S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 45/2. (Budapest, 1984)

FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK XLV. 2 1984 p. 127-142 Description and redescription of Ethiopian Oribatids (Acari: Oribatida). I. By S. MAHUNKA (Received December 10, 1983) Abstract: Description and redescription of Oribatid species from Africa. Four species are new to science: Hoplophorella angolensis sp. n., H. benoiti sp. n., H. ensifera sp. n. and H. horrida sp. n. Six species of BALOGH (1958) are redescribed: Archiphihiracarus pygmaeus (Balogh, 1958), Hoplophorella andrei (Balogh, 1958), H. coliaris (Balogh, 1958), H. prominens (Balogh, 1958), Hoplophthiracarus frater (Balogh, 1958) and H. machadoi (Balogh, 1958). In recent years I discussed the Oribatid mites of the Ethiopian Region in several papers (MAHUNKA 1982-1984). In studying the faunae of the various areas, as well as in revising certain taxa difficulties arose due to insufficient or brief diagnoses, lack of figures (BERLESE 1916,1923, EVANS 1953, BALOGH 1958-1962, BALOGH and MAHUNKA 1966, 1967), which could not be handled as species inquirendae owing to their great number. In order to solve this problem I decided to study these species anew, where needed stating the type series and giving redescriptions. Unfortunately, the types preserved in the BERLESE Collection could not be studied this time, thus the materials of the other authors are revised. The types of EVANS'

s species are in the British Museum (Natural History), and through the kind mediation of Dr. F. PUYLAERT I had already published my findings (MAHUNKA 1983). The part of the types of BALOGH preserved in the Tervureen Museum were sent to me by Dr. F.R. WANLESS, the rest of the type materials is kept in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. For allowing me to study the above-mentioned materials I should like to thank all those concerned. The examination of the types had to be complemented in several instances due to bad preservation, in some cases specimens were studied deriving from other samples than the type-series. While doing this work in some groups several new, related taxa came to light, these new taxa are presented along with the redescriptions in a series of papers. The examined material derives from Angola, Congo, South Africa, Tanzania and Chad.The types are deposited in the Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tervuren (MRAT), the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest (HNHM) and the Muséum d'Histoire naturelle, Genève (MHNG). Archiphthiracarus pygmaeus (Balogh, 1958) comb. n. Phthiracarus pygmaeus Balogh, 1958 Examined type series: Holotype and 3 paratypes: Ang. 16815.23: Galuango: Galerie forestière Riviere Caquele (8.13 S, 20.30 E), 5.K. 1961. leg. A. de BARROS MACHADO. Holotype: MRAT,