Abstract
The present paper deals with a species of oribatid mite, Hemileius humeralis Pérez-Iñigo jr., 1990, which was previously known from the Mediterranean region, and was recently found in the high mountains of Central Europe and Central Asia. The species is redescribed with detailed illustrations based on adults. Its ecology and geographical distribution places this species in varying habitats from high alpine meadow to lowland grassland in the western Palaearctic region. An extensive discussion on the taxonomic status of Simkinia and Hemileius is provided. Both taxa are treated here as subgenera of Scheloribates. Data on the biogeography of the members of these subgenera are discussed. It seems that the range and habitats of known species of Scheloribates (Simkinia) are in accordance with the concept of the Old Mediterranean Region. The majority of species of Scheloribates (Hemileius) show restricted distributions within one biogeographical region, mainly in the Palaearctic, Nearctic or Neotropical regions. The Mediterranean area is outstanding by a high species diversity.
Highlights
The oribatid mites belonging to Hemileius Berlese, 1916 and Simkinia Krivolutsky, 1966 form smaller groups within the superfamily Oripodoidea Jacot, 1925, with 25 and 5 described species, respectively
He defined Simkinia as a distinct genus, which differs from other genera by the combination of following characters: humeral projections poorly developed; notogastral porose areas absent, but saccules developed; legs with three claws; 11 pairs of notogastral setae; two pairs of lyrifissures on notogaster; exobothridial setae sometimes long; genital plates with four pairs of setae; sensillus setiform or fusiform and slightly dilated
In the same publication Krivolutsky (1966) transferred a western Asian species, Oribatula schachthachtinskoi Kulijev, 1961 to Simkinia, which was originally described with provisional generic placement
Summary
The oribatid mites belonging to Hemileius Berlese, 1916 (sensu stricto) and Simkinia Krivolutsky, 1966 form smaller groups within the superfamily Oripodoidea Jacot, 1925, with 25 and 5 described species, respectively. Hemileius was proposed by Berlese (1916) as a subgenus of Oribatula Berlese, 1896 with Protoribates (Scheloribates) initialis Berlese, 1908 as the type species. He considered the reduction of pteromorphs and development of notohttp://www1.montpellier.inra.fr/CBGP/acarologia/ ISSN 0044-586-X (print). Grandjean (1953a, 1953b) redescribed the type species, and elevated Hemileius as an independent genus, classifying it in the family Scheloribatidae. This status has been accepted later by many authors This status has been accepted later by many authors (e.g. Balogh 1963, 1965, 1972, Shaldybina 1975), placing it either in the family Oribatulidae or Scheloribatidae
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