Contribution to the knowledge of the oribatid mite genus Eremella (Acari, Oribatida, Eremellidae)

Abstract

A new species of Eremella Berlese, 1913 (Oribatida, Eremellidae) is described from a termite nest of Cornitermes silvestrii Emerson in Snyder, 1949 (Isoptera, Termitidae) in Brazil. Eremella vazdemelloi sp. nov. differs from Eremella ensifera Balogh and Mahunka, 1968 by the presence of short notogastral setae, the bothridial setae specifically directed posterolaterally, and the absence of tutorial ridges. Revised generic diagnosis and an identification key to known species of Eremella are presented. The taxonomic status of the eremellid genera Licnocepheus Woolley, 1969, Triteremella Kunst, 1971 and Afreremella Mahunka, 1973 are discussed, resulting in the following new taxonomic proposals: Eremella (=Licnocepheus syn. nov.), Eremella (=Triteremella syn. nov.), Eremella reticulatus (Woolley, 1969) comb. nov. (from Licnocepheus), Eremella simpliseta (Mahunka, 2011) comb. nov. (from Triteremella). Also, the generic status of Afreremella and Archeremella Balogh and Mahunka, 1974, and initial systematic placement of Afreremella luisiae Mahunka, 1973, Eremella kaszabi Csiszár, 1962 and Eremella matildebellae Mahunka and Palacios-Vargas, 1995 are supported.