Ameroseiidae Evans, 1961, 1904

Masan, Peter, 2017, A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna, ZooKeys 704, pp. 1-228 : 1

Family Ameroseiidae Evans, 1961

Ameroseiidae Evans (in Hughes, 1961: 244). Type genus: Ameroseius Berlese, 1904, by inference.

Diagnosis

(adults). Idiosoma oblong and dorsoventrally flattened. Dorsal shield entire, holotrichous, having at most 30 pairs of setae; setae J1 and J5 absent. Sternal region with separate sternal and epigynal shields in female, sternitogenital shield in male, and five pairs of sternal setae in both sexes (st1-st5). Sternal shield reduced in size, but entire, with 1-3 pairs of sternal setae (normally two pairs); presternal platelets absent. Metasternal setae (st4) on soft integument or endopodal platelets. Epigynal shield with a pair of genital setae (st5); genital opening of male with presternal position. Peritremes well developed, long. Posterior ventral surface of adults with anal or ventrianal shield, and with at least four pairs of opisthogastric setae. Three circum-anal setae present. Cheliceral digits short; arthrodial membrane at base of movable digit smooth, without brush-like or filamentous processes. Palptarsal apotele with two or three tines. Hypostome with internal malae usually unmodified and lightly fringed. Tibia I with five dorsal setae; legs II of males without spur-like structures; tarsus II in female usually without enlarged spine-like distal setae; genu IV with normally nine setae, including one ventral (but aberrations exist). Mites with podospermal insemination, spermatodactyl of male present and placed on movable digit of chelicera. Female monogynaspid.

Key to world genera of Ameroseiidae (females)

1	Ventrianal shield with three pairs of opisthogastric setae (JV1, JV2, ZV2) and three circum-anal setae; endopodal platelets II-III and III-IV connected, bearing metasternal setae (st4); genua II and III without ventral setae	Brontispalaelaps Womersley, 1956
-	Ventrianal shield absent or with at most two pairs of opisthogastric setae (JV2, ZV2) and three circum-anal setae; endopodal platelets II-III and III-IV separate or absent, setae st4 on soft integument; genua II and III each with at least one ventral seta	2
2	Dorsal setae simple, short, mostly smooth and pointed, needle-shaped; peritrematal shield reduced, not reaching the anterior tip of peritreme; peritrematal shields or peritremes not connected to dorsal shield; ambulacra of legs usually without claws	3
-	At least some of dorsal setae modified, expanded, thickened or flattened, often elongate and pilose, with acute or obtuse apex, lance-shaped or leaf-shaped; peritrematal shield developed along whole length of peritreme; anterior section of peritrematal shield wide and completely fused to dorsal shield; ambulacral claws in legs II-IV present or absent	4
3	Dorsal shield with 29 pairs of setae, dorsolateral soft integument besides the shield without setae; insemination ducts fused and entering sacculus foeminus by a common neck-like process of the sacculus before entering spermatheca	Afrocypholaelaps Elsen, 1972
-	Dorsal shield with 18-25 pairs of setae, dorsolateral soft integument besides the shield with 3-20 pairs of setae; insemination ducts unfused and entering sacculus foeminus separately	Hattena Domrow, 1963
4	Genu III with nine setae, including one posterolateral seta (2-2/1, 2/1-1)	5
-	Genu III with ten setae, including two posterolateral setae (2-2/1, 2/1-2)	10
5	Posterior venter with four pairs of setae on soft integument (JV1, JV5) and on ventrianal shield (JV2, ZV2), JV3 and JV4 absent; dorsal shield with 21 pairs of setae	Pseudoameroseius gen. n.
-	Posterior venter with five or six pairs of setae (JV1-JV5, ZV2; JV4 sometimes absent); ventrianal shield (if present) with at most one pair of opisthogastric setae (JV3); dorsal shield with 22-30 pairs of setae	6
6	Dorsal shield ornamented with tubercles, or spines arranged in rows, bearing 22-28 pairs of setae; some dorsal shield setae (6-9 pairs) conspicuously thickened and greatly lengthened	Epicriopsis Berlese, 1916
-	Dorsal shield otherwise sculptured, never with tubercles or rows of spines in medial surface, bearing 28-30 pairs of setae; dorsal shield setae usually subequal or less differing in length	7
7	Sternal shield with three pairs of setae (st1-st3); genu IV with ten setae, including two ventral setae (2-2/1, 3/1-1); dorsal setae pinnate	Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995
-	Sternal shield with two pairs of setae (st1, st2); genu IV with at most nine setae, including one ventral seta (2-2/1, 3/0-1); dorsal setae usually otherwise formed	8
8	Some dorsal shield setae (6-7 pairs) inserted on distinct protuberances, these setae longer, thicker and more heavily pilose than those on flat surface; tibia IV with ten setae, including two posterolateral setae (2-2/1, 2/1-2); fixed digit of chelicera slender, straight, with three sharp teeth and widened bilobed tooth close to terminal hook (Plate 77F )	Asperolaelaps Womersley, 1956
-	Dorsal shield setae not inserted on protuberances; tibia IV with nine setae, including one posterolateral seta (2-2/1, 2/1-1); fixed digit of chelicera more robust, at least slightly curved, without subterminal bilobed tooth	9
9	Cheliceral digits slender and terminally hooked: fixed digit edentate or with one weak tooth, having hyaline lobed appendage; corniculi slender and convergent, with undivided and pointed apex	Neocypholaelaps Vitzthum, 1942
-	Cheliceral digits robust and straight: fixed digit well dentate, normally with three teeth on proximal masticatory area (rarely with one robust tooth or two denticles), never with hyaline lobed appendage; corniculi stouter and parallel, with bi- or trifid apex	Ameroseius Berlese, 1904
10	Tarsus I without ambulacrum and claws, bearing greatly lengthened sensory setae; posterior venter with anal shield bearing only three circum-anal setae	Ameroseiella Bregetova, 1977
-	Tarsus I with well developed ambulacrum, claws present or absent; posterior venter with ventrianal shield bearing normally two pairs of opisthogastric setae (JV2, JV3) and three circum-anal setae	11
11	Fixed digit of chelicera with three proximal denticles; ambulacral claws on legs reduced or absent; epistome with bifurcate apex; dorsal setae relatively short, leaf-shaped, oblanceolate, spatulate or obovate, with rounded apex; anterior hypostomal setae (h1) thickened, curved and attenuate medially, subfalcate; anterior margin of coxa II produced into spiniform process	Sertitympanum Elsen & Whitaker, 1985
-	Fixed digit of chelicera with four proximal denticles; ambulacral claws on legs present; epistome with undivided apex; dorsal setae relatively longer, tubiform or leaf-shaped, with pointed apex; setae h1 thin or thickened, almost straight and regularly tapered; anterior margin of coxa II smooth	Kleemannia Oudemans, 1930

Figures

Plate 77. Ameroseiidae spp., female. A-C Poroid structure associated with peritrematal shield. A Kleemannia delicata B Sertitympanum nodosum C Kleemannia plumigera D Metasternal region in Kleemannia plumigera.