Two new species of insect phoretic Siculobata (Paraleius) (Acari, Oribatida, Scheloribatidae) from U.S.A. and Trinidad

Abstract

Two new species of oribatid mites of the subgenus Siculobata (Paraleius), phoretic on Insecta (Coleoptera and Diptera), are described from the U.S.A. and Trinidad, based on adults. Siculobata (Paraleius) americana sp. n. differs from Siculobata (Paraleius) leontonycha (Berlese, 1910) by the presence of monodactylous legs and a slightly modified claw on all pretarsi. Siculobata (Paraleius) trinidadensis sp. n. differs from S. (P.) americana sp. n. by the presence of sublamella, fusiform bothridial seta and a normal claw on pretarsi III, IV, and the absence of pedotectum II. Subgeneric morphological traits and an identification key to known species of Siculobata (Paraleius) are presented.