| abstract | A new genus and species of pygmephorid mite belonging to the subfamily Neopygmephorinae is described and illustrated from Japan under the naem Rhinopygmephorus rhopalomelissae. It is known only from the adult female and found attached to the body of the halictid bees, Rhopaloelissa yasumatsui Hirashima and Sphecodes scabricollis Wesmael. The new genus at a glance resembles Rackia Mahunka and Xystrorostrum Mahunka in possessing prolonged gnathosoma, but is easily distinguished from the latter by having much wider anterior coxisterna, apodemes 1 extending not so close to apodemes 2 posteriorly, poorly developed apodeme 2, moderatly thick tibiotarsus I with a strong claw and a stout process opposable to claw base, and in lacking secondary transverse apodeme. |