The family Caligonellidae Grandjean (Acari: Raphignathoidea): a new species and key to world species

The taxonomic status of all (77) species in the five genera of the family Caligonellidae Grandjean (Acari: Prostigmata: Raphignathoidea) is evaluated based on distinct and persistent morphological attributes. The characteristics, which include comparative dorsal setal length, orientation and configuration of stylophore and peritremes, and comparative lengths of leg solenidia, are considered variable and inconsistent for species differentiation. As a result, seven species from three genera, i.e. Caligonella Berlese, Molothorgnathus Summers and Schlinger and Neognathus Willmann, are presented as suggested synonyms. The species Coptocheles farsiensis Ueckermann et al. is considered a species inquirenda. The status of the species Neognathus harteni is briefly discussed. An updated diagnostic key to the species and genera of the family Caligonellidae is also provided. Also, the genus Caligonella is reported for the first time from Saudi Arabia with the description of a new species, C. taifensis sp. nov., and four caligonellid species are added as new records to the mite fauna of Saudi Arabia, i.e. Molothrognathis colei Swift, M. phytocolus Meyer and Ueckermann, Coptocheles shaowuensis Fan and Neognathus insolitus Willmann.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C16906E3-9325-49D3-B322-F0FD09648014