Carolinea 74

L amos : Tokukobelba gen. nov. (Acari: Oribatida: Damaeidae) 87 on B ayartogtokh & N orton (2007), who view the structure as belonging to acetabular tectum I. In an illustration of the prodorsum of T sellnicki , a structure resembling a minute apophysis P is depicted unilaterally by B ulanova - Z achvatkina (1962, p. 209, Fig. 4.3). In a later illustration of the prodorsum of this species by B ulanova - Z ach ­ vatkin a (1975, p. 133, Fig. 255) this apophysis is not shown, and the author does not describe the species as possessing an apophysis P. The structure appears to correspond to the posterior anterolateral apophysis Alp of the specimens of T . compta . The hypothesis that apophysis Alp of Tokukobelba is homologous to apophysis P seems unlikely since these structures differ con- siderably in several details regarding their loca- tion on the prodorsum. In lateral view, apophysis P is usually on the same plane as insertions of legs, whereas Alp is situated much higher up, and mediad to the propodolateral apophysis. Structurally Alp is derived from acetabular tec- tum II. In Hungarobelba , which displays an apophysis P, a sclerotized ridge is described in the area be- tween the bothridium and acetabulum II, ventral to the insertion point of the exobothridial seta by M iko & T ravé (1996). A clearly identical struc- ture occurs in T compta and apparently also in T itsukiensis ( F ujikawa 2011, p. 2, Fig. 1). In Hungarobelba the ridge terminates rostrally with- out an apophysis ( M iko & T ravé 1996), while in T. compta its rostral tip is formed by apophysis Alp. The phylogenetic significance of the ante- rolateral apophyses is unclear. They seem to be rare in Oribatida. Prodorsal apophyses Aa and Ap Apophyses Aa and Ap are exceptionally rare within the more than 270 described species of Damaeidae. Other than in Tokukobelba (Figs 1, 3), apophyses Aa are only found in Dyobelba din­ dali B ayartogtokh & N orton , 2007, and D granu­ lata B ayartogtokh & N orton , 2007, based on the original descriptions as well as in Caenobelba alleganiensis ( N orton 1979c) and Parabel­ bella dimidiaspina ( X ie et al. 2013). Among the Damaeidae presently known only the latter spe- cies shares the presence of apophysis Ap with Tokukobelba and may possibly even belong to the new genus. Prodorsal enantiophyses Aa and Ap are quite un- common within the Oribatida as a whole and gen- erally absent in both the Lower Oribatida and the Poronota ( W oas 2002). Within the Brachypylina, they can be found within the Autognetidae such as in Autogneta H ull , 1916, ( G randjean 1960b), Conchogneta G randjean , 1936, ( B ayartogtok h 2012) and Cosmogneta G randjean , 1960, ( G rand - jean 1960c), and also the species Licnobelba latiflabellata ( P aoli , 1908) and Flabellobelba alm­ eriensis ( R uiz , K ahwash & S ubías , 1990) in the Lic- nobelbidae G randjean , 1965, ( P érez - Í ñigo 1993, 1997). They also occur in some representatives of the gymnodamaeid Eupheredermata such as the genera Lopholiodes P aschoal , 1987, and Pheroliodes G randjean , 1931, in the Pherolio- didae ( B alogh 1962, G randjean 1964, P aschoal 1987) and similarly Plateremaeus B erlese , 1908, and Calipteremaeus P aschoal , 1987, in the Pla- teremaeidae T rägårdh , 1926, ( G randjean 1964, P aschoal 1987, W oas 2002). In the Ameroidea, prodorsal enantiophyses A are very rare. Apophyses Aa and Ap are present in Rhynchoribates robinsoni B alogh , 1962, based on its original description and also in Caleremae­ us monilipes M ichael , 1882, ( M iko & T ravé 1996). In Staurobates schusteri G randjean , 1966, a con- spicuous enantiophysis is sited laterally on the prodorsum anterior to acetabulum I. This was called an “énantiophysis collaire” by G randjean (1966, p. 702) who did not identify it as a pro- dorsal enantiophysis, although he had already used that name previously ( G randjean 1960b, p. 366). W oas (2002) perceives the “énantiophysis collaire” as being a homologue of the prodorsal enantiophysis. The species Veloppia kananaskis N orton , 1980, located in the family Caleremaei- dae G randjean , 1965, by its author, but sharing significant character states with the Hungarobel- bidae ( W oas 2002), displays a complete prodor- sal enantiophysis, but the structure is absent in the remaining two Veloppia species ( N orton 1978b, C hen & W ang 2002). Hungarobelba visnyai B alogh , 1938, displays distinct apophyses Aa and also anterior ridges, ridges associated with the bothridia, and a cen- tral prodorsal elevation between the bothridia ( M iko & T ravé 1996) as is typical of Tokukobelba . In H . pyrenaica M iko & T ravé , 1996, apophysis Aa is absent, but the other structures are still present. The posterior apophysis Ap is absent in these species ( M iko & T ravé 1996). Costeremus ornatus displays a system of prodorsal ridges and apophyses very similar to Tokukobelba . Here a posterior apophysis Ap is clearly present while the presence of Aa is probable, although the description by A oki (1970) is somewhat unclear about this. Costeremus cornutus possesses simi­