Parabelbella (Paradyobelba) elchacoensis subgen. nov., sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida, Damaeidae), an unusual representative of the genus from Ecuador
Abstract
A new oribatid mite subgenus, Parabelbella (Paradyobelba) subgen. nov. (Oribatida, Damaeidae), characterized by unusual tubercular anterior propodolateral apophyse PA in combination with tubercular apophyses P, Sa and Sp, with type species Parabelbella (Paradyobelba) elchacoensis sp. nov., is proposed and described from Ecuador. The relations between genera Parabelbella and Dyobelba are discussed on the background of two major lineages within Dameidae.
Parabelbella dimidiaspina Xie, Yan & Yang, 2013 is recombined in Dyobelba. Oribatid mites from the family Damaeidae are broadly represented and documented throughout various habitats of Northern Hemisphere, but the knowledge about their presence in Neotropical region is scarce and incomplete.
Subias et al. (2012) listed only 12 well defined species (and two species inquirenda) from the whole Neotropics, and only Epidamaeus flagelloides Norton, 1979, Parabelbella flagellata (Balogh & Mahunka, 1969), P. meridiana Norton, 1979, and Dyobelba armata Norton, 1979 are known from South America. Species P. flagellata was originally placed into genus Metabelba, and later Norton (1979) shifted to newly created subgenus Epidamaeus (Akrodamaeus) together with P. meridiana.
Recent revision of the genus Parabelbella BulanovaZachvatkina, 1967 led to synonymy of Epidamaeus (Akrodamaeus) with the former genus (Miko et