Establishment of a new mite family, Bulacaridae (Acari: Astigmata)

Morphological and molecular data led to the proposal of a new family named Bulacaridae for Bulacarus curvisetus gen. nov. and sp. nov., found on taro corms (Colocasia esculenta, Araceae) imported from Fiji at New Zealand border. The morphological evidence of Bulacarus curvisetus gen. nov. and sp. nov. were collected and described. The phylogenetic relationship of the new species was investigated by utilizing data derived from the near full-length small subunit (SSU) of rRNA genes. Furthermore, this paper discussed the characteristics and taxonomic placement of this family in the superfamily Acaroidea.