Rhodacarella, Moraza, Maria Lourdes, 2004

Moraza, Maria Lourdes, 2004, Rhodacarella, a new genus of Rhodacaridae mites from North America (Acari: Mesostigmata: Rhodacaridae), Zootaxa 470, pp. 1-10 : 2

Rhodacarella gen. nov. ( Figs 1–9 )

Type species: Rhodacarella cavernicola new species. Genus based on adult female material representing one species.

Diagnosis. Small weakly sclerotized mites with character states of the family. Three pairs of dorsal setae (j1, j2, z1) on the anterior edge of podonotal shield; podonotum with 22 pairs of setae, including 16 pairs (j1–j6, z1–z6, s3–s6) on podonotal shield, and six pairs on soft marginal cuticle (s1–s2, r2–r5); on podonotal shield scleronoduli absent; opisthonotum with 23 pairs of setae, 15 pairs on opisthonotal shield (J1–J5, Z1–Z5, S1–S5) and eight pairs on the soft marginal cuticle (R1–R6, UR1, UR2); dorsal poroidotaxy and adenotaxy includes: idj4,idj6, idz1, idz6, ids4 ids5, ids6, idJ1–J5, idS1, idS3, idS4, idR3, gdZ3 and gdS4. Pre­endopodal shields present, anterior to presternal elements; with free endopodals between coxae I and II; ventrianal shield narrow, with one pair of ventral setae; eight pairs of ventral setae in the soft opistogastric cuticle (Jv1, Jv3–Jv5, Zv1–Zv4); small metapodal shields present. Tectum with a medial pointed projection and serrate anterior margin; arthrodial process at the base of movable cheliceral digit is a simple coronet; subcapitulum with hypostomal seta 3 approximately level with hyp2. Pretarsus I present; legs I–IV with well­developed paired claws and lobulate pulvilli; coxa I with dorsal spine; setation of trochanters of legs, respectively, 5­5­5­5; that of femora, 12­11­6­6; that of genua, 13­10­8­9; that of tibia, 12­10­8­9. Sperminduction pore in trochanter III.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Rhodacarella cavernicola sp. nov., female. 1. Idiosoma dorsal. 2. Idiosoma ventral.

FIGURES 3 – 9. Rhodacarella cavernicola sp. nov., female. 3. Tectum, 4. Subcapitulum. 5. Chelicera, antiaxial side. 6. Right leg I, dorsal side, 7. Right leg II, dorsal side, 8. Right leg III, dorsal side, 9. Right Leg IV, anterolateral side (dotted circles indicate ventral setae)