Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

•     Subcohort Dermanyssiae

  Superfamily Phytoseioidea

Family Phytoseiidae Berlese

Subfamily Macroseiinae Chant, Denmark & Baker

Macroseius Chant, Denmark & Baker

 

Diagnostic characters:

• Only Phytoseiidae with a divided dorsal shield in the adult female

• Podonotal shield with 10 pairs of setae, opisthonotal plate with 9 pairs of setae, each plate with 3 pairs of long, +/- whip-like setae. 

• Sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae and irregular posterior margin. 

• Metasternal setae (st4) on small plates. 

• Ventrianal shield small, subobtrapezoidal, with 5 setae. 

• Genu, tibia and basitarsus IV with long acicular macrosetae. 

• Spermathecal apparatus goblet-shaped.

 

Similar taxa.  Ascids with divided dorsal shields have more than 22 pairs of setae.  Otopheidomenidae have regressed fixed digits.

 

Ecology & Distribution. Macroseius biscutatus Chant, Denmark & Baker inhabits pitcher plants in the genus Sarracenia and may be phoretic on moths.

 

References

Chant DA, Denmark HA, Baker EW.  1959.  A new subfamily, Macroseiinae Nov., of the family Phytoseiidae (Acarina: Gamasina).Canadian Entomologist 91:  808-811.