# Update of the national checklist and new records of oribatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) in conserved relicts within urban areas in Bogota D.C. (Colombia)

Andrés A Salazar-Fillippo, Tulande-M. Esteban, Ladislav Miko

► To cite this version:

Andrés A Salazar-Fillippo, Tulande-M. Esteban, Ladislav Miko. Update of the national checklist and new records of oribatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) in conserved relicts within urban areas in Bogota D.C. (Colombia). Acarologia, 2024, 64 (3), pp.941-951. 10.24349/kprn-xkaq. hal-04692930

HAL Id: hal-04692930

https://hal.science/hal-04692930v1

Submitted on 10 Sep 2024

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access
archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci-
entific research documents, whether they are pub-
lished or not. The documents may come from
teaching and research institutions in France or
abroad, or from public or private research centers.

L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est
destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents
scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non,
émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de
recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires
publics ou privés.

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Acarologia

Open Science
in Acarology

# Update of the national checklist and new records of oribatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) in conserved relicts within urban areas in Bogota D.C. (Colombia)

Andrés A. Salazar-Fillippo IDª, Tulande-M. Esteban IDᵇ,ᶜ, Ladislav Miko IDª,ᵈ

## Original research

### ABSTRACT

Conserved urban relicts represent unvaluable reservoirs of biodiversity. In Bogotá (Colombia), these ecosystems remain poorly studied, and particularly oribatid mites have been historically neglected. We explored the species composition in two conserved relicts within the city: Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis (JBB) and Las Mercedes forests, one of the last remnants of the nearly extinct ecosystem 'fluvio-lacustrine forest'. Our findings highlight the importance of exploring -even- easily reachable reservoirs of biodiversity in urban areas, and represent an opportunity to reinvigorate the study of oribatid mites in Colombia. In this work, we report 17 new records for the country and update the checklist of oribatid mites for the Republic of Colombia with the published literature during the past 4 years. The current inventory now includes 87 reported oribatid mite species, marking an increase from the 68 species documented in the 2020 revision (published in 2022).

**Keywords** Oribatida; Andes Mountains; Soil biodiversity; Mesofauna; Urban mites

### Introduction

Reports of oribatid mites in the Neotropical region account for 2404 species (Subías, 2004 - electronic update 2022). A significant proportion of these contributions have taken place during the past decades driven by clear knowledge gaps and a growing interest in soil fauna (Schatz 2004). Unfortunately, these patterns are not consistent throughout the region, and nations like the Republic of Colombia continue to lag behind other South American nations like Argentina, Brazil, or Ecuador (Oliveira et al. 2017; Fredes 2018; Revelo-Tobar 2022). Only 68 species reported in Colombia -compared to >400 in neighboring nations- encourage urgent attention toward the study of oribatid mites at a national level (Salazar-Fillippo and Miko 2022). These unsatisfying patterns remain constant, as published literature mainly reports oribatid mites at low taxonomic resolution (suborder level), and only one new record and a newly described species were found during the past four years (Niedbala and Ermilov 2022).

Received 30 May 2024
Accepted 07 August 2024
Published 30 August 2024

Corresponding author
Andrés A. Salazar-Fillippo ID:
a.salazarfillippo@natur.cuni.cz

Academic editor
Pfingstl, Tobias

https://doi.org/10.24349/kprn-xkaq

ISSN 0044-586X (print)
ISSN 2107-7207 (electronic)

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

Salazar-Fillippo A. A. et al.

Licensed under
Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0

<footnote>ªInstitute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Benátská 2, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.</footnote>

<footnote>ᵇJardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis, Subdirección Científica, Av. Calle 63 N° 68-95, 111071, Bogotá, Colombia.</footnote>

<footnote>ᶜMuseo Javeriano de Historia Natural, Grupo de taxonomía y sistemática molecular, Laboratorio de Entomología, Cra. 7a #43-82, 110231, Bogotá, Colombia.</footnote>

<footnote>ᵈGeobiology Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1C, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.</footnote>
Current knowledge of oribatid mites in Colombia is unevenly distributed both in terms of geography and taxonomic groups (Salazar-Fillippo and Miko, 2022). Pyctimous mites (Niedbała 2004; Niedbala and Ermilov 2022), reports in high-mountain ecosystems (Balogh & Balogh, 1985; Balogh, 1984a, 1984b; Niedbała, 2004), and in conserved areas near major cities (Liu and OConnor 2015; Rueda-Ramirez et al. 2016) have received disproportionate attention leaving other highly diverse and functionally relevant ecosystems aside. Conserved relicts within urban areas represent one of such broadly neglected systems. Their role as biodiversity reservoirs and ecological corridors continues to gain growing attention worldwide (Vergnes et al. 2012; Philpott et al. 2014; Noreika et al. 2015). Whereas the capital, i.e. Bogotá D.C., holds over 25% of the total reports of oribatid mites in Colombia, urban areas remain virtually unknown.

Bogotá is located on the Eastern Andes Mountain range at an altitude of 2600 m.a.s.l. This capital city is densely populated, as only 23% of its nearly 1800 km² account for urban areas. Over 10 million inhabitants have shaped the metropolitan area of Bogotá into a mosaic of diverse habitats with residential, industrial, commercial, and road infrastructure. However, green areas for recreational use (parks) and conservation of local flora and fauna have remained a priority in certain areas of the city (Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá, 2021; Corrales and Osorno, 2018). In the present study we are pioneering the study of oribatid mites in two of the most iconic conservation areas within the city of Bogotá D.C. These are the botanical garden José Celestino Mutis and “Las Mercedes” forest, respectively representing key reservoirs of soil biodiversity in the Northern border and centre of the city (Orejuela and Celis 2019; Pérez-Suárez 2020). The botanical garden houses 34 living plant collections that emulate different Colombian exotic ecosystems distributed along 19.5 ha. These result in a high diversity mosaic accounting for over a 1000 plant species from 179 families (Orejuela and Celis 2019). “Las Mercedes” forest, in contrast, is located in the Northwest of the city within the Thomas van der Hammer natural reserve, and is considered one of the last relicts of fluvio-lacustrine forest, a nearly extinct native ecosystem (Mendoza and Sánchez 2014). This particular ecosystem found in high Andean mountains (2600-2800 m.a.s.l.) owes its name to its former floodplain under the influence of a lake, and its location represents a strategic ecological corridor between hills and wetlands (La Conejera) (Ruiz et al. 2008). In this work, we report 17 new records of oribatid mites (Fig. 1) at a local (Bogotá D.C.) and national level (Colombia) collected in two of the most important conservation areas of the city.

<table><caption>**Table 1** List of localities. Coordinates and description of the ecosystem.</caption><thead><tr><th>Code</th><th>Coordinates</th><th>Description</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><strong>Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis</strong></td></tr><tr><td>JBB-1</td><td>4°40'1.884"N, 74°6'0853"W</td><td>Living collection of cloud forest.</td></tr><tr><td>JBB-2</td><td>4°40'1.452"N, 74°5'57.947"W</td><td>Living collection of Paramo.</td></tr><tr><td>JBB-3</td><td>4°40'1.992"N, -74°5'75.643"W</td><td>Systematic living collection of Cryptogams.</td></tr><tr><td>JBB-4</td><td>4°40'8.796"N, 74°5'59.711"W</td><td>Living collection of Andean forest with <i>Cinchona L.</i> genus.</td></tr><tr><td>JBB-5</td><td>4°40'9.156"N, 74°5'57.911"W</td><td>Living collection Arboretum.</td></tr><tr><td>JBB-6</td><td>4°39'57.796"N, 74°5'55.031"W</td><td>Living collection of high Andean forest with <i>Magnolia L.</i> genus.</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><strong>Reserva Thomas Van der Hammen, Hacienda Las Mercedes, Bosque Las Mercedes</strong></td></tr><tr><td>BLM-1</td><td>4°46'27.444"N, 74°5'50.175"W</td><td>Dense canopy, litter (5 cm depth). Common species: <i>Solanum oblongifolium</i> Dunal, 1816; <i>Myrsine latifolia</i>; <i>Vallea stipularis</i>, L.f. 1872; and <i>Viburnum triphyllum</i> Benth.</td></tr><tr><td>BLM-2</td><td>4°46'20.172"N, 74°5'55.967"W</td><td>Intermediate canopy density, litter (2 cm depth). Common species: <i>Oldenlandia umbelata</i> L.; <i>Salvia palaefolia</i> Kunth.; <i>Bomarea multiflora</i> (L.f.) Mirb.</td></tr><tr><td>BLM-3</td><td>4°4'622.476"N, 74°5'54.743"W</td><td>Intermediate to open Canopy, litter (1 cm depth). Common species: <i>Alnus acuminata</i> Kunth, 1817; Verbesina crassiramea s.f. Blake 1942.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Material and methods

Individuals were collected from the Bogotá Botanical Garden “José Celestino Mutis” and the “Las Mercedes” forest (Table 1). Five samples were taken from each of the six living collections in the Botanical Garden JCM, accounting for a total of 30. These collections consisted on 1) Cloud forests, 2) Páramo, 3) Cryptogams, 4) Andean forest with *Cinchona* spp., 5) Arboretum, and 6) high Andean forest with *Magnolia* spp. “Las Mercedes” forest, in contrast, was sampled through three 100 m transects by taking one sample every 10 m, and accounting for a total of 30 samples. Soil cores of 10 cm of diameter and 10 cm of depth were taken in both sites. The extractions of mites from soil samples (785.4 cm³) were performed using Berlese-Tullgren funnels. Specimens were tagged as indicated in the collection vouchers (Table 2) and deposited in the collection of the Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural Lorenzo Uribe J. (referred to as MPUJ-ENT hereafter). The identification of oribatid mites was done using Balogh (1984a, 1984b), Weigmann & Miko (2006), and several keys for specific genera and species. All of the material here examined was collected between April and May 2022 by E. Tulande-M.

We also did a thorough literature revision and included only the documents identifying specimens at least to family level.

<table><caption>Table 2 Collection vouchers. Site code shown in bold, followed by the museum voucher code of the samples.</caption><thead><tr><th>Species</th><th>Examined material (Vouchers)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Adelphacarus sellnicki Grandjean, 1952</td><td>BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088599, MPUJ ENT0088552; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088754; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088664.</td></tr><tr><td>Hypochthonius rufulus rufulus Koch, 1835</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088505; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088502; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088655, MPUJ ENT0088504, MPUJ ENT0088501, MPUJ ENT0088504; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088500; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088657.</td></tr><tr><td>Nothrus macedi Beck, 1962</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088561, MPUJ ENT0088558; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088633, MPUJ ENT0088554, MPUJ ENT0088643; BLM-3: MPUJ ENT0088380, MPUJ ENT0088560, MPUJ ENT0088553, MPUJ ENT0088556, MPUJ ENT0088559, MPUJ ENT0088555, MPUJ ENT0088557.</td></tr><tr><td>Heminothrus altimontanus Hammer, 1958</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088545; BLM-3: MPUJ ENT0088540, MPUJ ENT0088544, MPUJ ENT0088541, MPUJ ENT0088647, MPUJ ENT0088637.</td></tr><tr><td>Nanhermannia elegantissima Hammer, 1958</td><td>BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088619.</td></tr><tr><td>Tyrphonothrus peruensis Hammer, 1961</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088638; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088648, MPUJ ENT0088542, MPUJ ENT0088562.</td></tr><tr><td>Oppiella nova (Oudemans, 1902)</td><td>BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088681; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088680, MPUJ ENT0088674, MPUJ ENT0088673, MPUJ ENT0088675; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088656; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088672.</td></tr><tr><td>Multioppia (Multioppia) Radiata Hammer, 1961</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088707, MPUJ ENT0088695, MPUJ ENT0088698, MPUJ ENT0088730, MPUJ ENT0088697, MPUJ ENT0088701; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088699; BLM-3: MPUJ ENT00704; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088700; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088671, MPUJ ENT0088733; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088702, MPUJ ENT0088696, MPUJ ENT0088731; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088705, MPUJ ENT0088706, MPUJ ENT0088703; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088732.</td></tr><tr><td>Anomaloppia dispariseta Hammer, 1958</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088629; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088678, MPUJ ENT0088677.</td></tr><tr><td>Rhinoppia (Rhinoppia) suspectinata, Oudemans 1900</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088708, MPUJ ENT0088721, MPUJ ENT0088720, MPUJ ENT0088713, MPUJ ENT0088724; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088716, MPUJ ENT0088718, MPUJ ENT0088714; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088715, MPUJ ENT0088725; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088717, MPUJ ENT0088711; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088709, ENT0088722, MPUJ ENT0088723; JBB-4: MPUJ ENT0088727; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088729, MPUJ ENT0088728, MPUJ ENT0088712, MPUJ ENT0088726; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088710, MPUJ ENT0088719.</td></tr><tr><td>Arcoppia serrulata Balogh & Mahunka, 1980</td><td>JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088676.</td></tr><tr><td>Teratoppia brevipectinata Balogh & Mahunka, 1978</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088628, MPUJ ENT0088613; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088679.</td></tr><tr><td>Suctobelbella forsslundi Strenzke, 1950</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088693, MPUJ ENT0088690, MPUJ ENT0088691, MPUJ ENT0088685; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088682, MPUJ ENT0088692; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088688, MPUJ ENT0088694; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088684; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088686, MPUJ ENT0088670, MPUJ ENT0088669; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088689, MPUJ ENT0088683; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088687.</td></tr><tr><td>Suctobelbella peracuta Balogh & Mahunka, 1980</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088693, MPUJ ENT0088690, MPUJ ENT0088691, MPUJ ENT0088685; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088682, MPUJ ENT0088692; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088688, MPUJ ENT0088694; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088684; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088686, MPUJ ENT0088670, MPUJ ENT0088669; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088689, MPUJ ENT0088683; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088687.</td></tr><tr><td>Tectocephus velatus sarekensis Trägårdh, 1910</td><td>JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088382; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088381.</td></tr><tr><td>Totobates discifer Hammer, 1961</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088651; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088391, MPUJ ENT0088641.</td></tr><tr><td>Ceratozetes gracilis (Michael, 1884)</td><td>BLM-1: MPUJ ENT0088586, MPUJ ENT0088565, MPUJ ENT0088590, MPUJ ENT0088572, MPUJ ENT0088584, MPUJ ENT0088579, MPUJ ENT0088575, MPUJ ENT0088601; BLM-2: MPUJ ENT0088583, MPUJ ENT0088578, MPUJ ENT0088585, MPUJ ENT0088594, MPUJ ENT0088570, MPUJ ENT0088596, MPUJ ENT0088602, MPUJ ENT0088580, MPUJ ENT0088603; BLM-3: MPUJ ENT0088588, MPUJ ENT0088600, MPUJ ENT0088569; JBB-1: MPUJ ENT0088576, MPUJ ENT0088582, MPUJ ENT0088587, MPUJ ENT0088658; JBB-2: MPUJ ENT0088595, MPUJ ENT0088630, MPUJ ENT0088581, MPUJ ENT0088577; JBB-3: MPUJ ENT0088568; JBB-4: MPUJ ENT0088574; JBB-5: MPUJ ENT0088566, MPUJ ENT0088571, MPUJ ENT0088567, MPUJ ENT0088589; JBB-6: MPUJ ENT0088573.</td></tr></tbody></table>
<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 1** A – *Adelphacarus sellnicki*, B – *Hypochthonius rufulus* s. str., C – *Nothrus macedi*, D – *Heminothrus altimontanus*, E – *Nanhermannia elegantissima*, F – *Tyrphonothrus peruensis*.</figcaption></figure>

New records

CTENACAROIDEA

Adelphacaridae Grandjean, 1954

Genus Adelphacarus Grandjean, 1952

• 1 *Adelphacarus sellnicki* Grandjean, 1952 (Fig 1. A)

**Material examined** — BLM-2, JBB-2, JBB-6. Total = 3 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia), Palearctic (Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, United Kingdom).
## HYPOCHTHONIOIDEA

### Hypochthoniidae Berlese, 1910

#### Genus Hypochthonius Koch, 1835

* 2 *Hypochthonius rufulus* rufulus Koch, 1835 (Fig 1. B)
  **Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, JBB-3, JBB-5, JBB-6. Total = 72 individuals.
  **Distribution** — Semicosmopolitan – Holarctic and tropical.

## CROTONIOIDEA

### Nothridae Berlese, 1896

#### Genus Nothrus Koch, 1835

* 3 *Nothrus macedi* Beck, 1962 (Fig 1. C)
  **Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, BLM-3. Total = 19 individuals.
  **Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru) and meridional palearctic (Caucasus and Iran)

### Crotoniidae Thorell, 1876

#### Genus Heminothrus Berlese, 1913

#### Subgenus Heminothrus (Platynothrus) Berlese, 1913

* 4 *Heminothrus altimontanus* Hammer, 1958 (Fig 1. D)
  *Platynothrus altimontanus* Hammer, 1958
  **Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-3. Total = 9 individuals.
  **Distribution** — Neotropical (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Peru).

### Nanhermanniidae Sellnick, 1928

#### Genus Nanhermannia Berlese, 1913

* 5 *Nanhermannia elegantissima* Hammer, 1958 (Fig 1. E)
  **Material examined** — BLM-2. Total = 1 individual.
  **Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia) and subantarctic (Falkland Islands).

### Malaconothridae Berlese, 1916

#### Genus Tyrphonothrus Knülle, 1957

#### Subgenus Tyrphonothrus (Cristonothrus) Subías, 2004

* 6 *Tyrphonothrus peruensis* Hammer, 1961 (Fig 1. F)
  *Malaconothrus peruensis* Hammer, 1961
  **Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2. Total = 4 individuals.
  **Distribution** — Neotropical (Colombia, Peru, Mexico) and India (Tripura).

## OPPIOIDEA

### Oppidae Sellnick 1937

#### Genus Oppiella Jacot, 1937

* 7 *Opiella nova* (Oudemans, 1902) (Fig 1. G)
  **Material examined** — JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, BLM-2. Total = 101 individuals.
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 2** A – *Oppiella nova*, B – *Multioppia Multioppia – radiata*, C – *Anomaloppia dispariseta*, D – *Rhinoppia Rhinoppia – subpectinata*, E – *Arcoppia serrulata*, F – *Teratoppia brevipectinata*,</figcaption></figure>

**Distribution** — Semicosmopolitan (Holarctic: Frequent West Palearctic, India: Uttar Pradesh, New Zeland, and Neotropical: Antilles Is., Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela).

**Subfamily Multioppiinae Balogh, 1983**

**Genus Multioppia Hammer, 1961**

**Subgenus Multioppia (Multioppia) Hammer, 1961**

* 8 *Multioppia (Multioppia) radiata* Hammer, 1961 (Fig 2. B)

**Material examined** — JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, JBB-5, JBB-6, BLM-1, BLM-2, BLM-3.
Total =151 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Colombia, Peru) and Northeastern India and Iran.
**Genus Anomaloppia Subías, 1978**

* 9 *Anomaloppia dispariseta* Hammer, 1958 (Fig 2. C)

**Material examined** — BLM-1; BLM-2. Total = 20 individuals.

**Distribution** — Southern: Neotropical (Argentina, Colombia), subantarctic: Falkland Islands, and Iran.

**Subfamily: Medioppiinae Subías & Mínguez, 1985**

**Genus: Rhinoppia Balogh, 1983**

**Subgenus: Rhinoppia (Rhinoppia) Balogh, 1983**

* 10 *Rhinoppia* (*Rhinoppia*) *subpectinata* Oudemans 1900 (Fig 2. D)

**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, JBB-4, JBB-5, JBB-6.
Total = 502 individuals.

**Distribution** — Holarctic: except East Palearctic (frequent in West Palearctic), and Senegal.
Colombia – New record for the Neotropical region.

**Subfamily Arcoppiinae Balogh, 1983**

**Genus Arcoppia Hammer, 1977**

* 11 *Arcoppia serrulata* Balogh & Mahunka, 1980 (Fig 2. E)

**Material examined** — JBB-1. Total = 7 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Colombia, Cuba, Mexico) and Asian (Vietnam).

**Teratoppiidae Balogh, 1983**

**Genus Teratoppia Balogh, 1959**

**Subgenus Teratoppia (Teratoppiella) Balogh, 1983**

* 12 *Teratoppia brevipectinata* Balogh & Mahunka, 1978 (Fig 2. F)

**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2. Total = 4 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru).

**Suctobelbidae Jacot, 1937**

**Genus Suctobelbella Jacot, 1937**

**Subgenus Suctobelbella (Flagrosuctobelba) Hammer, 1979**

* 13 *Suctobelbella forsslundi* Strenzke, 1950 (Fig 3. A)

**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, JBB-5, JBB-6. Total: 40 individuals.

**Distribution** — Palearctic and Neotropical (Colombia, Cuba).

* 14 *Suctobelbella peracuta* Balogh & Mahunka, 1980 (Fig 3. B)

**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, JBB-5, JBB-6. Total = 48 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Panama) and South Africa.

**TECTOCEPHEIODEA**

**Tectocepheidae Grandjean, 1954**

**Genus Tectocepheus, Berlese, 1896**

* 15 *Tectocepheus velatus sarekensis* Trägårdh, 1910 (Fig 3. C)
<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 3** A – *Suctobelbella forsslundi*, B – *Suctobelbella peracuta*, C – *Tectocepheus velatus* sareken-sis, D – *Totobates discifer*, E – *Ceratozetes gracilis*.</figcaption></figure>

**Material examined** — JBB-1, JBB-2. Total = 3 individuals.

**Distribution** — Cosmopolitan.

## ORIODOIDEA

**Haplozetidae Grandjean, 1936**

**Genus Totobates Hammer, 1961**

* 16 *Totobates discifer* Hammer, 1961 (Fig 3. D)

**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2. Total = 7 individuals.

**Distribution** — Neotropical (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru).

## CERATOZETOIDEA

**Ceratozetidae Jacot, 1925**

**Genus Ceratozetes Berlese, 1908**

* 17 *Ceratozetes gracilis* (Michael, 1884) (Fig 3. E)
**Material examined** — BLM-1, BLM-2, BLM-3, JBB-1, JBB-2, JBB-3, JBB-4, JBB-5, JBB-6. Total = 1018 individual.

**Distribution** — Cosmopolitan: Holarctic, African (Island Santa Helena and South Africa), Asian, New Zealand, Neotropical (Chile, Colombia), and Antarctic (Island South Shetland).

## Literature review

* 18 *Phthiracarus alienus* Niedbała, 2022

**Material examined** — Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, above the village Minca, ca. 700 m a.s.l., litter from deciduous forest, 21.02.2020 (leg. W. Niedbała) (Niedbala and Ermilov 2022). Total = 1 individual.

**Distribution** — Colombia.

* 19 *Atropacarus* (*Hoplophorella*) *vitrinus* (Berlese, 1913)

**Material examined** — Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, above the village Minca, ca. 700 m a.s.l., litter from deciduous forest, 21.02.2020 (leg. W. Niedbała) (Niedbala and Ermilov 2022). Total = 7 individuals.

**Distribution** — Semicosmopolitan - Neotropical: Antilles Is., Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela.

## Discussion

We reported a total of 17 species of oribatid mites in Bogota D.C. that represent new records for the Republic of Colombia, and 2 additional records in the revised literature. This leads to a total of 87 oribatid mite species reported in the country, representing an update of the last published checklist i.e. 68 species (Salazar-Fillippo & Miko, 2022). The genera *Totobates*, *Tectocephus*, *Nothrus*, *Nanhermannia*, and *Heminotrus* (formerly *Platynothrus*) are also reported for the first time in the country. Whereas this manuscript only includes new reports instead of the total number of species sampled in both sites (JBB and BLM), it is notable that 14 out of the 17 species were found in the Las Mercedes forests, and 7 were exclusive to this site. This contradicts our expectations that a botanical garden including soils and plants from several ecosystems, and receiving visitors from all over the world would show an extremely high species diversity (Aoki 1992; Skubała *et al.* 2001; Niedbała 2018). Such findings also highlight the importance of conserved natural systems, particularly in a highly unexplored neotropical country.

We stress the importance of conserved relicts within urban areas as reservoirs and ecological corridors of biodiversity (Vergnes *et al.* 2012; Philpott *et al.* 2014). Las Mercedes forests is a relatively well-conserved area with over 70 species of plants and undergoing restoration processes in some of its sites (Pérez-Suárez 2020). Moreover, we expect that the number of oribatid mite species in the city of Bogota D.C will increase dramatically when sampling in the southwestern zones, as the eastern hills of the city and the Sumapaz paramo are key ecological corridors within the city.

In terms of the species remarks, we would like to highlight the report of *Rhinoppia* (*Rhinoppia*) *subjectinata* Oudemans 1900, a Holarctic species that was found both in the botanical garden JCM and Las Mercedes forests. Whereas the report in the botanical garden may have been the result of accidental introduction by foreign tourists (anthropogenic passive transport) (Weiss 1915; Zaitsev *et al.* 2020), their presence in highly conserved alluvial forests (Las Mercedes) give an indication of a broader geographical distribution.

Reporting 17 new records of oribatid mites within urban areas in a ten million-inhabitant city is a mere reflection of a highly unexplored soil group in a megadiverse nation in terms of its aboveground taxa (Arbeláez-Cortés 2013). This study reflects our intentions to lead the study of this group in the Republic of Colombia, both to determine their status (e.g. richness and
abundance) across habitats and to encourage their application for bioindication in the near future. We are convinced that this is the first step to better exploit outstanding bioindication attributes of Oribatida to support the assessment of conservation and post-disturbance restoration processes in a nation that still possesses pristine and yet highly vulnerable ecosystems (Williams *et al.* 2024). We thus further encourage and offer our support to local researchers to continue exploring the clearly underrepresented study of oribatid mites in the Republic of Colombia. Likewise, we acknowledge our willingness to engage in new collaborations to further reach our goal to further report and describe local species.

## Acknowledgments

This research has been funded by the Alcaldía Mayor de Bogota D.C, investment project 7679: Research for the conservation of ecosystems and flora of Bogota D.C district region.

We acknowledge the help of Prof. Giovanny Fagua from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana for his continuous support essential for this project. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Pfingstl, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions.

## ORCID

Andrés A. Salazar-Fillippo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5925-0782

Tulande-M. Esteban https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7754-9518

Ladislav Miko https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6139-710X

## References

* Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá. 2021. Decreto distrital No. 555 del 29 de Diciembre del 2021. Revisión general del Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial de Bogotá D.C.

* Aoki J. 1992. Oribatid Mites Inhabiting Orchid Plants in Greenhouse. Journal of the Acarological Society of Japan, 1(1):7-13. https://doi.org/10.2300/acari.1.7

* Arbeláez-Cortés E. 2013. Knowledge of Colombian biodiversity: published and indexed. Biodiversity and Conservation, 22(12):2875-2906. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-013-0560-y

* Balogh J, Balogh P. 1985. Studies on the Anderemaeidae J. Balogh, 1972 (Acari, Oribatei). Opuscula Zoologica Budapest, 19-20:41-48.

* Balogh P. 1984a. Oribatids from Colombia I. Acta Zoologica Hungarica, 30(1-2):29-51.

* Balogh P. 1984b. Oribatids from Colombia II. Acta Zoologica Hungarica, 30(3-4):315-326.

* Corrales E, Osorno V. 2018. Análisis de trade-off en el borde de una reserva forestal en el gradiente urbano-rural de Bogotá. Territorios, 38:137-165. https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/territorios/a.5909

* Fredes, N.A. 2018. Catalogue of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) from Argentina. Zootaxa, 4406 (1), 1-190. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4406.1.1

* Liu D, OConnor BM. 2015. Ptyctimous mites (Acari, oribatida) from colombia, with description of a new species and some remarks on the validity of *Atropacarus (hoplophorella) andrei* (Balogh, 1958). Systematic and Applied Acarology, 20(1):61-70. https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.20.1.7

* Mendoza L, Sánchez F. 2014. Mamíferos de la Hacienda las mercedes, un área rural al norte de Bogotá, Colombia. Boletín Científico del Centro de Museos, 18(2):157-171.

* Niedbała W. 2004. Ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of the neotropical region. Annales Zoologici, 54(1):1-288.

* Niedbała W. 2018. Further data on the occurrence of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) in European Palm houses. International Journal of Acarology, 44(8):382-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2018.1529054

* Niedbała W, Ermilov SG. 2022. New species and records of ptyctimous mites (Acarina, Oribatida) from the Neotropical region. Systematic and Applied Acarology, https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.27.8.8

* Noreika N, Pajunen T, Kotze DJ. 2015. Urban mires as hotspots of epigaeic arthropod diversity. Biodiversity and Conservation, 24(12):2991-3007. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-0990-9

* Oliveira, A.R., Argolo, P.S., De Moraes, G.J., Norton, R.A. & Schatz, H. 2017. A checklist of the oribatid mite species (Acari: Oribatida) of Brazil. Zootaxa, 4245 (1), 1-89. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4245.1.1

* Orejuela A, Celis M. 2019. Guía de géneros de angiospermas y gimnospermas del Jardín Botánico de Bogotá (Serie Colecciones Vivas N°. 2). Bogotá: Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis.

* Pérez-Suárez V. 2020. Evaluation of the progress of recovery of flooded and non-floodable plain forest relict by characterizing the composition and vegetal structure. Revista Luna Azul, 50(50):156-173. https://doi.org/10.17151/luaz.2020.50.8
Philpott SM, Cotton J, Bichier P, Friedrich RL, Moorhead LC, Uno S, Valdez M. 2014. Local and landscape drivers of arthropod abundance, richness, and trophic composition in urban habitats. Urban Ecosystems, 17(2):513-532. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-013-0333-0

Revelo-Tobar H. 2022. Checklist of Oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of Ecuador. Zootaxa, 5210(1): 001-096. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5210.1.1

Rueda-Ramirez D, De Moraes GJ, Varela A. 2016. Cambios en los ensambles de Mesostigmata y Oribatida edáficos en diferentes usos de suelo en Colombia. In: II Congreso Latinoamericano de Acarología, p. 36-40.

Ruiz TF, Otero GJ, Ramírez AD, Trespalacios GO. 2008. Biodiversidad y conectividad ecológica en la localidad de Suba. Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

Salazar-Fillippo AA, Miko L. 2022. Checklist of the oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) of the Republic of Colombia. Zootaxa, 5087(1):35-58. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5087.1.2

Schatz H. 2004. Diversity and global distribution of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) - evaluation. Phytophaga, 14:485-500.

Skubała P, Niemi R, Mleczko I. 2001. Oribatid mite fauna of greenhouses in Upper Silesia, Poland. Fragmenta Faunistica, 44:365-370. https://doi.org/10.3161/00159301FF2001.44.2.365

Subías LS. 2004 (electronic update 2022). Listado sistemático, sinonímico y biogeográfico de los ácaros oribátidos (Acariformes: Oribatida) del mundo (excepto fósiles). Graellsia, 60:3-305. https://doi.org/10.3989/graellsia.2004.v60.iExtra.218

Vergnes A, Viol IL, Clergeau P. 2012. Green corridors in urban landscapes affect the arthropod communities of domestic gardens. Biological Conservation, 145(1):171-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.11.002

Weigmann, G & Miko, L. (2006): Hornmilben (Oribatida). In: Dahl, Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, vol. 76. - Goecke & Evers, Keltern: 520 pp.

Weiss HB. 1915. Insect importations into New Jersey during the spring of 1915. The Canadian Entomologist, 47(10):326-328. https://doi.org/10.4039/Ent47326-10

Williams BA, López-Cubillos S, Ochoa-Quintero JM, Crouzeilles R, Villa-Piñeros M, Isaacs Cubides PJ, Schmoeller M, Marin W, Tedesco A, Bastos D, et al. 2024. Bringing the forest back: Restoration priorities in Colombia. Diversity and Distributions, 30(4):e13821. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.13821

Zaitsev AS, Ryabinin NA, Tarasov AI, Shakhab SV. 2020. Potential anthropogenic influence on oribatid mite communities in ancient to modern settlements of the Russian Far East. International Journal of Acarology, 46(5):322-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/01647954.2020.1801838