Re-description of Cultroribula berolina Weigmann, 2006 (Acari, Oribatida, Astegistidae) from Germany with a key for the European species

Abstract

A new species of oribatid mites, Peloptulus sacculiferus n. sp., was found in coastal meadows adjacent to salt marshes and is described in this paper. The species has notogastral sacculi instead of areae porosae, which is unique within the family. The new species is distributed in Portuguese coastal habitats of the Minho River, of the Lagoon of Aveiro and in the south-western Algarve at Cabo São Vicente, but it avoids the salt marsh area. A related species, Peloptulus reticulatus Mihelčič, 1957, occurs at the border of salt marshes in the Lagoon of Faro in southern Portugal. This species is re-described, and P. trinacriae Arcidiacono, 1975, from coastal dunes in Sicily is declared a new junior synonym of P. reticulatus.