Genus Seira Lubbock, 1870

Seira Lubbock, 1870: 279

Type species: Degeeria domestica Nicolet, 1842: 76, pl.8, fig. 11 (orig. descr.).

Sira Tullberg, 1872: 41, synonymized by Yosii, 1959: 9

Pseudosira Schött, 1893: 10, synonymized by Yosii, 1959: 9

Mesira Scherbakov, 1898: 18, synonymized by Yosii, 1959: 9

Lepidocyrtinus Börner, 1903: 154, synonymized by Soto-Adames et al. 2008: 512

Drepanocyrtus Handschin, 1924: 17, synonymized by Mari Mutt & Bellinger, 1990: 10

Lepidoregia Delamare Deboutteville, 1948: 407, synonymized by Soto-Adames et al. 2008: 512.

Ctenocyrtinus Arlé, 1959: 171, synonymized by Christiansen & Bellinger, 2000: 39.

Afroseira Yosii, 1959: 10, synonymized by Soto-Adames et al. 2008: 512

Lepidokrugeria Coates, 1969: 87, synonymized by Soto-Adames et al. 2008: 512.

Austroseira Yoshii & Suhardjono, 1992 (in Yoshii & Suhardjono, 1992b) 23, synonymized by Soto-Adames et al. 2008: 512

Diagnosis of genus. Antennae shorter than body length (Figs 2‒3). Scales on body heavily ciliated, oval or elongated and apically rounded (rarely truncate, pointed or irregular); mac heavily ciliated apically, strongly or lightly foot-shaped or acuminate (Figs 30 A ‒F) . Eyes 8+8 (Fig. 5F). Prelabral chaetae ciliated or smooth; Labral formula with 4 (a1–2), 5 (m0–2), 5 (p0–2) smooth chaetae (Figs 4 A, 36C) . Labral papillae present (Fig. 5D). Labial palp with five main papillae (A ‒E) plus one hypostomal papilla (H) with 0, 5, 0, 4, 4, 2 guard appendages, respectively; labium with five smooth proximal chaetae (p.c.) (Fig. 4B) . Basolateral and basomedian labial fields with chaetae a1‒5 smooth (Fig. 5G). Th II‒Abd V with ms and sens formula 1, 0 | 1, 0, 1, 0, 0 and 1, 1 | 0, 2, 2, +, 3, respectively; Abd II‒IV bothriotrichial formula 2 (a5, m2), 3 (a5, m2, m5), 3 (T2, T4, D3); bothriotricha with accessory lance-shaped chaetae (Figs 1, 11‒12, 30G‒J). Males sometimes with robust spine-like mac on femur and tibiotarsus of leg I (Fig. 8E). Pretarsi with one minute smooth chaeta on anterior and posterior sides (Fig. 8F). Mucro falcate, without basal spine (Figs 4C, 35F).

Remarks. The following characters are shared by Seira species and are not repeated in the descriptions:

Ant I‒IV with ciliate chaetae (Fig. 5 A ‒B).

Four prelabral ciliate chaetae, except in S. burgersi sp. nov. with inner smooth chaetae; labrum with chaeta a1 thicker, m0–1 and p0–1 larger, except m0 normal in S. dinizi and S. ferrarii (Figs 4 A, 36C).

Labial papilla E with lateral process (l.p.) apically acuminate and surpassing the base of the papilla E (Fig. 4B).

Sublobal plate with three smooth chaetae (Figs 5E, 10D, 31D).

Unguis inner side with two paired basal teeth, one unpaired median tooth and one unpaired apical tooth (absent

in S. barrai sp. nov.), outer side with two paired lateral teeth (larger in S. burgersi sp. nov., Fig. 40H) and one basomedian lamella apically acuminate (Figs 8F, 21F, 25E, 29E, 34E).