Abstract
The oribatid mite genus Microzetes (Oribatida, Microzetidae) is recorded for the first time in the Philippines; one new species is described herein from secondary forest litter in Samar Island. Microzetes (Microzetes) samarensis n. sp. differs from other species of the subgenus by the insertions of notogastral setae c and la (close to each other vs. distanced in the other species). Updated generic and subgeneric diagnoses for Microzetes are given. The taxonomic status of Teraja Mahunka, 1995 and the systematic placement of representatives of this genus are discussed, resulting in the following taxonomic proposals: Microzetes Berlese, 1913 (=Teraja Mahunka, 1995) n. syn.; M. (Microzetes) asymmetricus (Mahunka, 2001) n. comb.; M. (Microzetes) sungai (Mahunka, 1997) n. comb.; M. (Megazetes) wongi (Mahunka, 1995) n. comb. The initial systematic placement of Microzetes flagellifer and M. tuberculatus (in the subgenus Microzetes) is supported, and the inclusion of M. fimbriatus in Microzetes (Megazetes) and Megazetes rugosus (Mahunka, 1986) in M. (Microzetes) is proposed. An identification key to the known taxa of Microzetes is provided.
Highlights
Microzetes is an oribatid mite genus of the family Microzetidae (Acari, Oribatida) that was proposed by Berlese (1913) with Sphaerozetes (Tectoribates) mirandus Berlese, 1908 as type species
The main goal of this paper is to describe and illustrate the adults of M. (Microzetes) samarensis n. sp
System of the genus Microzetes and some morphologically similar taxa is not clearly defined, we offer some explanations
Summary
Microzetes is an oribatid mite genus of the family Microzetidae (Acari, Oribatida) that was proposed by Berlese (1913) with Sphaerozetes (Tectoribates) mirandus Berlese, 1908 as type species. At present, it comprises three subgenera (Microzetes Berlese, 1913, Megazetes Balogh, 1959 and Stylozetes Balogh and Mahunka, 1969) and 35 species (see Discussion section below), which are distributed in the southern Palaearctic, Ethiopian and Neotropical regions (see summarized data in Subías 2004, updated 2016). Only one identified species of Microzetidae, Berlesezetes ornatissimus (Berlese, 1913), was registered in the Philippines (Corpuz-Raros 1979).
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