d.) A key to soilinhabiting mites. Sarcoptiformes. Izdatel'stvo Nauka, Moscow. 491 pp. [in Russian]"]}

Pelopsis baloghi sp. n. (Figs 1–14) Material examined – Holotype: adult m. Costa Rica: Heredia, Estación Biologica La Selva, Swampo Experimentale, 10°26’N 84°01’W, 9 June 1997 (V. BEHAN- PELLETIER), aquatic vegetation and debris, deposited in the Acari collections of INBio, Insitituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, Santo Domingo, Costa Rica. Paratypes: 10 with same data as holotype; 2 with same data as holotype, except 17 May 1995, from saturated soil. Paratypes deposited in the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids, Agricultureand Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada, INBio, thecollections of R. A. N ORTON and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. Etymology – This species is named in honor of Professor JÁNOS BALOGH for his outstanding contributions to knowledge of Oribatida worldwide. Diagnosis. Adult – Total length 420–508 µm; integument striate on notogaster, pteromorphs, epimeres, ventral, genital and anal plates and mentum; lamella developed as very strong ridge, 91–101 µm long; lamellar setae arising anteroventrally on lamellar cusps; seta in 98–127 µm long; sensillus 60–72 µm long, with heavily barbed, long clavate head; notogastral setae very short, thin, at most 6 µm long. Description. Adult: Measurements – Mean total length: females (n = 10) 454 µm (range 420–508); males (n = 3) 441 µm (range 422–499). Mean notogastral width: females (n = 10) 304 µm (range288–336), males (n = 3), 303 µm (range288–336). Integument. Microtuberculate on prodorsum, tutorium, genal process, pedotectum I, anterolaterally on epimere I, and on leg segments. Striate on notogaster, pteromorphs, epimeres, ventral, genital and anal plates, mentum, abaxially on femora III and IV and dorsodistally on trochanters III and IV. Prodorsum – Rostral margin strongly concave medially, with 2 lateral dens (Figs 11, 12). Seta ro 53–58 µm long, weakly barbed, acuminate (Figs 1, 12). Lamella developed as very strong ridge, 91–101 µm long, almost parallel (Figs 1, 9), ridge undulating in bothridial region (Fig. 9); lamellar cusp 17–19 µm long, parallel (Fig. 8). Seta le barbed, 19–24 µm long, arising anteroventrally on lamellar cusp, directed anterolaterally, extending beyond tip of rostrum (Figs 10, 11). Seta in 98–127 µm long, inserted on transverse ridge, dorsoventrally flattened, strongly barbed dorsally and laterally, narrow proximally and distally, broadening medially, with conspicuous medial and lateral dens about 24 µm long and small dens between them about 4–7 µm long (Figs 1, 10). Mutual distance of setal pairs ro-ro, le-le and in-in, about 60 µm, 22–24 µm and 29–31 µm, respectively. Seta ex barbed, about 35 µm long. Sensillus 60–72 µm long, with heavily barbed, long clavate head, rounded distally, curved anteromedially (Figs 1, 8). Dorsal apodemes (dorsophragmata) well separated basally (Fig. 1). Porose area Ad circular and medial to bothridium. Lateral aspect of prodorsum – Genal process triangular, tapered to point, with well-developed ridge(Fig. 12). Tutorium, including cusp, about 112 µm long, distinctly pointed distally, (Figs 3, 12), with longitudinal ridges dorsoproximally (Fig. 9); tutorial cusp about 36 µm long. Tutorium strongly curved medially forming concise fit with ridge on genal process (Figs 11, 12). Pedotectum I with strongly concave dorsal margin, with dorsal insertion posterior of seta ex (Fig. 3). Custodium about 12 µm long (Fig. 14). Circumpedal carina strongly developed, curving to level of setae 3b (Figs 3, 13, 14). Notogaster – Longer than wide, ratio 1.2:1. Lenticulus well-developed, subrectangular in shape (Fig. 1). Notogastral striae with thumb-print pattern, directed longitudinally on anterior third of notogaster and transversly posterior to level of saccule S1 (Fig. 6). Notogastral setae very short, thin, at most 6 µm long (Fig. 1). Saccules small, clearly evident, Sa positioned anterior of seta lm, S1 posterolateral of lp, S2 midway between setae h 3 and h 2, S3 lateral of seta h 1 (Fig. 1). Ventral region – Epimere I tuberculate anterolaterally, remainder of epimeres I to IV striate (Figs 11, 12). Epimeral setae weakly barbed, tapered, 3b longest setae, about 34 µm, other epimeral setae 16–24 µm long. Genital plates with longitudinal striae, anal plates with predominantly transverse striae, striae on ventral plate predominantly longitudinal (Fig. 2). Genital setae about 17 µm, g 1 and g 2 weakly barbed, positioned on anterior margin of plate (Fig. 13). Aggenital, anal and adanal setae smooth, thin, about 6–10 µm long. Postanal porose area not evident. Gnathosoma – Mentum with predominantly longitudinal striae; gena with striae directed anteromedially (Figs 2, 11). Axillary saccule of subcapitulum about 10 µm long. Legs – Setation (I-IV): trochanters, 1–1–2–1; femora, 5–5–2–2; genua 3(1)–3(1)–1(1)–2; tibiae, 4(2)–4(1)–3(1)–3(1); tarsi, 20(2)–15(2)–15–12 (Figs 4, 5). Tibia I with small anterodorsal dens rior of circumventral groove indicated by arrowhead (Fig. 4). Tibiae I and II indented abaxially (Fig. 10). Femur II with ventral ridge and ventral projection, with seta bv” positioned abaxial to ridge (Fig. 5). Tibia and tarsus II with dorsal ridge; tarsus II with two tandem dorsal spines abaxial of solenidia (Fig. 5). Trochanters and femora III and IV with ventral carina and ridge; femora III and IV and trochanter IV with striae abaxally. Tibia and tarsus IV thickened dorsally; dorsal integument of tibia and tarsus III not thickened. Remarks – The presence of dens dorsally on tarsus II is one of the character states used by HAMMER (1961) to separate Pelopsis bidentatus from thetypespe - cies, Pelopsis bifurcata. Neither EWING (1909), in theoriginal description of the type species, or WOOLLEY (1958) who redescribed the species, noted dens dorsally on tarsus II. Dens are not evident on a cotype slide specimen of P. bifurcata that we have examined. However, variation in this character state in specimens from North America argues for caution in its use as a key character. Adults of Pelopsis baloghi though similar to the two other described species in the genus, can be easily distinguished on the basis of character states outlined in the following key.

Behan-Pelletier, V., Eamer, B., K.W (2003): Redefinition Of Pelopsis (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae), With Description Of Pelopsis Baloghi Sp. N. From Costa Rica. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 49 (1): 5-15, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5731728, {"references":["BALOGH, J. (1961) Identification keys of world oribatid (Acari) families and genera. Acta zool. hung. 7: 243-344.","BALOGH, J. (1965) A synopsis of the world oribatid (Acari) genera. Acta zool. hung. 11: 5-99.","BALOGH, J. (1972) The Oribatid Genera of the World. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest. 188 pp. + 71 pls","BALOGH, J. & BALOGH, P. (1988) Oribatid mites of the neotropical region I. In BALOGH, J. & MAHUNKA, S. (eds): The soil mites of the world. Vol. 2. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest, 335 pp.","BALOGH, J. & BALOGH, P. (1990) Oribatid mites of the Neotropical Region. Vol. II. Elsevier, New York, 333 pp.","BALOGH, J. & BALOGH, P. (1992) The oribatid mites genera of the world. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. Vol. I. 263 pp. Vol. II: 375 pp.","BEHAN- PELLETIER, V. M. (1988) Redefinition of Zachvatkinibates (Acari: Mycobatidae) with description of a new species and immatures of Z. maritimus Shaldybina, 1973. Can. Ent. 120: 797-813.","BEHAN- PELLETIER V. M. (1994) Mycobates (Acari: Oribatida: Mycobatidae) of America north of Mexico. Can. Ent. 126: 1301-1361.","BEHAN- PELLETIER, V. M. (1999) Ceratozetoidea (Acari: Oribatida) of lowland tropical rainforest, La Selva, Costa Rica. Acarologia 39: 349-381.","BEHAN- PELLETIER, V. M. & EAMER, B. (2003) Zetomimidae (Acari: Oribatida) of North America. In SMITH, I. M. (ed.): An acarological tribute to David R. Cock. Indira Publ. House. [in press]","COLWELL, R. (1996) ALAS Web site: http://viceroy.eeb.uconn.edu/ALAS/ALAS.html.","EWING, H. E. (1909) New American Oribatoidea. J. N. Y. Ent. Soc. 17: 116-136.","GRANDJEAN, F. (1954) Essai de classification des oribates (acariens). Bull. Soc. Zool. France 78: 421-446.","HAMMER, M. (1952) Investigations on the microfauna of Northern Canada, Part I. Oribatidae. Acta Arctica 4: 1-108.","HALL, H. V. M. (1911) Studies in Acarina I. Pomona Coll. J. Ent. 3: 504-510.","HAMMER, M. (1961) Investigations on the oribatid fauna of the Andes Mountains. II. Peru. Biol. Skr. Dan. Vid. Selsk. 13: 1-157.","MARSHALL, V. G., REEVES, R. M. & NORTON, R. A. (1987) Catalogueof theOribatida of continen - tal United States and Canada. Memoirs Ent. Soc. Canada 139: 418 pp.","MCDADE, L. A., BAWA, K. S., HESPENHEIDE, H. A. & HARTSHORN, G. S. (eds) (1993) La Selva, ecology and natural history of a neotropical rainforest. Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 486 pp.","NORTON, R. A. (1979) The identity of Pelopsis nudiuscula (Acari: Oribatei). Proc. Ent. Soc., Washington 81: 696-697.","PAVLITSHENKO, P. G. (1994) A guide to the ceratozetoid mites (Oribatei, Ceratozetoidea) of Ukraine. Kiev, 143 pp.","SHALDYBINA, E. S. (1975) Ceratozetoidea. Pp. 275-319. In GILYAROV, M. S. (e d.)A key to soilinhabiting mites. Sarcoptiformes. Izdatel'stvo Nauka, Moscow. 491 pp. [in Russian]","TRAVE, J. & VACHON, M. (1975) Francois Grandjean 1882-1975 (Notice biogeographique et bibliographique). Acarologia 17(1): 1-19.","WOOLLEY, T. A. (1958) Redescriptions of Ewing's oribatid mites, VIII-IX. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc. 77: 258-279."]}

We review the current knowledge on biodiversity in soils, its role in ecosystem processes, its importance for human purposes, and its resilience against stress and disturbance. The number of existing species is vastly higher than the number described, even in the macroscopically visible taxa, and biogeographical syntheses are largely lacking. A major effort in taxonomy and the training of a new generation of systematists is imperative. This effort has to be focussed on the groups of soil organisms that, to the best of our knowledge, play key roles in ecosystem functioning. To identify such groups, spheres of influence (SOI) of soil biota - such as the root biota, the shredders of organic matter and the soil bioturbators - are recognized that presumably control ecosystem processes, for example, through interactions with plants. Within those SOI, functional groups of soil organisms are recognized. Research questions of the highest urgency are the assignment of species to functional groups and determining the redundancy of species within functional groups. These priorities follow from the need to address the extent of any loss of functioning in soils, associated with intensive agriculture, forest disturbance, pollution of the environment, and global environmental change. The soil biota considered at present to be most at risk are species-poor functional groups among macrofaunal shredders of organic matter, bioturbators of soil, specialized bacteria like nitrifiers and nitrogen fixers, and fungiforming mycorrhizas. An experimental approach in addressing these research priorities is needed, using long-term and large-scale field experiments and modern methods of geostatistics and geographic information systems. (Résumé d'auteur)