First record of the mite genus Denheyernaxoides Smiley (Acari: Bdelloidea: Cunaxidae) for North America and a redescription of D. americanus Rocha et al.

Here we present the first records of Denheyernaxoides from North America: D. americanus, collected from coniferous litter, soil, and moss in Nova Scotia, Canada. These new records significantly expand the known distribution of the species. Denheyernaxoides americanus is redescribed to include Canadian specimens and to rectify discrepancies in the species' description identified during examination of the holotype. The deutonymph of D. americanus is also described. Sequences, representing a 658 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), were obtained from representative specimens collected in Canada. Comparison of these sequences with those from the Barcode of Life database (BOLD) suggests that a second species of Denheyernaxoides may occur in British Columbia, Canada. A revised key to world species of Denheyernaxoides is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]