Description of two new species of Endopodoseius Abo-Shnaf & Moraes (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from Brazil and a key for the species of the genus

Two new species of Endopodoseius (Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae), Endopodoseius xerophilus Barros & Castilho sp. nov. and Endopodoseius hydrophilus González-Cano & Castilho sp. nov., are described based on the morphology of adult females collected from soil/litter in two Brazilian ecosystems (respectively the Caatinga and the Amazon Forest ecosystems). This work results from an effort to understand the diversity of soil mites in Brazil.

With this publication, the total number of Endopodoseius species reported worldwide increases to five, of which four from Brazil and one from Egypt. A dichotomous key for separating of the species of the genus is provided.