A new aquatic oribatid mite, Chudalupia meridionalis n. gen., n. sp. is described from temporary gravel pools in Western Australia, and its systematic position within the family Ameronothridae (sensu WEIGMANN and SCHULTE) is discussed. It is suggested that it possesses some features indicative of a distant relationship with Aquanothrus montanus Engelbrecht which occurs in similar biotopes. The discovery of this new genus supports the idea that the concept of the family Ameronothridae should be widened to include not only Ameronothrus, Chudalupia and Aquanothrus, but also the genera presently included in the family Podacaridae.