The genus Cultrobates (Acari: Oribatida: Ceratokalummidae) in the Galapagos Islands and Central America

Abstract

The species Cultrobates heterodactylus Willmann, 1930 is known from Central America and has erroneously been reported from the Galapagos archipelago. A comparison with findings of this species from Panama has highlighted morphological differences between the specimens from Galapagos and C. heterodactylus. Herein, two new species from Galapagos, Cultrobates ermilovi n. sp. and Cultrobates subiasi n. sp. are described and illustrated. Also, differences in colonization of different islands as well as preferences in occupation of different habitats of the two species in Galapagos were noted, whereby C. subiasi was found almost exclusively in epiphytic habitats, predominantly in moss, and C. ermilovi occurs in various microhabitats in ground litter. Cultrobates heterodactylus occurs in Panama in lowland tropical rainforests, mainly in moist forest floor and litter in epiphytic bromeliads. Additional taxonomical remarks on C. heterodactylus are presented. Corrections to previous distribution data are given.