The family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) IX. Redescription of Carabodella calcarata Mahunka, 1986 and Hardybodes penicillatus Mahunka, 1995

Abstract

Redescriptions of the Carabodidae species Carabodella calcarata and Hardybodes penicillatus were completed together with redefinition and comparison of the genera under investigation. Complementary study of H. penicillatus and H. flabellatus resulted in recognition of the same structures observed in H. mirabilis (type species of Hardybodes), while observations of Carabodella calcarata (type species of Carabodella) highlighted the substantial differences compared to Hardybodes and other genera of the Carabodidae family. We concluded that Carabodella and Hardybodes are separate genera with easily distinguishable features. The particular characteristics of leg III in C. calcarata suggests a unique leg folding process compared to other genera in the family.