A new species of Teneriffiidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) from Ethiopia

Teneriffiidae (Prostigmata: Anystoidea) is a poorly studied family of predatory mites that are recognized among its superfamily by thick raptorial palps, weakly marked naso, and rosette-like bothridial organs on prodorsum. In the present paper, a new species - Teneriffia aethiopica sp. nov. - is described from the soil material collected in Ethiopia. It is a relatively large species (about 1 mm); almost all coxal fields (I-III) have at least five epimeral setae; prodorsal shield and palpal oncophysis are present; ventral opisthosoma does not exhibit neotrichy, i.e. there are only six to seven pairs of aggenital setae ag present; pseudanal setal series is represented by four pairs of setae ps; claws on tarsi I-II are strongly bipectinate without empodia, and claws on tarsi III-IV are slightly serrate with smooth, hook-like empodia (almost the half of the size of each claw). Although representing unique characters, the rest of its morphological features suggest that it may form a group with members of the two currently defined genera Heteroteneriffia Hirst, 1925 and Teneriffia Thor, 1911 of which further study and re-examination have recently been proposed; hence, the present paper contributes some new knowledge that may be helpful in a future revision of this intriguing family.