| abstract | A new family of mesostigmatic mites, Coprozerconidae, is described on the basis of material collected from feces of the wood rat, Neotoma floridana magister Baird, in a cave in Kentucky, U.S.A. Coprozercon n. gen, is described as the type genus of the family, based on material representing the type species, Coprozercon scopaeus n. sp. The characteristics and relationships of this family among others of the cohort Epicriina are discussed, including a rationale for Coprozerconidae as the sister group of Zerconidae. The tocospermous genus Halozercon Wisniewski, Karg and Hirschmann, 1992, is transferred from the podospermous family Halolaelapidae to the tocospermous family Zerconidae. |