Heatherellidae — a new family of Mesostigmata (Acari: Parasitiformes) based on two new species from rainforest litter in Australia

Abstract

Abstact Forest litter habitats in Australia contain a diversity of early derivative Mesostigmata, including some taxa that cannot be placed in any currently recognised suborder. A new genus, Heatherella, and family, Heatherellidae, are proposed to accommodate two such new species, H. acanthocharis and H. callimaulos, that feed on nematodes and inhabit subtropical rainforest litter in southeast Queensland. Both mites share a number of derived character states otherwise unknown in the Mesostigmata, e.g. the opisthosoma is ringed by nine pairs of spout-like gland openings; the stigmatal opening is contained within a raised, spiky turret; the adults have three setose pygidial shields, and a unique circumventral shield surrounds the intercoxal region. The relationships of the Heatherellidae appear to be closest to the Uropodina; however, the new family lacks major uropodine synapomorphies and shares characters with Epicriina, Microgyniina, and Zerconina (none of which are known to occurin Australia).