Pachyglobolaelaps Mašán, 2014

MAŠÁN, PETER & HALLIDAY, BRUCE, 2014, Review of the mite family Pachylaelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), Zootaxa 3776 (1), pp. 1-66 : 25

Genus Pachyglobolaelaps Mašán , new genus

Pachyglobolaelaps Mašán, 2007a: 192 (nomen nudum).

Type species Pachyglobolaelaps hallidayi Mašán , new species, here designated.

Diagnosis and description. As given by Mašán (2007a, pages 192–194).

Pachyglobolaelaps is a highly specialised monotypic genus described by Mašán (2007a). Perhaps as a result of its myrmecophilous mode of life, it differs from all the other pachylaelapid genera in having an extended and highly vaulted dorsal shield overlapping the lateral sides of the idiosoma and encroaching onto the ventral surface, a tubular sperm access system, minute microsetae J5, and an unusual arrangement of dorsal setae, some of which are in ventral positions. The highly distorted and arched dorsal shield makes it extremely difficult to homologise these setae.