New species of oribatid mites of the subfamily Brachioppiinae (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae) from Hogsback, South Africa

Three new species of the oribatid mite family Oppiidae are described from soil and coniferous litter of Hogsback State Forest, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Brachioppia bituberculata sp. nov. differs from its related species, Brachioppia excrescens and B. louwi, by the localization of cilia on the bothridial head and length and placement of dorsal notogastral setae. Kokoppia macrotuberculata sp. nov. differs from its related species, Kokoppia longisetosa, by the body length, the length of notogastral setae, the localization of notogastral setae la and lm, and the presence of interbothridial macrotubercle. Pletzenoppia ethiopica sp. nov. differs from its related species, Pletzenoppia pletzenae, by the body length, different number of cilia on bothridial seta, the relative length of prodorsal setae, the localization of notogastral setae la and lm, and the absence of interbothridial tubercle. An identification key to known species of Pletzenoppia is presented.