New Oribatid Mites of the Genus Epidamaeus (Acari : Oribatida : Damaeidae) from Mongolia

Abstract

Three new species of oribatid mites belonging to the genus Epidamaeus are described from Mongolia. Epidamaeus granulatus sp. nov. differs from its closely related species in the presence of three setae on trochanter III, the strongly curved spinae adnatae directed anteromedially, and the very thick and strongly barbed notogastral setae. Epidamaeus culterisetosus sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the table-knife-like notogastral setae of the d, l, and h series ; the distally expanded sensilli ; the absence of prodorsal tubercles Da and Bp ; the relatively long and distally projected tubercle Sp ; the different direction of the spinae adnatae ; the long posterior notogastral setae ps_1, ps_2, and ps_3 ; the smooth epimeral and ano-genital setae ; and the different number of setae on tarsi I, III, and IV. Epidamaeus mongolicus sp. nov. is easily distinguishable from the other known species by the strongly developed tectum of the podocephalic fossa, the presence of three pairs of well developed prodorsal tubercles (Ba, Bb, and Da), and the absence of enantionhvses E2 and V.