Amerobelba saboorii Ahaniazad & Akrami sp. nov., the second species of the genus Amerobelba Berlese, 1908 (Acari: Oribatida: Amerobelbidae) from Iran

ABSTRACT

Amerobelba saboorii Ahaniazad & Akrami sp. nov., belonging to the family Amerobelbidae, is described and illustrated based on female and male specimens collected from soil and rotten leaves of walnut and wheat in East Azerbaijan province, Northwest Iran. The new species is characterized by the presence of 10–12 muscle sigillae in interbothridial region; ciliated notogastral, aggenital, adanal, and epimeral setae; sexual dimorphism in the form of some setae on tarsus IV; tarsi I–IV with 20(+2)-17(+1)-16–14 setae. An identification key to all known genera and species of family Amerobelbidae is presented.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CF6CBE00-E6D8-4224-9BD7-BE4BD33002EB

KEYWORDS:

• Sarcoptiformes
• new species
• oribatid mites
• Amerobelba
• Iran

Acknowledgements

We cordially thank Dr Elizabeth A. Hugo-Coetzee (National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa) for consultations and useful comments on the manuscript. We also thank Prof. Dr Valerie M. Behan-Pelletier (Biodiversity Section, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) and Prof. Dr Gerd Weigmann (Free University of Berlin, Institute of Zoology, Berlin, Germany) for the valuable advice, guidance, and literature. We greatly appreciate the support for this project provided by the Research Divisions of University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

We greatly appreciate the support for this project provided by the Research Divisions of University of Maragheh, Maragheh, Iran.