MYCOBATES (ACARI, ORIBATIDA, MYCOBATIDAE) OF AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO

Morphology, distribution, and habitat data are presented for the known species of the oribatid mite genus Mycobates of America, north of Mex ico. A revised generic diagnosis is given, and 11 new species are prop osed and described on the basis of adults: M. altus, M. azaleos, M. be ringianus, M. blevilamellatus, M. dryas, M. exigualis, M. hammerae, M. hylaeus, M. occidentalis, M. perates, and M. yukonensis. Three specie s proposed by Marie Hammer are redescribed, M. conitus, M. incurvatus, and M. punctatus, and a lectotype is designated for M. punctatus. Myc obates consimilis Hammer is considered a junior subjective synonym of M. sarekensis Tragardh. Distribution maps are presented for these spec ies and a diagnostic key is given to adults of species of Mycobates re corded from America, north of Mexico. Mycobates is species rich in dry arctic, subarctic, and alpine microhabitats of the Nearctic, Palearct ic, and Neotropical regions. At temperate latitudes species often are arboreal, associated with moss and lichens on tree trunks.