Berezatax, new subgenus (Acari: Unionicolidae: Unionicolinae: Unionicola ), in subtropical and tropical North America, with a re-evaluation of the higher taxonomic groups of related american unionicoline mites

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Abstract
Unionicola (Berezatax) berezai n. sp., U. (B.) acylindrotarsa n. sp. and U. (B.) latipalpa n. sp. are described for the first time and placed in Berezatax , a new subgenus. Berezatax is intermediate in character states between the genera Unionicola and Atacella. Thus, Atacella is reduced in rank to a subgenus in the genus Unionicola, and the subgenera of Atacella are abandoned. Australatax, new subgenus, is erected as a sister group to Berezatax and Atacella and contains South American and Australian mites with many synapomorphies. The subgenus Unionicolides (in Unionicola) is redefined in order to include the subgenus Unionicolella (in Unionicola), which is abandoned. Berezatax, Atacella, Australatax and Unionicolides diverged from a Pentatax-like ancestor and form a holophyletic group displaying evolutionary adaptive radiation within the genus Unionicola. These apparently obligate, mussel (Unionoida) parasites are known only from the Americas, with the exception of Australatax, which also occurs in Australia.