Tropacarus brevipilus, Ewing, 1917

van der Hammen, L., 1959, Berlese's Primitive Oribatid Mites, Zoologische Verhandelingen 40, pp. 1-93 : 41

Tropacarus brevipilus (Berlese, 1923)

Phthiracarus (Trachyhoplophora) brevipilus Berlese , 1923, p. 257.

Tropacarus curtipilus , Strenzke, 1952, p. 152.

I classify the present species as a Tropacarus , although Berlese included it in Trachyhoplophora (a synonym of Steganacarus ); I remark that Trachyhoplophora was created in the same paper together with Calhoplophora (a synonym of Tropacarus ). The species reminds indeed of a Steganacarus , because its special Tropacarus-characters are not striking (the dorsal ridge e.g. is only partly present); the species has very long claws.

The types are still present in the Collection, together with other specimens: 94/24, type, garden of the "Stazione di Entomologia Agraria", Florence; 94/25, cotype (read: paratype), same locality; 94/26, Boboli Gardens, Florence; 94/27, as 94/25; 94/28, Cascine, Florence.

Sellnick (1931, pp. 695, 721) recorded Hoploderma curtipilus Berlese and described a Hoploderma curtipilus var. perfecta from the Ionian islands: curtipilus is, however, certainly a lapsus for brevipilus . Strenzke (1952, p. 152) mentioned a T. curtipilus from Germany, and cited Sellnick (l.c.) only; Strenzke's short description indeed exactly fits in with T. brevipilus .