Introduction and Identification Key of Oribatid Mites (Acari: Oribatida) of Rasht Township

Faunistic study of cryptostigmatic mites (Acari: Oribatida) in Rasht township was conducted during 2008-2009. Mites were extracted using Berlese funnel from soil samples and cleared in lactophenol. Cleared mites were mounted (in Hoyer’s medium) on microscopic slides. In total, 15 species, 15 genera and 13 families of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) were collected and identified. Among the identified specimens, 12 species, 11 genera and 8 families are for the first time records from Guilan province while one species, two genera (with unknown species) and two families are the first record from Iran. The following list consists of the identified genera and species with the new records for Guilan province marked by one asterisk while the new records for Iran marked by two asterisks. Hypochthonius luteus* Oudemans, 1917, H. rufulus Koch, 1936 (Hypochthoniidae); Mesoplophora (Mesoplophora) michaeliana* Berlese, 1904 (Mesoplophoridae*); Sphaerochthonius splendidus* (Berlese, 1904) (Sphaerochthoniidae*); Phthiracarus incredibilis* Niedbala, 1983 (Phthiracaridae); Steganacarus (Steganacarus) spinosus* (Sellnick, 1920), S. (Tropacarus) brevipilus* (Berlese, 1923), Atropacarus (Atropacarus) ochraceus* (Niedbala, 1983) (Steganacaridae*); Rhysotritia ardua* (Koch, 1841) (Euphthiracaridae*); Lohmannia turcmenica* Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1960, Papillacarus aciculatus* (Berlese, 1905) (Lohmanniidae*); Perlohmannia dissimilis (Hewitt, 1908) (Perlohmannidae); Epilohmannia cylindrica cylindrica* (Berlese, 1904) (Epilohmannidae*); Nothrus biciliatus* Koch, 1841 (Nothridae*); Heminothrus (Platynothrus) grandjeani** (Sitnikova, 1975) (Camisiidae*); Idiodamaeus** sp. (Idiodamaeidae**); Ctenobelba** sp. (Ctenobelbidae**).