NEW RECORDS O F TERRESTIAL PROSTIGMATA

FROM NEW ZEALAND

T. G. WOOD,
Entomology Division, D.S.I.R., Nelson.
Modern conceptions of arachnid classification (Evans, Sheals
and Macfarlane, 1961) regard the Acari (mites) a s a distinct sub-
class composed of seven orders. The order Prostigmata (s. lat.)
is equivalent t o t h e Trombidiformes of earlier classifications and
includes the Tetrapodili, Tarsonemini and Prostigmata (s. str.).
Excluding water mites t h e order includes 40 t o 50 families and
over 400 genera.
A p a r t f r o m a f e w economically important species, terrestrial
Prostigmata have scarcely been studied in New Zealand, and Lamb
(1952) was able to list only twenty-three genera from fifteen
families. Atyeo (1960, 1963) added three genera, Gonzalez (1963)
one genus and Collyer (1964) two genera to the New Zealand list.
The author's collections from mosses and higher plants, mainly
in the Nelson area, have revealed a number of genera not previously
recorded from New Zealand. All except Mullederia (Wood, 1964)
a r e well known European genera, b u t most of t h e species
so f a r encountered a r e undescribed. The list below adds thirty-one
genera and twelve families t o the New Zealand fauna.
GENERA AND FAMILIES NEW T O NEW ZEALAND
*= new family record.
Alicorhagiidae*
Alicorhagiidae Berlese, 1910.
Anystidae*
Anystis v.Heyden, 1826.
Caligonellidae*
Neo~phyllobius Berlese, 1886.
Neognathus Willmann, 1952.
Cheyletidae
Cheyletia Haller, 1884.
Cheyletogenes Oudemans, 1905.
Cryptognathidae*
Cryptognathus Kramer, 1878.
Cunaxidae*
Cunaxa v.Heyden, 1826.
Cunaxoides Baker & Hoffmann, 1948.
Ereynetidae4'
Ereynetes Berlese, 1883.
Opsereynetes Thor, 1932.
Eupodidae*
Eupodes C.L.K., 1836.
Protereunetes Berlese, 1923.
Linopodes C.L.K., 1836.
Nanorchestidae*
Nanorchestes Topsent & Trouessart, 1890.
Speleorchestes Tragardh, 1909.
Penthalodidae*
Stereotydeus Berlese, 1901.
Raphignathidae*
Raphipnathus Duges, 1834.
Acheles Oudemans, 1903.
Rhagidiidae*
Rhagidia Thorell, 1871.
Stigmaeidae
Ledermuelleria Oudemans, 1923.
Ledermuelleriopsis Willmann, 1953.
Mullederia Wood, 1964.
Eupalopsis Canestrini, 1886.
Apostigmaeus Grandjean, 1944.
Tuckerellidae"
Tuckerella Womersley, 1940.
Specimens of this genus collected by E. Collyer.
Tydeidae
Retetydeus Thor, 1931.
Lorryia Oudemans, 1925.
Triophtydeus Thor, 1932.
Coccotydeus Thor, 1931.
Microtydeus Thor, 1931.

REFERENCES
ATYEO, W. T., 1960: A unique species of Thoribdella Grandjean,
1938, f r o m New Zealand ( A c a r i n a ; Bdellidae). Rec.
Dominion Mus., 3 ( 4 ) : 289-291.
1963: The Bdellidae (Acarina) of t h e Australian Realm. 1.
New Zealand, Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands.
Bull. Nebraska St. Mus., 4 ( 8 ) : 113-166.
COLLYER, E., 1964 Phytophagous mites a n d their predators in New
Zealand orchards. N.Z. J. agric. Res. 7 : 551-568.
DUMBLETON, L. J., 1963: Acarology in New Zealand N.Z. Ent.
3 : 3-8.
EVANS, G. O., SHEALS, J. G. & MACFARLANE, D., 1961:
Terrestial Acari of the British Isles. 1. Introduction and
Biology. British Museum, London. 219pp.
GONZALEZ, R. H., 1963: F o u r new mites of the genus Agistemus
Summers 1960, (Acarina : Stigmaeidae) . Acarologia, 5 :
342-350.
LAMB, K. P., 1952: A Preliminary list of New Zealand Acarina.
Trans. Roy. Soc. N.Z., 79: 370-375.
WOOD, T. G., 1964: A new genus of Stigmaeidae (Acarina, Prostig-
m a t a from New Zealand. N.Z. J. Sci., 7 : 579-584.