S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 57. (Budapest, 1996)

they could not and hence did not discuss the general biogeographical aspects. But today step by step enough data were collected and it seems more probable that a biogeographical synthesis can be completed parallel with the evaluation of the vegetation and the soil fauna. Contrary of the scarce biogeographical data the geological development of this area was thoroughly studied, and during the past one and the half decades several valuable review articles were published (Coney 1982; Gentry 1982; Anderson and Schmidt 1983; Dickinson and Coney 1980; Durham 1985; Pindell and Dewey 1982; Salvador and Green 1980; Rosen 1985). The same is true for the diversity of the flora and vegetation of this area (Borhidi 1982, 1985, 1991; Borhidi and Muniz 1986; Gentry 1982; Ramamoorthy et al. 1993; Sousa and Delgado 1993; Rzedowski 1978, 1991a, 19916), and also for the historical aspects of the flora (Livingstone and van der Hammen 1978). To answer the above described questions and to fill the gap in our knowledge, which might yield very valuable scientific results, Dr. J. Balogh and the authors initiated a project both in Hungary and Mexico with a simpler title: "The exploration of the Oribatid fauna of Mexico". This work is based on a novel approach and intends to solve the above mentioned problems. This project was accepted for funding both by the Mexican CONACyT and the Hungarian OMFB, and was documented in a bilateral agreement. The Mexican leader of the project is Dr. J. G. Palacios-Vargas university lecturer, the leader of UNAM laboratory of microarthropods, and the participants are the researchers and postgraduate students of the laboratory. The Hungarian leader of the project is Dr. A. Borhidi university lecturer (JPTE, Department of Botany, Pécs), and the participants are: Dr. J. Balogh prof, emeritus, (ELTE, Budapest), Dr. P. Balogh (Animal Ecology Research Group of Hungarian Academy of Sciences) Dr. S. Mahunka (vice director general of the Hungarian Natural History Museum). The project requires mainly Mexican field studies, collecting expeditions, and mutual laboratory work of the material, and therefore in the contract these activities (mutual scientific visits, collecting expeditions, the work-up of materials) were described. Special attention was paid to emphasise in the research programme that UNAM postgraduate students should get special taxonomical training. The project was planned for 1995-1997, and commenced with the visit of Dr. Palacios-Vargas to Budapest (22nd Aug.-9th Sept. 1995). At this time he studied with the Hungarian experts the Oribatid material collected by fogging the trees at the Chamela Biological Station of UNAM. The first results of the investigations were published in two scientific papers (Mahunka and Palacios-Vargas 1995; Balogh and Palacios-Vargas 1996). Between 17th Oct.-lst Nov. 1995 the second part of the plan was completed when two Hungarian participants A. Borhidi and S. Mahunka visited the Mexican partners. The aim of this visit was collecting in the field, the study of vegetation and the scientific evaluation of the formerly collected material (soil samples). Taxonomical investigations were also .carried out. As these were of main importance in the further planning of the project the taxonomical research was more dominant. During the short visit two collecting trips were performed (Popocatepetl volcano, State of Mexico and Chamela Biological Station of UNAM, at Jalisco). During the trips mainly soil samples (litter, soil, humus, mosses, lichens, roots) were collected, vegetation samples were also collected, and the vegetation and flora were also examined and the findings were recorded in notes. Under the given circumstances other supplementary botanical and zoological collections