N. Batiks.
On Some Acarina from North Carolina.
Psyche 54:110-141, 1947.

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ON SOME ACARINA FROM NORTH CAROLINA1
BY NATHAN BANKS
Holliston, Mass.
Among a considerable number of mites collected by Prof. A. S. Pearse at Durham, North Carolina, are some new species and other rare or little known forms. Of particular interest is the rediscovery of Say's Eryth~ceus mamillatus, which proves to belong to the genus Labidi- stornma, not previously recognized in the eastern paridof our country. The genus Xenillus, hitherto not noted from America is also of interest; it was described many years ago as a new genus of beetles. The highly special- ized group of Gymnodamaeini is represented by four spe- cies, in three genera, two of which are new. A specimen of the peculiar Zetorchestes equestris, described by Ber- lese from Missouri, is the first in an American collection. ERYTHRBIDA
Erythraeus exilipes sp. nov.
Figs. 30, 35
Body nearly two and one-fourth times as long as broad, broadest just above third coxae, a little before middle of length, front margin nearly straight across, two eyes each side, about diameter apart, median groove about one-half as long as front margin. Body covered with stout, sharp- pointed spines, rather long, and mostly erect; many, when magnified, are seen to be covered with minute sharp spicules. Legs also with bristles, those on coxae about as coarse as on body, but beyond becoming finer, and mostly appressed, those on the under side of the last joint of front legs very fine and short.
Legs long and slender, all tarsi swollen. Front legs
nearly twice as long as body, the third joint from tip (tibia) about as long as greatest width of body, tarsus about two-thirds of protarsus; second pair of legs but little longer than body; the tarsus about three-fourths of 1 Published with a grant from the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College.
110




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19471 Acarina from North Carolina Ill
protarsus ; third legs plainly longer than second pair, tarsus about two-thirds of the slender protarsus; fourth legs fully two and one-half times as long as body, and very slender, the femora and tibia about equal in length, and each longer than width of body, the protarsus still longer, the tarsus not one-half of protarsus. Palpi of moderate length, the third joint swollen, the sides convex, the fifth with stout, apical claw, the lower edge showing about five small, short teeth; the thumb strongly clafate, reaching beyond claw, and with many stiff bristles.
Length of body 1.8 mm.
One from litter in Duke Forest, Durham, N. Car., 7 J,uly (Pearse). Several young ones, of possibly the same species, taken at same place in July and August; these have very tenuous long legs.
The length of the legs, and proportions of the joints thereof will separate the species from allied forms with such long hind legs.
Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3022.
Erythraeus carolinus sp. nov.
Figs. 1, 11
Body reddish, legs pale ; body fully two-thirds as broad as long, broadly rounded; above with many erect, stiff, simple bristles, as broad at tip as at base, each about twice as long as the-width of a femur.
Palpi not one-half the length of front tibia; all legs long and very slender, tarsi enlarged; front femora as as broad as body at third coxae, the second pair a little longer than body, first pair more than twice the length of body; femur two about one-half of femur one; last joint of front legs considerably enlarged, broadest before tip, more than one-third the length of front tibia. Last joint of second and third legs not as much enlarged. Some of the hairs on legs are bristly on one edge. First and second pairs of legs well separated from the third and fourth.
Front margin of body concave, the corners over the base of front legs projecting slightly, and with three cir- cular pits, and from each a hair, one short and somewhat clavat e.




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112 Psyche [June
Length 1.4 mm.
One from Duke Univ. Forest, Durham, N. Car., 23 Sept., 1944 (Pearse).
Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3023.
ORIBATIDZ
Oribatella carolina sp. nov.
Figs. 2, 8
Pale yellowish, edges of the lamella, edges of the square at base of cephalothorax, and the edges sloping back from each side dark brown; legs pale, almost hyaline. The cephalothorax is nearly as broad at base as long, the line of separation from abdomen crosses just above the square, a fainter line crosses the square. The square is partly open in front to a slender triangle which separates the bases of the broad lamellae, which, beyond this tri- angle, appear united into one and extend to near tip of the cephalothorax, where there are two points near each other and each tipped by a short spine, the outer edge of each lamella is dark, at first slightly, evenly outcurved until halfway to the tip of cephalothorax and here the dark margin separates and projects forward in a slender, very sharp spine. Each side, a little lower down, is a lateral plate or lamella, nearly hyaline, about two-thirds the length of cephalothorax, and with a nipple-like tip, this may be the lateral part of the principal lamella, and the dark ridge, ending in a long spine, may be a ridge across the lamella.
Each side of this lower lamella is seen the edge of the tectopedium, this is very long. The submedian bristles are thick, slightly roughened, very long, with a slender pointed tip, and arise from just in front of the clear triangle which separates the lamella at base ; the superior bristle is a very fine and extremely long hair, arising just in front of each anterior corner of the square; the seta is long, curves forward much as in 0. plummeri, is thick- ened only near end which is roughened.
The abdomen is plainly longer than broad, the sides but little curved; the wing does not extend in front of the abdomen, is not very broad, and behind merges gradually into the outline of abdomen. On the venter the genital



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Acarina from NortJz Carolina
opening is mostly in front of hind trochanter, bilobed behind, almost as long as broad and fully twice its length in front of the smaller, nearly circular anal opening, which is nearly its length in front of the hind margin of venter.
The legs are very slender and short, with few hairs except on the tarsi.
Length .22 mm.
From the Duke Forest, Durham, North Carolina, 2 Dec. (Pearse).
Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3021.
Alloribates gen. nov.
Goes in the Ceratozetinae, related to Ceratozetes and Peloribates but differs in the structure of the front tarsi. The anterior border of the abdomen bulges forward over the hind part of the cephalothorax so that the origin of the setae is plainly behind it. On each side of cephalo- thorax is a lamella reaching from near base of seta almost to the tip of head, it is rather close to the side margin all the way along, but at tip turns inward. Its highest part is toward the base. The wings are about as in Ceratozetes, the ventral openings are far apart, the setae are quite long; legs of moderate length to short, the front pair extending in front of head, the femora and tibiae are rather broad, but not strongly swollen. In the front legs the tibia extends over base of tarsus and ends in a long bristle, the tarsus is not quite as long as the tibia, its tip broadly truncate, and with one claw; on the upper side before tip of tarsus there is a cusp bearing a stout, curved bristle.
Alloribates singularis sp. iov.
Figs. 24, 25
Dull yellowish brown, legs paler.
Abdomen nearly
twice as long as broad, the sides in middle nearly parallel. Cephalothorax very short in middle, near each side mar- gin is the long lamella, no visible hair at tip ; setae hardly as long as their distance apart, the tip fusiform, mod- erately swollen, and slightly scabrous; just in front of



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114 Psyche [June
the suture are the two short, superior bristles, not far apart.
No hairs on abdomen; wings several times longer than broad, their lower edge (seen from below) rolled toward body. Genital opening small, twice its length in front of the much larger anal opening.
Legs short and fairly stout, upper side of second coxal bar reaching the genital opening, other bars shorter, and hind border of hind cox% scarcely noticeable. Femora and tibiae stout, but sides little rounded, tarsi tapering, except in front leg where it is broadly truncate, with a cusp on its upper side, bearing a curved stout bristle. Length of body .36 to .42 mm.
Several specimens from Duke Forest, Durham, N. Car., numbers 475, 385, 238, 514, and March-April. Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3020.
Minunthozetes angusta sp. nov.
Figs. 37, 38
This -is a more narrow species than the European type of the genus.
The cephalothorax is about one-half as
long as the abdomen; the lamella is a low, even, ridge arising close to the base of the seta and sloping forward to its fellow, not far behind the tip of head, the two lamellae connected by a short translamella, similar to the lamella; apparently there is no hair at tip of lamella, nor noticeable superior bristles; on each side near side-mar- gin is a short straight ridge, the lateral lamella. The seta is short, not reaching laterally beyond the legs, the basal two thirds slender and curved back, the apical third swollen, fusiform, and almost pointed at tip. The abdomen is nearly one and one-half times as long as broad, for some distance the sides nearly parallel, broadly rounded behind, no hairs, the wings long and slender, base truncate, seen from below, the edge is in- rolled for nearly one-half of length.
Legs rather slender, but not long, front tarsus simple, one claw; tibia with a long apical bristle, its tip extending slightly over tarsus, femora somewhat thicker, hind femora short and thick, truncate at tip, the patella at-



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19471 Acarina from North Carolina 115
tached to upper tip.
Genital opening a little broader
in front than long, about one and one-half its length in front of the much larger anal opening, latter wider behind than in front, which is slightly bilobed, borders of coxae three distinct, but no evident hind border to hind coxae. Length .3 mm.
From Duke Forest, Durham, N. Carolina
(Pearse),
numbers 475, 433, and 238.
Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3019.
Tribe ORIBATINI
This tribe, which includes typical Oribata (Damaeus ) , Belba, etc., may be divided into two sections, those with the front tibia normal (Oribata, Belba, etc.) and those in which the front tibiae are extended over the base of the tarsus, and the tarsus shortened. In this collection are three genera which belong to this second section; they can be tabulated as below.
1. Abdomen about as broad as long, sides rounded; tec- topedia not behind but beneath second trochanters ; legs not slender, most joints without any swollen part; rather broad, patella narrow on short apical part, sides of tibiae parallel; the claws borne on a ................................................................. stalk to tarsus Allodamus
Tibiae narrowed at base, patellae with parallel sides; abdomen broader than long, claws not on a long stalk; tectopedia behind second trochanters just as .................................................................. behind first trochanters 2
2.
Sides of abdomen nearly parallel, legs very long and slender, much longer than entire body; ventral openings united, borders of second and third cox% nearly reaching middle of venter ...... Gymnodamceus Sides of body convex, legs scarcely as long as body; ventral openings well separated, borders of second and third coxae not reaching half-way to middle of ...................
venter ........................................................ : ............... Jacotella Jacotella gen. nov.
This is based on a small, short-legged species described as Gymwodamceus quadricaudiculusl by Jacot. Instead
1 Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc., 45: 356, 1937.




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116 Ps yc7$e
[June
of the extremely long and tenuous legs of the typical Gymnodamseus the legs are scarcely longer than body, and not especially slender ; the ventral apertures are well separated; there is a strong tectopedum behind first and second trochanters.
Jacotella quadricaudicula Jacot
Figs. 3, 15
One from Duke Forest, Durham, N. Car., 25 Nov. (Pearse).
It was described mostly in comparison with a European species, Gymodarnaus austriacus, so I have given figures (3 and 15) of the venter and legs. Gyrnnodarnaus Kulczynski
Ewing, in 1917,2 erected a new genus, Heterodamseus, and included in it his Damus ~q&setos~s;~ but un- fortunately Ewing selected as genotype the European Damaus bicostatus Koch, a species which Kulczynski, some fifteen years before, had selected as type of Gymno- damseus. Thus Heterodamseus becomes a synonym of Gymnodomseus. Jacot4 says that Kulczynski5 assigned no type; however he is entirely wrong, for on page 43 of Kulczynski's paper is the statement "Typus Gymno-
danmus bicostatus Koch. "
Gymnodamaeus pearsei sp. nov.
Figs. 16, 27
Dark reddish brown, border of abdomen appears black. Shape of body as in genotype, bicostatus, plainly longer than broad, not narrowed behind. Two tiny hairs near tip of head, and a longer one each side a little further back. Setse about as long as the space separating them, swollen toward tip, but the tip sharp. Legs extremely slender and very long, as in the long-legged Oribata. The front and hind femora have rather long basal stalk, then suddenly much enlarged, then tapering to the long slender apical part, this apical part is longer in front 2 Ann. Ent. Soc. Amer., 10: 123, 1917.
3 Ibid., 129.
4 Bull. 121, B. P. Bishop Mils., p. 18, 1934. 5 Acad. Litter. Cracoviensis, 42, Ser. B; 43, 1902.



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19471 Acarina from North Carolina 117
femora than in the hind pair ; patella one about one-third of tibia, both no wider than the slender part of femora, except in the front pair where the apex of tibia is broad- ened where it overhangs the base of tarsus; each joint with two long hairs in usual plan; trochanter of hind legs long and but slightly swollen, that of third legs much swollen and short, the femora with a short stalk before the swollen part, thence equally slender to the tarsi which are a little more swollen on basal part. The ventral apertures are on apical half of venter and united, the genital a little the longer; there is a dark transverse line in front of the genital opening, and from each end a faint line curves out to the margin, on each side, opposite the genital opening, is a curved dark mark; the hind borders of second and third cox= almost reach the middle. Length of body .5 mm., of hind leg .9 mm. Several specimens from Duke University at Durham, North Carolina, 1 Sept., 14 Oct., 25 Nov., 10, 24 Febr., and 21 April (Pearse). Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3012. This species is separated from Ewing's Dams mag- Gsetosus, by the very much longer front tibia and the longer hind femur; magnisetosus moreover has a nearly circular venter, the legs are broader, the granulations coarser, the tarsi more slender at base. Gymnodamaxs minor sp. nov.
Figs. 28, 39
The color is yellowish; about two-thirds the size of G. pearsei; the body is a little more slender, and the legs are not quite so long.
The cephalothorax is similar but
the hair at each side of tip of head is more clavate, the seta is similar, the tip long, fusiform, and scabrous. The first legs are not quite as long as the body, the femora bulbous close to base, before middle faintly sinuous, patella nearly as long as bulb of femur, the tibia becom- ing broader to the swollen tip, the tarsus attached as in G. pearsei, the tarsus is proportionally more swollen than in pearsei, hairs similar, but the one at tip of tibia apparently not as long as in pearsei. The fourth legs about equal to length of body; the femora are bulbous



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118 Psyche [June
quite close to base, so that the stalk of femur is extremely short (much longer in pears&). The tarsus is fusiform, quite hairy toward tip. On the venter the apertures are separated slightly more than in pearsei, but connected by a dark, chitinous area; the outlines of corn are not visible, only at margin is a dark circle at base of leg three and four. Corn one and two are separated by an oblique bar, not reaching one-half way to middle, at tip of abdo- men are three hairs each side, all short, but one is mieh longer than others, and curved almost in a circle. Length .35 mm. '
From Duke Forest. Durham, North Carolina, in Janu- ary, Starch and April, numbers 238, and 505. Type M.C.Z. Arab. 3013.
Eeadily separated by the very short stalk to the hind femora, as well as size, color, apical hairs of abdomen, etc. ; also separated from Damas magnisetosus Ewing, by the more slender and less coarsely granulose legs; the front tibia is similar in length to that species, but the tarsus is narrow at base and swollen in middle; the ah- domen of mqpisetosus is much broader, nearly circular, the hind femur of E-wing's species has the hind femur swollen in middle with a short stalk at each end. AUodamaeus gen. nov.
In appearance this resembles a Belba, but the second tectopedia are present, but bent under the second tro- chanters and so not noticeable from above. The abdo- men is as broad as long, broadly rounded, the ventral openings are separated by a short space. The legs are of moderate length, much as in Belba ; in the front legs tile tip of the tibia extends over the base of tarsus much as in Gyrnnodam~eus, but more broadly. The tarsus, instead of gradually tapering to a fine point, is abruptly narrowed some distance before tip, thus "the claws are attached to a long, slender stalk that has the appearance of a separate joint. The legs, of moderate length, are not especially slender, nor scarcely swollen on any joints, except the trochanter (like Ewing's figure of Damceits magwisetosus'}, However in essential characters it be- longs in the Oribatini, near to G-ymnodamseus.



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19471 Acarina from North Carolina 119
Type is AZZodamceus ewingi n. sp.
The nymph of this or some allied species has two long, curved set% at tip of abdomen (figure 6). Allodamseus ewingi sp. nov.
Reddish brown to dull yellowish brown; there is a pul- verulence over the legs which has the appearance of equally short erect hairs on each side of each joint; it' is also over the front of head. The fine hairs on the legs are, at first, scarcely noticeable, a much stouter hair arises from near tip of third trochanter. The tecto- pedium behind first trochanter has a tooth on outer side. The ventral openings are but little separated, the anal slightly the longer, the genital almost its length from the transverse bar at base of abdomen, the anal opening is nearly one-half its length from the end of venter. Above on the ceplialothorax at each basal corner is the base of the seta, but no seta is visible unless it is very short and capitate ; a little in front arises the superior bristle, which near tip is somewhat thickened.
The front legs are nearly as long as width of the abdo- men, the hind legs as long as the entire body. The base of the patella and tibia is suddenly broadened, like a basal collar to the joint, the patella is much narrowed beyond the collar, but the tibia continues broad to the attachment of the tarsus, and in front legs the upper tip of tibia is extended in a point over fully one-half of the thick basal part of tarsus, the tip of the tibia1 projection has a very long hair.
Length .7 mm.
From the forest of Duke Univ., Durham, North Caro- lina, 1 Sept. (Pearse). Type M.C.Z. Arachn. 3014. Oribata carolinensis sp. nov.
Figs. 41, 42
Cephalothorax plainly narrowed a little in front of first legs, a curved anterior bristle each side near tip, and one on each side margin near tip, seta fully equal to length of cephalothorax, whip-lash type, the lash very fine and delicate. Abdomen nearly as broad as long,



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120 Psyche [June
with a row of curved bristles toward each side, six shorter incurved bristles at tip; ventral apertures touch, the genital nearly circular, the anal nearly as long as the genital, but only about two-thirds as broad. Legs slender, all tarsi long; fourth legs much longer than body, the first legs almost as long as body, the stalk of femur curved and nearly as long as the swollen part, the patella about one-half the tibia, latter (from side) much swollen, fusiform, tarsus with bulb-like swelling near base, the tapering part nearly equal to tibia plus patella. Hind legs with trochanter nearly one-half of femur, latter with stalk nearly one-half of length, swell- ing f usif orm ; tibia a little longer than femur, very slen- der, except a triangular swelling near tip, tarsus little, if any, longer than tarsus of first legs, a swelling near base, tapering to tip. Most of the hairs on legs are slightly curved and minutely pectinate. Second legs much like first, but shorter, third legs much like fourth, but