L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 12. 1998 (Budapest, 1998)

Mahunka, S.; Mejia-Recamier, B. E.: Two new protoplophorid oribatids from Mexico (Acari: Oribatida)

Material examined: Holotype collected: Mexico, Chamela, forest near the seashore 24th, X. 1995. Berlese sample from litter and soil in a dry forest "bosque espinoso seco" with Xanthoxylon and Pachycereus trees. No. 19. 8 paratypes from the same sample. Leg. Mahunka S. and A. Borhidi. 10 paratypes: Chamela, forest near the seashore 24th, X. 1995. Berlese sample from litter and soil in a forest along the creek, with Crescentia and Hematoxylus. Leg. Mahunka S. and A. Borhidi. No. 20. 22 paratypes: Chamela, forest near the seashore 24th, X. 1995. Berlese sample from litter and soil in a closer forest with lianes. Leg S. Mahunka S. and A. Borhidi. No. 21. Holotype (1600-HO-98) and 20 paratypes (1600-PO-98) (with identification numbers of the specimens in the Collection of Arachnida) deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, 18 paratypes in the Laboratorio de Ecologia y Sistematica de Microartrópodos, Depto. Biológia, Fac. Ciencias, UNAM, Mexico and 2 paratypes in the Muséum d'Histoire naturelle, Genève. Remarks: The Prototritia Berlese, 1910 and Aedoplophora Grandjean, 1932 genera were recently synonymised (see Bernini 1983 and Balogh & Balogh 1992). The study of the morphological characteristics, especially the anal setae, of the new species raises the question whether the synonymization of Prototritia Berlese, 1910 and Aedoplophora Grandjean, 1932 were correct, especially in the light of the fact that in Bernini (1983) erected a subgenus (Siciliophora) within the Prototritia genus. In our opinion the 6 + 4 arrangement of the anal setae is so characteristic as opposed to the 8 or 9 setae arranged in one line, that we propose the recognition of the former Aedoplophora Grandjean, 1932 genus as a subgenus at least. The new species is well distinguishable from all heretofore known Prototritia species by the form of the prodorsal setae (e.g. very long cilia on rostral setae and the medially dilated exobothridial setae). Etymology: We dedicate the new species to Dr. J. G. Palacios-Vargas, Professor of UNAM, the Mexican leader of the joint Hungarian-Mexican project. Acknowledgement We thank Dr. J. Palacios-Vargas (Mexico) for his helpful comments and reviewing this manuscript. References Balogh J. & Balogh, P. (1992): The oribatid mites genera of the World /-//. - Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, 263+375 pp. Bernini, F. (1983): Notulae Oribatidologicae XXVIII. Some Italian Protoplophoridae (Acarida, Oribatida). - Redia 66: 47-86. Borhidi, A., Mahunka, S. & Palacios-Vargas, J.G. (1996): Report on the first year activity carried out in the framework of Hungarian-Mexican soil zooloical co-operation: "Diversity of the fauna of Mexico" 1995. - Folia ent. hung. 75: 79—85. Borhidi, A. & Mahunka, S. (1997): Report on the second botanical and zoological collecting trip in Mexico 1996. - Folia ent. hung, 58: 25-33. Grandjean, F (1932): La famille Protoplophoridae (Acariens). - Bull. Soc. Zool. France 57: 10-36. Grandjean, F. (1954): Les Enarthronta (Acariens) (4

e série). - Ann. Sei. Nat. Zool., 11° série, 16: 311-335. Mahunka, S. & Mejia-Recamier, B. E. (1998): A new Haplochthonius Willmann, 1930 species from Mexico (Acari: Oribatida). - Folia ent. hung. 59: 267-270.