Chelaseius Muma, 1968

Lofego, Antonio Carlos, Barbosa, Marina Ferraz De Camargo, Demite, Peterson Rodrigo & Moraes, Gilberto José De, 2024, Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of the subfamily Amblyseiinae from Brazil, Zootaxa 5439 (1), pp. 1-306 : 70

Chelaseius Muma & Denmark

Chelaseius Muma & Denmark, 1968: 232 .

Chelaseius . — Moraes et al., 1986: 34, 2004b: 56; Denmark & Kolodochka, 1990: 219; Chant & McMurtry, 2004a: 212, 2007: 81.

Type species. Amblyseiopsis floridanus Muma, 1955: 264 .

Main distinguishing characteristics. Dorsal shield mostly smooth, reticulate or striate anterolaterally. Idiosomal setal pattern 10A:9B/JV-3:ZV; setae j1, j3, s4 and (mainly) Z4 and Z5 distinctly longer than other setae (whip-shaped); ratio s4 / S2>3.0. Sternal shield wider than long; ventrianal shield pentagonal. Spermathecal calyx saccular, cup- or trumpet-shaped. Fixed cheliceral digit much larger than movable digit; fixed digit with 2–7 teeth, and pilus dentilis distinctly large and basal; movable digit toothless. Tarsus I of most species with an erect seta; macrosetae sharp-tipped, always present on leg IV and present or absent on legs I–III. Male ventrianal shield with three pairs of pre-anal setae arranged in a triangular pattern, or with four pairs. Spermadactyl of the type heel-and-toe or Lshaped .

Remarks. Only three of the 12 species presently included in this genus have been reported from Brazil. They have been reported only from S„o Paulo state, in rare occasions. Worldwide, species of this genus have been almost exclusively reported from the soil.