Solistrus, Saboori, Alireza, Ueckermann, Edward A. & Harten, Antonius Van, 2008

Saboori, Alireza, Ueckermann, Edward A. & Harten, Antonius Van, 2008, A new genus of Neothrombiidae (Acari: Trombidioidea) from Yemen, Zootaxa 1925, pp. 23-30 : 24

Solistrus gen. nov.

Diagnosis of larva: Neothrombiidae with two pair of eyes and scutum striated with convex posterior border. PL posterolateral to sensillary setae. Scutellum striated with more than 10 barbed setae. All dorsal and ventral setae on platelets with a cuticular line at base of setae. Femoral setal formula 6-5-4 and tibia of leg I with 6 barbed setae. One seta on coxa II, two solenidia on Ge I and one solenidion Ge I & II each. Claws 2-2-3. Palptibial claw divided. Palpal supracoxal setae absent. Palpfemur without seta. Gnathosoma with a pair of adoral setae and a pair of subcapitular setae.

Deutonymph and adult: not known.

Type species: Solistrus mitrae sp. nov.

Etymology. The genus name consists of "sol" referring to the unique scoop-like solenidion on tarsus II and the Greek word "Listron" which describe the shape of the solenidion, namely, "a leveling or smoothing tool".

Remarks. This genus is obviously a member of Neothrombiidae by the combination of the following characters: femur I with 6 setae, tibia I with 6 setae, the absence of microseta on genu II, the absence of setae on the palpgenu and scutum without lateral flaps. Solistrus is unique in having claws 2-2-3 and five setae on Fe II. All neothrombiid larvae hitherto described have two lateral claws and a middle empodium on each tarsus and four setae on Fe II. Solistrus is similar to Nanotrombium Zhang, 1994 and Thaitrombidium Fain, 1998 in having one seta on coxa II. It differs from Nanotrombium in the number of solenidia on Ge I-III (2-1-1 vs. 10-2-2), scutum and scutellum striated (not striated in Nanotrombium ), palp-tibial claw bifurcate (entire in Nanotrombium ) and the number of normal setae on Ti I (6 vs. 7) and from Thaitrombidium in the number of setae on scutellum (> 10 vs. 6), PL setae situated on scutum (off scutum in Thaitrombidium ), tarsi and claws III unmodified (modified in Thaitrombidium ), number of solenidion on Ti II (2 vs. 1) and anterior eyes larger than posterior ones (anterior eyes smaller than posterior ones that in Thaitrombidium ).