New species of the oribatid mite genus Phyllhermannia Berlese, 1916 (Acari, Oribatida, Hermanniidae) from wet forests in south-eastern Australia show a high diversity of morphologically-similar, short-range endemics

Abstract

This paper contains descriptions of sixteen new species of Phyllhermannia from temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in the Australian Capital Territory (P. namadjiensis sp. nov.), New South Wales (P. bandabanda sp. nov., P. colini sp. nov. and P. tanjili sp. nov.), Tasmania (Phyllhermannia acalepha sp. nov., P. craticula sp. nov., P. lemannae sp. nov., P. luxtoni sp. nov. and P. strigosa sp. nov.) and Victoria (P. croajingolongensis sp. nov., P. errinundrae sp. nov., P. gigas sp. nov., P. hunti sp. nov., P. leei sp. nov. and P. leonilae sp. nov. and P. sauli sp. nov.). A partial supplementary description and new distribution record is given for P. eusetosa Lee, 1985 from South Australia. Phyllhermannia dentata glabra Hammer, 1962 is elevated to specific status. Hermannia macronychus Trägårdh, 1907 and H. fungifer Mahunka 1988 are recombined to Phyllhermannia. A new diagnosis of Phyllhermannia is given and immature stages are described for the first time. Three species-groups are tentatively recognised: Acalepha, confined to Tasmania, Colini, found in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and New South Wales and Eusetosa, found in Victoria and South Australia.