CATALOGUE OF THE ORIBATIDA (ACARI) OF CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND CANADA
Valin G. Marshall
Canadian Forestry Service
Pacific Forest Research Centre
Victoria, B.C., CANADA
V8Z 1M5
R. Marcel Reeves
Department of Entomology
University of New Hampshire
Durham, New Hampshire 03824
U.S.A.
Roy A. Norton
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology
College of Environmental Science and Forestry
State University of New York
Syracuse, N.Y. 13210
U.S.A.
Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada – No. 139
A.B. Ewen, Editor
The Entomological Society of Canada 1320 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K9
1987
CONTENTS
Abstract
Résumé
I. Introduction
II. Systematic Catalogue of Species
PALAEOSOMATA Grandjean, 1969
Archeonothroidea
Palaeacaroidea
Ctenacaroidea
ENARTHRONOTA Grandjean, 1947
Hypochthonioidea
Protoplophoroidea
Brachychthonioidea
Atopochthonioidea [=Phyllochthonioidea]
Unplaced Enarthronota
PARHYPOSOMATA Balogh and Mahunka, 1979
Parhypochthonioidea
MIXONOMATA Grandjean, 1969
Phthiracaroidea
Euphthiracaroidea
Lohmannioidea
Eulohmannioidea
Perlohmannioidea
Epilohmannioidea
Collohmannioidea
Nehypochthonioidea
DESMONOMATA Woolley, 1973
Crotonioidea [=Nothroidea]
Nanhermannioidea
Hermannioidea
BRACHYPYLINA Hull, 1918
Hermannielloidea
Liodoidea
Plateremaeoidea [=Gymnodamaeoidea]
Damaeoidea [=Belboidea]
Cepheoidea
Polypterozetoidea
Charassobatoidea
Microzetoidea
Amerobelboidea [=Eremuloidea]
Eremaeoidea
Zetorchestoidea
Gustavioidea [=Liacaroidea]
Carabodoidea
Tectocepheoidea
Oppioidea
Hydrozetoidea
Ameronothroidea
Cymbaeremaeoidea
Licneremaeoidea [=Passalozetoidea]
Oripodoidea [=Oribatuloidea]
Ceratozetoidea
Phenopelopoidea [=Pelopoidea]
Oribatelloidea
Achipterioidea
Galumnoidea
Unplaced Brachypylina
III. Species incertae sedis
Nomina Inquirendae
Nomina Nuda
Unavailable names
Unplaced Genera and Species
Misidentifications
IV. Acknowledgements
V. References
VI. Index
Index of Family and Genus names
ARCHEONOTHRIDAEGrandjean, 1932
Zachvatkinella Lange, 1954
ACARONYCHIDAE Grandjean, 1932
Acaronychus Grandjean, 1932
PALAEACARIDAE Grandjean, 1932
Palaeacarus Trägårdh, 1932
CTENACARIDAE Grandjean, 1954.
BeklemisheviaZachvatkin, 1945
Ctenacarus Grandjean, 1939
Ctenacaridae sp.
APHELACARIDAEGrandjean, 1954
AphelacarusGrandjean, 1932
HYPOCHTHONIIDAE Berlese, 1910
Eohypochthonius Jacot, 1938
Hypochthonius C.L. Koch, 1835
Malacoangelia Berlese, 1913
ENIOCHTHONIIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1947
Eniochthonius Grandjean, 1933
MESOPLOPHORIDAE EWING, 1917
Archoplophora van der Hammen, 1959
Mesoplophora Berlese, 1904
COSMOCHTHONIIDAE Grandjean, 1947
Cosmochthonius Berlese, 1910
Phyllozetes Gordeeva, 1978
HAPLOCHTHONIIDAEVan Der Hammen, 1959
Haplochthonius Willmann, 1930
SPHAEROCHTHONIIDAEGrandjean, 1947
Sphaerochthonius Berlese, 1910
PROTOPLOPHORIDAEEwing, 1917
Cryptoplophora Grandjean, 1932
Protoplophora Berlese, 1910
Prototritia Berlese, 1916
PEDICULOCHELIDAE, LAVOIPIERRE, 1946
Paralycus Womersley, 1944
BRACHYCHTHONIIDAE Thor, 1934
Brachychthonius Berlese, 1910
Eobrachychthonius Jacot, 1936
Liochthonius van der Hammen, 1959
Neobrachychthonius Moritz, 1976
Mixochthonius Niedbała, 1972
Neoliochthonius Lee, 1982
Poecilochthonius Balogh, 1943
Sellnickochthonius Krivoluckij, 1964
Synchthonius van der Hammen, 1952
Verachthonius Moritz, 1976
ATOPOCHTHONIIDAE Grandjean, 1948
Atopochthonius Grandjean, 1948
PTEROCHTHONIIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1950
Pterochthonius Berlese, 1913
Arborichthonius Norton, 1982
Gozmanyina Balogh and Mahunka, 1983
Nipponiella Gordeeva, 1980
PARHYPOCHTHONIIDAE Grandjean, 1932
Parhypochthonius Berlese, 1904
GEHYPOCHTHONIIDAE Strenzke, 1963
Gehypochthonius Jacot, 1936
ELLIPTOCHTHONIIDAE NORTON, 1975
Elliptochthonius Norton, 1975
PHTHIRACARIDAEPerty, 1841
Atropacarus Ewing, 1917
Hoplophorella Berlese, 1923
Hoplophthiracarus Jacot, 1933
Phthiracarus Perty, 1841
Steganacarus Ewing, 1917
ORIBOTRITIIDAE Grandjean, 1954
Indotritia Jacot, 1929
Maerkelotritia Hammer, 1967
Mesotritia Forsslund, 1963
Oribotritia Jacot, 1924
Protoribotritia Jacot, 1938
EUPHTHIRACARIDAE JACOT, 1930
Euphthiracarus Ewing, 1917
Microtritia Märkel, 1964
Rhysotritia Märkel and Meyer, 1959
SYNICHOTRITIIDAE WALKER, 1965
Synichotritia Walker, 1965
LOHMANNIDAE Berlese, 1916
Lohmannia Michael, 1898
Mixacarus Balogh, 1958
Nesiacarus Csiszar, 1961
Pseudocryptacarus McDaniel, Norton and Bolen, 1979
Torpacarus Grandjean, 1950
EULOHMANNIIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1931
Eulohmannia Berlese, 1910
PERLOHMANNIIDAE Grandjean, 1954
Perlohmannia Berlese, 1916
EPILOHMANNIIDAEOudemans, 1923
Epilohmannia Berlese, 1910
Epilohmannoides Jacot, 1936
COLLOHMANNIIDAE Grandjean, 1958
Collohmannia Sellnick, 1922
NEHYPOCHTHONIIDAENorton And Metz, 1980
Nehypochthonius Norton and Metz, 1980
NOTHRIDAE BERLESE, 1896
Nothrus C.L. Koch, 1835
CAMISIIDAE Oudemans, 1900
Camisia von Heyden, 1826
Heminothrus Berlese, 1913
Neonothrus Forsslund, 1955
Platynothrus Berlese, 1913
Afronothrus Wallwork, 1961
Hydronothrus Aoki, 1964
Mucronothrus Trägårdh, 1931
Trhypochthoniellus Willmann, 1928
Trhypochthonius Berlese, 1904
Malaconothrus Berlese, 1904
Trimalaconothrus Berlese, 1916
NANHERMANNIIDAESellnick, 1928
Cyrthermannia Balogh, 1958
Masthermannia Berlese, 1913
Nanhermannia Berlese, 1913
HERMANNIIDAESellnick, 1928
Hermannia Nicolet, 1855
HERMANNIELLIDAEGrandjean, 1934
Hermanniella Berlese, l908
Sacculobates Grandjean, 1962
PLASMOSATlDAE GRANDJEAN, 1961
Plasmobates Grandjean, 1929
LIODIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Liodes von Heyden, 1826
Platyliodes Berlese, 1916
Poroliodes Grandjean, 1934
Teleioliodes Grandjean, 1934
GYMNODAMAEIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Adrodamaeus Paschoal, 1982
Gymnodamaeus Kulczynski, 1902
Jacotella Banks, 1947
Johnstonella Paschoal, 1983
Joshuella Wallwork, 1972
Nortonella Paschoal, 1982
Odontodamaeus Paschoal, 1982
Pleodamaeus Paschoal, 1983
Plesiodamaeus Grandjean, l954
Allodamaeus Banks, 1947
Pheroliodes Grandjean, 1931
Plateremaeus Ber1ese, 1908
LlCNODAMAEIDAE GRANDJEAN, l954
Licnocepheus Woolley, 1969
Licnodamaeus Grandjean, 1931
DAMAEIDAE BERLESE, 1896
Belba von Heyden, 1826
Caenobelba Norton, 1980
Damaeus C.L. Koch, 1835
Dasybelba Woolley and Higgins, 1979
Dyobelba Norton, 1979
Epidamaeus BulanovaZachvatkina, 1957
Hungarobelba Balogh, 1943
Lanibelba Norton, 1980
Metabelba Grandjean, 1936
Porobelba Grandjean, 1936
Quatrobelba Norton, 1980
CEPHEIDAE BERLESE, 1896
Cepheus C.L. Koch, 1835
Conoppia Berlese, 1908
Eupterotegaeus Berlese, 1916
Ommatocepheus Berlese, 1913
Oribatodes Banks, 1895
Sadocepheus Aoki, 1965
Sphodrocepheus Woolley and Higgins, 1963
MICROTEGElDAE BALOGH, 1975
Microtegeus Berlese, 1916
EUTEGAEIDAE BALOGH, 1965
Neoeutegaeus Aoki, 1965
POLYPTEROZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, l959
Polypterozetes Berlese, 1916
PODOPTEROTEGAEIDAE PIFFL, 1972
Podopterotegaeus Aoki, 1969
EREMAEOZETIDAE PIFFL, 1972
Eremaeozetes Berlese, 1913
CHARASSOBATIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1958
Charassobates Grandjean, 1929
MICROZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1936
Berlesezetes Mahunka, 1980
Kalyptrazetes Balogh, 1972
AMEROBELBlDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Grypoceramerus Suzuki and Aoki, 1970
Gymnodampia Jacot, 1937
CTENOBELBlDAE GRANDJEAN, 1965
Ctenobelba Balogh, 1943
EREMULIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1965
Epieremulus Berlese, 1916
Eremulus Berlese, 1908
DAMAEOLIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1965
Damaeolus Paoli, 1908
Fosseremus Grandjean, 1954
EREMOBELBlDAE BALOGH, 1961
Eremobelba Berlese, 1908
AMERIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1965
Amerus Berlese, 1896
Caenosamerus Higgins and Woolley, 1969
BASILOBELBIDAE BALOGH, 1961
Basilobelba Balogh, l958
EREMAEIDAE SELLNICK, 1928
Eremaeus C.L. Koch, 1835
Eueremaeus Mihelčič, 1963
Kartoeremaeus Higgins, 1979
MEGEREMAEIDAE WOOLLEY AND HIGGINS, 1968
Megeremaeus Higgins and Woolley, 1965
ZETORCHESTIDAE MICHAEL, 1898
Zetorchestes Berlese, 1888
TENUIALIDAE JACOT, 1929
Hafenferrefia Jacot, 1939
Peltenuiala Norton, 1983
Tenuiala Ewing, 1913
Tenuialoides Woolley and Higgins, 1966
LIACARIDAE SELLNICK, 1928
Adoristes Hull, 1916
Dorycranosus Woolley, 1969
Liacarus Michael, 1898
Opsioristes Woolley, 1967
Procorynetes Woolley, 1969
Rhaphidosus Woolley, 1969
XENILLIDAE WOOLLEY AND HIGGINS, 1966
Leuroxenillus Woolley and Higgins, 1966
Stenoxenillus Woolley and Higgins, 1966
Stonyxenillus Balogh, 1972
Xenillus RobineauDesvoidy, 1839
ASTEGISTIDAE BALOGH, 1961
Astegistes Hull, 1916
Cultroribula Berlese, 1908
Furcoribula Balogh, 1943
METRIOPPIIDAE BALOGH, 1943
Ceratoppia Berlese, 1908
Metapyroppia Woolley, 1969
Metrioppia Grandjean, 1931
Paenoppia Woolley and Higgins, 1965
Parapyroppia PérezInigo and Subias, 1979
Pyroppia Hammer, 1955
GUSTAVIIDAE Oudemans, 1900
Gustavia Kramer, 1879
KODIAKELLlDAE HAMMER, 1967
Kodiakella Hammer, 1967
CARABODlDAE C.L. KOCH, 1837
Austrocarabodes Hammer, 1966
Carabodes C.L. Koch, 1835
Cubabodes Balogh and Mahunka, 1974
Kalloia Mahunka, 1985
Odontocepheus Berlese, 1913
OTOCEPHElDAE BALOGH, 1961
Dolicheremaeus Jacot, 1938
TECTOCEPHEIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Tectocepheus Berlese, 1896
Tegeocranellus Berlese, 1913
OPPIIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1951
Aeroppia Balogh, 1965
Amerioppia Balogh, 1965
Brachioppiella Balogh, 1965
Cosmoppia Balogh, 1983
Lanceoppia Balogh, 1965
Machuella Hammer, 1961
Microppia Balogh, 1983
Multioppia Balogh, 1965
Oppia C.L. Koch, 1835
Oppiella Jacot, 1937
Quadroppia Jacot, 1939
Ramusella Hammer, 1962
Striatoppia Balogh, 1958
Subiasella Balogh, 1983
SUCTOBELBlDAE JACOT, 1938
Allosuctobelba Moritz, 1970
Parisuctobelba Higgins and Woolley, 1976
Rhinosuctobelba Woolley and Higgins, 1969
Rhynchobelba Willmann, 1953
Suctobelba Paoli, l908
Suctobelbella Jacot, 1937
Suctobelbila Jacot, 1937
EREMELLIDAE BA10GH, 1961
Eremella Berlese, 1913
AUTOGNETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1960
Autogneta Hull, 1916
Conchogneta Grandjean, 1963
Eremobodes Jacot, 1937
CALEREMAEIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1965
Caleremaeus Berlese, 1910
Veloppia Hammer, 1955
MACHADOBELBlDAE BALOGH, 1972
Machadobelba Balogh, 1958
ANDEREMAEIDAEBALOGH, 1972
Carabodoides Jacot, 1937
THYRISOMIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Banksinoma Oudemans, 1930
Gemmazetes Fujikawa, 1979
Oribella Berlese, l908
Pantelozetes Grandjean, 1953
SPINOZETDDAE BA10GH, 1975
Spinozetes Piffl, 1966
HYDROZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Hydrozetes Berlese, l902
LIMNOZETlDAE GRANDJEAN, l954
Limnozetes Hull, 1916
AMERONOTHRIDAE WILLMANN, 1931
Alaskozetes Hammer, 1955
Ameronothrus Berlese, 1896
CYMBAEREMAEIDAE SELLNICK, 1928
Ametroproctus Higgins and Woolley, 1968
Cymbaeremaeus Berlese, 1896
Scapheremaeus Berlese, l910
MlCREREMIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Micreremus Berlese, 1908
LICNEREMAEIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1931
Licneremaeus Paoli, l908
PASSAL0ZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Passalozetes Grandjean, 1932
SCUTOVERTIClDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Exochocepheus Woolley and Higgins, 1968
Provertex Mihelčič, l9S9
Scutovertex Michael, 1879
ORlPODlDAE JACOT, 1925
Benoibates Balogh, 1958
Gymnobates Banks, l902
Gymnobatoides Woolley, 1966
Oripoda Banks, l904
SCHEL0RIBATIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1933
Dometorina Grandjean, 1951
Hemileius Berlese, 1916
Liebstadia Oudemans, 1906
Metaleius Travé, 1960
Paraleius Travé, 1960
Scheloribates Berlese, 1908
ORIBATULlDAE THOR, 1929
Genus nr. Areozetes Hammer, 1961
Eporibatula Sellnick, 1928
Exoribatula Jacot, 1936
Gerloubia Coetzer, 1968
Jornadia Wallwork and Weems, 1984
Lucoppia Berlese, l908
Oribatula Berlese, 1895
Paraphauloppia Hammer, 1967
Phauloppia Berlese, 1908
Spinoppia Higgins and Woolley, 1966
Zygoribatula Berlese, 1916
HAP10ZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1936
Haplozetes Willmann, 1935
Peloribates Berlese, 1908
Protoribates Berlese, 1908
Rostrozetes Sellnick, 1925
Trachyoribates Berlese, 1908
Xylobates Jacot, 1929
MOCHL0ZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1960
Dynatozetes Grandjean, 1960
Mochlobates Norton, 1984
Mochloribatula Mahunka, 1978
Mochlozetes Grandjean, 1930
Podoribates Berlese, 1908
PARAKALUMNIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1936
Neoribates Berlese, 1914
Parakalumma Jacot, 1929
Protokalumma Jacot, 1929
CHAMOBATIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Chamobates Hull, 1916
EUZETIDAE GRANDJEAN, l954
Euzetes Berlese, l908
ZETOMlMlDAE SHALDYBINA, 1966
Heterozetes Willmann, 1917
Zetomimus Hull, 1916
CERATOZETIDAE JACOT, 1925
Ceratozetes Berlese, l908
Ceratozetoides Shaldybina, 1966
Cyrtozetes BehanPelletier, 1985
Dentizetes Hammer, 1952
Diapterobates Grandjean, 1936
Fuscozetes Sellnick, 1928
Hypozetes Balogh, l959
Iugoribates Sellnick, 1944
Melanozetes Hull, 1916
Neogymnobates Ewing, 1917
Oromurcia Thor, 1930
Sphaerozetes Berlese, 1885
Svalbardia Thor, 1930
Trichoribates Berlese, l910
HUMEROBATIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1970
Humerobates Sellnick, 1928
MYCOBATIDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Jugatala Ewing, 1913
Minunthozetes Hull, 1916
Mycobates Hull, 1916
Pelopsis Hall, 1911
Punctoribates Berlese, l908
Zachvatkinibates Shaldybina, 1973
PHENOPEL0PIDAE PETRUNKEVITCH, l955
Eupelops Ewing, 1917
Peloptulus Berlese, l908
Propelops Jacot, 1937
UNDUL0RlBATlDAE KUNST, 1971
Unduloribates Balogh, 1943
ORlBATELLIDAE Jacot, 1925
Adoribatella Woolley, 1967
Ferolocella Grabowski, 1971
Lamellobates Hammer, l958
Ophidiotrichus Grandjean, 1953
Oribatella Banks, 1895
GENAVENSIIDAE MAHUNKA, 1983
Arcozetes Hammer, l958
Cultrobates Willmann, 1930
TEGORlBATlDAE GRANDJEAN, 1954
Lepidozetes Berlese, l910
Scutozetes Hammer, 1952
Tegoribates Ewing, 1917
ACHIPTERIIDAE THOR, 1929
Achipteria Berlese, 1885
Anachipteria Grandjean, 1932
Dentachipteria Nevin, 1977
Parachipteria van der Hammen, l952
Pseudachipteria Travé, 1960
Tectoribates Berlese, 1910
EPACTOZETIDAE Grandjean, 1930
Epactozetes Grandjean, 1930
GALUMNIDAEJacot, 1925
Acrogalumna Grandjean, 1956
Galumna von Heyden, 1826
Holokalumma Jacot, 1929
Holozetes Jacot, 1929
Neorizetes Jacot, 1933
Orthogalumna Balogh, 1961
Pergalumna Grandjean, 1936
Pilogalumna Grandjean, 1956
Trichogalumna Balogh, 1960
NIPHOCEPHEIDAETRAVÉ, 1959
Niphocepheus Balogh, 1943
PART I: INTRODUCTION
Of the major acarine groups, the order Oribatida of van der Hammen (1062), (Oribatei) Dugès, 1833 or Cryptostigmata Canestrini, 1891 is one of the largest, with over 6000 described species. We estimate that this represents less than onequarter of the world oribatid mite fauna. Oribatid mites occur throughout the world and are even active in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. They occur in salt and fresh water, caves, rodent burrows, nests above and below ground, on trees, and in human dwellings, but they are most common in soils, where population densities may approach 1 million per square metre (76 517). Over 200 publications deal exclusively with North American oribatid mites, and when ancillary papers are added the number would exceed 2000. Clearly, there is need for consolidation of this extensive literature.
A modern catalogue, with a complete bibliography, is an extremely useful tool in taxonomic, biological and ecological studies. It provides a readily available source to the literature, indicates taxonomic relationships within a group, and summarizes existing knowledge, indicating where emphasis should be placed on future studies. Such a compilation has long been needed for the North American oribatid mite literature. It is hoped that the information in the present compendium will give both impetus to the study of this important group of invertebrates.
Previous North American Catalogues: Descriptive works on North American oribatid mites previous to Banks' first paper (45) were few. Banks' (57) catalogue indicates that he is the author of 78 of the 90 names listed. Ewing (169) listed 111 species in his North American catalogue, but did not include those described by Berlese (84). Subsequently then an increasing number of taxa have been discovered and described, but only faunal lists have been published. Jacot's (422, 423) "Annotated Bibliography of the Moss Mites" is an important source of early literature covering papers from 1746 to 1930.
Geographical Range: The present catalogue deals only with the fauna of Canada and continental United States. The area covered is roughly the Nearctic Region, excluding Greenland and parts of Mexico. Some exotic species are included because of extralimital synonymy. Nominal species, whose subspecies alone occur in North America are also included (e.g., Phthiracarus anonymus Grandjean, 1933 and subspecies amicus Jacot, 1938). Species that have been recorded only from quarantine interceptions (Hammer [365] and Woolley [870, 871, 874]) have been omitted.
Also omitted are the following taxa that have been recorded as cosmopolitan. Holarctic or North American, but whose occurrence in continental U.S.A. or Canada has not been confirmed:
Achiptera borealis (Banks, 1899) (57, p. 612; 65, p. 237);
Caleremaeus monilipes (Michael, 1882) (207, p. 193);
Cepheus cepheiformis (Nicolet, 1855) (207, p. 147; 365, p. 69; 699 p. 233);
Chamobates borealis (Tragårdh, 1902) (669, p. 234);
Eremobelba leporosus (Haller, 1884) (561, p. 611; 564, p. 35);
Galumna flabellifera Hammer, 1958 (207, p. 353);
Heterochthonius gibbus (Berlese, 1910) (207, p. 54);
Hypochthonius rufulus europaeus Krivoluckij, 1965 (207, p. 52);
Joelia americana (Haller, 1884) (564, p. 18; 169, p. 380);
Oppia [=Dorycranosus] arctica Banks, 1899 (57, p. 612);
Oripoda longiseta Woolley, 1961 (28, p. 138)
Porobelba spinosa (Sellnick, 1920) (755, p. 118);
Protoribates monodactylus (Haller, 1884) (564, p. 23);
Stachyoppia muscicola Balogh, 1961 (207, 210);
Striatoppiamachadoi Balogh, 1958 (207, p. 207);
Suctobelbella subcornigera (Forsslund, 1941 (207, p. 200).
Fossil Oribatida. Relatively few fossil oribatid species are known from North America. Those that have been found in the geographical area covered by this catalogue are reported under the appropriate family in Part II, and their names are preceded by a dagger( ) in the index.
Bibliographic Scope: This catalogue is fairly complete for the taxonomic literature appearing before 1984. However, subsequent references have been added to make it as uptodate as possible. Most papers dealing with North American oribatid mites have been listed. Even so, some selection had to be made. Articles were selected to allow the reader to trace name changes and to confirm the widest distribution of a particular species. For common species with many repetitious locality records, the most recent or comprehensive article has been selected. Hammen's collections of the papers of Berlese (77, 345) and Grandjean (344) and Engelmann's Bibliographia Oribatologica (972) have greatly facilitated in the development of the bibliography but some papers, primarily dealing with original descriptions, were not available before submitting this catalogue to press. For these, the appropriate bibliographic entry is preceded by an asterisk (*).
Nomenclatural Rules: The rules given by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (747) are followed throughout. In some controversial areas, we have been guided by the 1977 draft proposals for the new code which has been published recently (1218). In Part II, the Systematic Catalogue of Species, minor changes in spelling and orthographic variants (e.g. Oribata versus Oribates, minor versus minus, etc.) are regarded as lapsi calami.
Catalogue Style and Abbreviations: Due to the current state of flux, the higher classification (above superfamily) of oribatid mites is not addressed in this catalogue. Grandjean (315) proposed the most reasonable and "natural" classification to date, although his six major groups were not given hierarchic rank. Grandjean's major groups were assigned either suborder or supercohort status by Balogh and Mahunka (960), but we feel the former rank is excessively high, considering the Acariformes as a whole (sensu Krantz, 490, p. 103), and the latter is unacceptable since cohort and its related categories are historically ranked above ordinal level (see Lee, 1076, p. 327). For other reasons such as the highly split arrangement of the Enarthronota [=Arthronota] and the unacceptable maintenance of the principal division into "higher" and "lower" oribatids, we have not followed the system of Balogh and Mahunka (960).
The superfamilies treated here are grouped according to Grandjean (315), although not all of his taxa are necessarily "natural" (i.e., monophyletic). Three changes in Grandjean's system were required for consistency: (i) Parhypochthonioidea is replaced by Parhyposomata Balogh and Mahunka, 1979 (960); (ii) Nothroidea sensu lato [=Holosomata sensu Balogh and Mahunka, 1979] is replaced by Desmonomata Woolley, 1973 (1113); and (iii) Circumdehiscentiae is replaced by Brachypylina Hull, 1918 (1066). Various names are available for these taxa; we chose the oldest name that related to taxa above the familygroup.
For convenience, the arrangement of families and genera generally follows Balogh (42), and we make no pretense that it is a phylogenetic arrangement. In addition, there are certain changes in superfamily spelling and authorship where Balogh did not strictly follow the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, especially Article 36 (see also Balogh and Mahunka, 960). Furthermore, recent revisions, for example Hypochthonioidea (1153), Brachychthoniidae (576, 577), Gymnodamaeidae (1167, 1168) Thyrisomidae [=Banksinomidae] (912),and the recent natural placement of the Otocepheidae (1026) prevented a slavish adoption of Balogh's scheme, if useful information were to be incorporated into the catalogue. New genera have been added alphabetically within families as in Balogh (42).
Genera that we recognize as valid are given as a main heading. Each genus including respective type-species, is followed by a reference to the author of the generic name, the number of the reference in our list, and the page number on which the the type-species is given.
Other references are sometimes given, for example see Brachychthonius, where more recent information on the status of a type-species is deemed useful. These references are separated by semicolons. Generic synonymy is given under each valid genus with similar reference information on type-species, but the source of synonymic information for the genus is preceded by a colon(e.g., see Nothrus C.L. Koch, 1835). New generic synonymy is indicated as "new syn."
The arrangement of species within genera is alphabetical, with undetermined species at the end. Subspecies are also placed alphabetically under their associated species. Depending on available information, up to 14 sections may be included under each species or subspecies (see for example, Hypochthonius rufulus C.L. Koch, 1835: (i) Location of type material ("Type)"; (ii) combination/synonymy (Comb./Syn.); (iii) Added references to combination/synonymy not in the previous section; ("Add. Comb./Syn. Ref.") and references to (iv) Distribution; (v) species Description; (vi) Taxonomy; (vii) Keys; (viii) works with supplementary references ("Add. References") (ix) Morphology; (x) Biology; (xi) Food; (xii) miscellany (culture, extraction, parasitology, physiology, etc.) ("Miscellaneous"); (xiii) Ecology; and (xiv) Remarks. Explanatory notes on some of these sections follow.
1. Type material: Many North American taxa are poorly described or require generic recombinations. Both problems necessitated examination of type specimens. Unfortunately, not all types could be located and placement of some species is still provisional.
The institutions in which type specimens have been deposited are given below the species entry. Attempts were made to verify that all North American types are at the institutions in which they were originally deposited. Unfortunately the status of many specimens labelled as types is not readily ascertainable. In this catalogue, the term "type" refers to a holotype unless otherwise stated. Jacot generally used the term "cotype" (see 454, p. 649), and although this is not recommended terminology today, we have retained Jacot's designations. Many of Banks' types are in alcohol and must be regarded as syntypes, because he did not indicate the status of individual specimens. Among his mounted preparations are slides with a single specimen labelled "type"; these are here considered holotypes. Some of Ewing's specimens are labelled "autotype", but he did not use this designation in the modern sense. They cannot be considered as types for species definition, but they have served as guides when other material was unavailable. Further, the recognition of types from Ewing and Jacot's material was made difficult, because both workers labelled slides of undescribed species "type" and "cotype" and many of these have been deposited in major institutions, especially the United States National Museum of Natural History (USNM).
In 1986 the collections of Tyler Woolley and Harold Higgins were deposited in the Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH). One of us (RAN) examined this material and located many type specimens which, according to the original descriptions, were to have been placed inthe USNM. Previous attempts to locate these specimens there had been unsuccessful. Thus, where discrepancies with the original publication occur, the real current repository is that listed herein. Most paratypes and additional material which was noted in the papers of Woolley and Higgins to be in the authors' collection are currently in the FMNH.