Epicriopsis

Narita, João Paulo Z. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016, A new species of Epicriopsis Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from Brazil, with a key to the world species of the genus, Zootaxa 4114 (4), pp. 477-484 : 482-483

Key to world Epicriopsis species

Two taxonomic keys to separate Epicriopsis species have been published, one by Bregetova (1977), for species from the former USSR, and the other by Kandil (1978), for world species (not including other three species then known). Two other Epicriopsis species have been described since that time by Halliday (1997) and Ma (2002).

The following key is based on the species known to date from adult females. Epicriopsis mirabilis Willmann 1956 , collected in the Czech Republic, was not included because it was only described from male specimens. Also not included was Epicriopsis (Actinoseius) terrificans Berlese, 1916 , given that the details available for that species do not allow its adequate recognition (see also Mašán & Halliday, 2014).

1. Dorsal shield without tubercles, but with rows of spine-like structures in the central region, bearing 25 pairs of setae............................................................................ Epicriopsis atuberculatus n. sp., Brazil

- Dorsal shield ornamented with star-like or minute circular tubercles, without rows of spine-like structures, bearing at most 24 pairs of setae........................................................................................ 2

2. Dorsal shield ornamented with minute circular tubercles, and with a pair of incisions on posterolateral margins; a single dorsal shield seta longer than half length of dorsal shield........................ Epicriopsis walteri Halliday, 1997 , Australia

- Dorsal shield ornamented with star-like tubercles and without incisions; at least six pairs of dorsal shield setae longer than half length of dorsal shield................................................................................. 3

3. Anterior margin of epistome rounded to triangular........................................................... 4

- Anterior margin of epistome with a spine-like projection..................................................... 9

4. Without Z setae laterad of J4 ................................................ E. horridus ( Kramer, 1876) , Europe

- With a short Z seta (Z4) laterad of J4 ...................................................................... 5

5. Seta j5 short, not reaching base of j6 ............................................. E. suedus Karg, 1971b , Sweden

- Seta j5 long, surpassing base of j6 ....................................................................... 6

6. With ventrianal shield bearing a pair of opisthogastric setae in addition to circumanal setae.................................................................................................... E. palustris Karg, 1971a , Germany

- With anal shield, bearing only circumanal setae............................................................. 7

7. With six pairs of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle; z5 smooth............... E. stellata Ishikawa, 1972 , Japan

- With five pairs of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle; z5 serrate......................................... 8

8. Seta j3 (mentioned as i 2 in original description) reaching base of j4 (mentioned as i3); j4 40 long; j6 (mentioned as i5) serrate, 28 μm long; anal shield ovoid.................................................. E. baloghi Kandil, 1978 , Hungary

- Seta j3 (mentioned as i2) not reaching base of j4 (mentioned as i3); j4 28 long; j6 (mentioned as i5) smooth, 6 long; anal shield rounded................................................................ E. hungarica Kandil, 1978 , Hungary

9. Seta j5 short (mentioned as D2, 57 µm); j6 of intermediate length (mentioned as D4, 52 μm).. E. jilinensis Ma, 2002 , China

- Seta j5 long (at least 125 µm); j6 (mentioned as i5) short or long; respectively 10 or 92 μm.......................... 10

10. Seta j5 and j6 respectively 150 and 10 μm long........................ E. langei Livshitz & Mitrofanov, 1975 , Ukraine

- Seta j5 and j6 respectively 125 and 92 μm long..................................... E. rivus Karg, 1971b ; Germany