Dactyloscirus Den Heyer, 1978

Skvarla, Michael J., Fisher, J. Ray & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2014, A review of Cunaxidae (Acariformes, Trombidiformes): Histories and diagnoses of subfamilies and genera, keys to world species, and some new locality records, ZooKeys 418, pp. 1-103 : 56-61

Dactyloscirus Den Heyer, 1978

Historical review.

Trägårdh (1905) described Scirus inermis . Berlese (1916) erected Dactyloscirus as a subgenus of Scirus to accommodate Scirus (Dactyloscirus) eupaloides . He also described Scirus dorcas but failed to recognize that they were congeneric. Oudemans (1922) described Rosenhofia machairodus . Halbert (1923) redescribed and figured Scirus inermis from Ireland. Sellnick (1926) transferred Scirus inermis to Cunaxa . Vitzthum (1931) raised Dactyloscirus to full generic status but later (1940-43) treated it as a subgenus. Thor and Willmann (1941) again elevated Dactyloscirus to generic status and designated Dactyloscirus eupaloides as the type specimen; they also transferred Cunaxa inermis and Scirus dorcas to Dactyloscirus . Baker and Hoffmann (1948) regarded Dactyloscirus as a senior synonym of Cunaxa . Smiley (1975) synonymized Rosenhofia with Dactyloscirus . Zaher et al. (1975b) reported Dactyloscirus inermis from Egypt (though they called it Cunaxa inermis ). Den Heyer (1978a) split Armascirus from Dactyloscirus and Cunaxa and raised the subfamily Cunaxinae to accommodate them, thus refining the definitions of all three genera. Den Heyer (1979a) described Dactyloscirus condylus and Dactyloscirus dolichosetosus . Den Heyer (1980c) erected the tribe Armascirini and made Dactyloscirus and Armascirus the sole representatives. Gupta and Ghosh (1980) described Cunaxoides nicobarensis . Dactyloscirus pataliputraensis was described by Gupta (1981). Liang (1986) described Dactyloscirus humuli from China. Shiba (1986) described Dactyloscirus mesonotus . Michocka (1987) reported Dactyloscirus inermis from Poland. Smiley (1992) transferred Cunaxoides nicobarensis to Dactyloscirus (though see discussion below) and described Dactyloscirus mansoni , Dactyloscirus johnstoni , and Dactyloscirus poppi . Gupta (1992) described Dactyloscirus bengalensis . Corpuz-Raros (1995) described Dactyloscirus philippinensis , Dactyloscirus rosarioae , and Dactyloscirus agricolus . Inayatullah and Shahid (1996) described Dactyloscirus illutus , Dactyloscirus minys , and Dactyloscirus orsi . Swift (1996) described Dactyloscirus hoffmannae and Dactyloscirus smileyi from the Hawaiian Islands. Hu (1997) reported Dactyloscirus inermis and Dactyloscirus humuli from China. Bashir and Afzal (2006a) described Dactyloscirus imbecillus and Dactyloscirus manzoori . Bashir, Afzal, and Akbar (2005) described Dactyloscirus kahrorensis . Corpuz-Raros (2008) described Dactyloscirus discocondylus and Dactyloscirus trifidus . Skvarla and Dowling (2012) described Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis . Den Heyer and Castro (2012) described Dactyloscirus saopauloensis .

Diagnosis.

Gnathosoma. Pedipalps 5-segmented, extend beyond the subcapitulum by at least the last segment, and end in a strong claw. An apophysis between the genua and tibiotarsi usually present. This apophysis long or short and generally ends in a bulbous, hyaline tip; it can, however, end in a tapering point as in Armascirus . This apophysis approximately equal between males and females or shorter in males. Basifemora and telofemora complemented with spine-like setae; these two segments fused, although a line remains visible and they can thus be differentiated. Subcapitulum complemented with 6 pairs of setae (hg1-4 and 2 pairs of adoral setae) and covered by integumental papillae that are either randomly distributed or form a polygonal, reticulated pattern.

Idiosoma, dorsal. Female dorsal idiosoma has at least one sclerotized plate that bears 2 pairs of setose sensillae (at and pt) and 2 pairs of simple setae (lps and mps). 0-4 other major plates and platelets present. All plates, if present, covered by integumental papillae that form a reticulated pattern. Integument between plates striated. 7 pairs of setae (c1-2, d1-h1) present. Each seta, when not on a major plate or platelet, surrounded by a minute platelet only slightly larger than the setal socket. Cupule im present, usually laterad or in the proximity of e1. Dorsal idiosoma of males similar except a single large plate complemented with c1-2, d1-e1 present.

Idiosoma, ventral. Coxae I and II often fused; coxae III and IV often fused. Setal formula for coxae I-IV 3-3-3-3 (including paracoxal seta). Genital plates each bear 4 setae; 2 pairs of genital papillae visible underneath the plates. Anal plates bear 1 pair of setae (ps1). 2 pairs of setae (ps2 and h2) associated with, but do not occur on, anal plates. Cupule ih present in close proximity to h2. Integument between plates striated and bears 5-7 pairs of additional setae. Ventral idiosoma of males similar except the coxae much more extensive. A sclerotized aedeagus often visible in association with the genital plates. Legs comparatively short, generally not exceeding ¾ the length of the body. Famulus on tarsi I enlarged and ends in a tri-tipped prong. Tarsi constricted apically, resulting in large tarsal lobes. Trichobothrium on leg tibia IV present. Ambulacral claws occur on either side of a 4-rayed empodium.

Key to adult female Dactyloscirus

(modified from Skvarla and Dowling 2012)

Smiley (1992) transferred Cunaxoides nicobarensis to Dactyloscirus as Dactyloscirus nicobarensis (Gupta & Ghosh, 1980). However, later in the same work he attributes the same holotype (No. 3146/17) and same description (viz. Gupta and Ghosh 1980:191) to Cunaxoides nicobarensis Gupta & Ghosh, 1980. The original description and illustration by Gupta and Ghosh clearly state the species in question has three pedipalpal segments, which precludes it from being assigned to Dactyloscirus . Smiley illustrated a Dactyloscirus with 5-segmented pedipalp "after Gupta and Ghosh 1980 " when discussing Dactyloscirus nicobarensis , though it looks like nothing in the publication. Because of this Dactyloscirus nicobarensis ( Gupta and Ghosh 1980) is declared nomen dubium.

1	Pedipalpal tibiotarsi and genua with adjoining apophyses present ( Figs 61a-i )	2
-	Pedipalpal tibiotarsi and genua with adjoining apophyses absent ( Figs 62a-d )	21
2 (1)	Dorsal hysterosomal lateral platelets present ( Figs 63a-d )	3
-	Dorsal hysterosomal lateral platelets absent ( Figs 64a-f )	15
3 (2)	Pedipalp telofemora with one or two apophyses ( Figs 65a-c )	4
-	Pedipalp telofemora without an apophysis; distribution unknown	Dactyloscirus poppi Smiley, 1992
4 (3)	Pedipalpal telofemora with 1 apophysis ( Figs 65a, b )	5
-	Pedipalpal telofemora with 2 apophyses: 1 basal, flattened and disc-shaped, 1 apical, short, thick and bulbous ( Fig. 65c ); South Africa	Dactyloscirus condylus Den Heyer, 1979
5 (4)	Lateral platelets inconspicuous, length less than 2 times the length of c1 or c2; cosmopolitan ( Fig. 63a )	Dactyloscirus inermis ( Trägårdh, 1905)
-	Lateral platelets large, length greater than 2 times the length of c1 or c2 ( Figs 63b-d )	6
6 (5)	Dorsal setae f1 and h1 equal in length; median shield present ( Figs 63b, c ) or absent ( Fig. 63d )	7
-	Dorsal setae f1 shorter than h1; median shield absent ( Fig. 63d )	11
7 (6)	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora shorter than length of genu, blunt distally ( Fig. 61a ); median shield absent ( Fig. 63d )	8
-	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora as long or longer than length of genu, blunt or pointed distally ( Fig. 61c ); median shield present or absent( Figs 63b, c )	10
8 (7)	Median shield present	9
-	Median shield absent; Japan	Dactyloscirus mesonotus Shiba, 1986
9 (8)	Coxa IV with 2 sts; Pakistan	Dactyloscirus manzoori Bashir & Afzal, 2006
-	Coxa IV with 3 sts; South Africa	Dactyloscirus dolichosetosus Den Heyer, 1979
10 (7)	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora pointed distally ( Fig. 61b ); pedipalp tibiotarsi with 4 sts; median shield complimented with setae c1, d1; e1 on small platelets ( Fig. 63b ); leg basifemora with 5-5-3-1 sts; Luzon I., Philippines	Dactyloscirus philippinensis Corpuz-Raros, 1995
-	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora blunted distally ( Fig. 61c ); setae c1 - e1 on median shield ( Fig. 63c ); pedipalp tibiotarsi with 5 sts; leg basifemora with 5-5-3-2 sts; Ozark Mountains, USA	Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis Skvarla & Dowling, 2012
11 (6)	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora inconspicuous: circular, minute and hyaline ( Fig. 61d ); Oahu I., Hawaiian Islands	Dactyloscirus hoffmannae Swift, 1996
-	Apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora conspicuous, blunt apically ( Fig. 61e )	12
12 (11)	Coxa IV with 2 sts	13
-	Coxae IV with 3 sts	14
13 (12)	Tibiae I with 1 asl, 4 sts; tibiae III with 1 asl, 5 sts	Dactyloscirus kahrorensis Bashir, Afzal & Akbar, 2006
-	Tibiae I with 2 asl, 4 sts; tibiae III with 2 asl, 4 sts	Dactyloscirus imbecillus Bashir & Afzal, 2006
14 (12)	Genital setae g3 longest, 1.5-1.7 times the length of g2 and g4, more than 2 times the length of g1; Kauai I., Hawaiian Islands	Dactyloscirus smileyi Swift, 1996
-	Genital setae g4 longest, 2 times the length of g1-3; Shanghai, China	Dactyloscirus humuli Liang, 1986
15 (2)	Dorsal hysterosomal median shield present ( Figs 64a-e )	16
-	Dorsal hysterosomal median shield absent ( Fig. 64f )	18
16 (15)	Median shield complemented with c1, d1 ( Fig. 64b ); apophysis adjacent to pedipalpal genua and tibiotarsi blunt distally ( Fig. 61c ); Mexico, Philippines	Dactyloscirus mansoni Smiley, 1992
-	Median shield complemented with c1-e1 ( Figs 64c, d ); apophysis adjacent to pedipalpal genua and tibiotarsi blunt or pointed distally	18
-	Median shield complemented with c1-e1, c2 ( Fig. 64e ); apophysis adjacent to pedipalpal genua and tibiotarsi pointed distally	Dactyloscirus illutus Inayatullah & Shahid, 1996
17 (18)	Apophysis adjacent to pedipalpal genua and tibiotarsi blunt distally ( Fig. 61e ); median shield triangular and nearly as wide as proterosomal shield ( Fig. 64c ); Bihar, India	Dactyloscirus pataliputraensis Gupta, 1981
-	Apophysis adjacent to pedipalpal genua and tibiotarsi tapering and pointed distally ( Fig. 61f ); median shield subrectangular and not as wide as proterosomal shield ( Fig. 64d ); Mexico	Dactyloscirus johnstoni Smiley, 1992
18 (17)	Pedipalpal telofemora without apophysis ( Fig. 61g ); apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genua and telofemora longer than telofemora and tapering to a point; Sumatra, Indonesia	Dactyloscirus machairodus (Oudemans, 1922)
-	Pedipalpal telofemora with 1 or 2 apophyses ( Figs 65a-d ); apophysis adjoining pedipalpal genu and telofemur shorter than telofemora and with a bulbus tip ( Fig. 61a, d )	19
19 (18)	Pedipalpal telofemora with 1 apical apophysis ( Figs 65a, b ); apophysis adjoining genua and tibiotarsi larger ( Fig. 61a )	20
-	Pedipalpal telofemora inner surface with 2 apophyses: 1 basal, flattened and disc-shaped, 1 apical, short, thick and bulbous ( Fig. 65d ); apophysis adjoining genua and tibiotarsi small, inconspicuous ( Fig. 61d ); Luzon I., Philippines	Dactyloscirus discocondylus Corpuz-Raros, 2008
20 (19)	Basal pair of adoral setae very long, more than 4 times the distal pair; pedipalp telofemoral apophysis about as long as width of segment ( Fig. 65a ); genital setae g4 twice as long as g1-g3; Luzon I., Philippines	Dactyloscirus rosarioae Corpuz-Raros, 1995
-	Basal pair of adoral setae not unusually long, subequal to distal pair; pedipalp telofemoral apophysis short, less than width of segment ( Fig. 65b ); genital setae g4 only slightly longer than g1-g3; Luzon I., Philippines	Dactyloscirus agricolus , Corpuz-Raros, 1995
21 (1)	Median shield present ( Figs 64d, e )	22
-	Median shield absent ( Fig. 64f )	23
22 (21)	Median shield complimented with c1-e1 ( Fig. 64d ); Europe, North and South America	Dactyloscirus eupaloides Berlese, 1916
23 (21)	Coxa I with 2 sts; Pakistan	Dactyloscirus bengalensis Gupta, 1992
-	Coxa I with 3 sts	24
24 (23)	Pedipalp tibiotarsal claw trifid ( Fig. 62c, d ); coxa II-IV setal formula 3-3-3 sts; Luzon I., Philippines	Dactyloscirus trifidus Corpus-Raros, 2008
-	Pedipalp tibiotarsal claw entire, unbranched ( Fig. 62a, b ); coxa II-IV setal formula not as above	25
25 (24)	Coxal setal formula II-IV 1-3-2 sts; Peshawar, Pakistan	Dactyloscirus orsi Inayatullah & Shahid, 1996
-	Coxal setal formula II-IV 2-3-1 sts; Brazil	Dactyloscirus saopauloensis Den Heyer & Castro, 2012

Figures

Figures 61 - 62. Dactyloscirus key illustrations. 61 a-h Pedipalp genu and tibiotarsus with adjoining apophysis present 61 i Close up of bifid claw 62 a-d Pedipalp genu and tibiotarsus with adjoining apophysis absent 62 e Close up of trifid claw.

Figures 63 - 65. Dactyloscirus key illustrations. 63 a-d Dorsal idiosoma, lateral hysterosomal platelets present 64 a-f Dorsal idiosoma, lateral hysterosomal platelet absent 65 a Pedipalp telofemur with one apophysis, which is about as long as the width of the telofemur 65 b Pedipalp telofemur with one apophysis, which is shorter than the width of the telofemur 65 c, d Pedipalp telofemur with two apophyses, one apical and one basal which is flattened and disc-shaped.