Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

Subcohort Dermanyssiae

    Superfamily Eviphidoidea

 

Family: Macrochelidae Vitzthum

 Neopodocinum Oudemans

 

Diagnostic characters:

• Macrochelid mites with straight to slightly hooked peritremes (not recurved at the stigma)  and anal shields.

• All stages and both sexes may be phoretic.

Similar taxa.  Most macrochelids have recurved peritremes and ventrianal shields.

 

Key to Adult Females of Some Common Genera of Macrochelidae

 

1.  With ventrianal shield bearing 9-13 setae...................................................................2

 -  With anal shield bearing 3 circumanal setae.........................................Neopodocinum

2.  Vertical setae (j1) sessile on anterior dorsal shield..................................................... 3

  - Vertical setae (j1) on prow-like projection............................................ Holostaspella

3.  Ventrianal shield with 3 pairs of setae (+3 circumanals)............................................... 4

  - Ventrianal shield with 5 pairs of setae (+3 circumanals).................................................. Geholaspis

4.  Sternal shield with raised polygonal ornamentation & enclosing most of genital shield Glyptholaspis

  - Sternal shield variously ornamented, but without strongly raised reticulate ornamentation and not strongly enclosing genital shield................................................................................................... Macrocheles

 

References

Evans, G. O. and Browning, E. 1956. British mites of the subfamily Macrochelinae Trägårdh (Gamasina – Macrochelidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology 4 : 4-55 + Plates I-IV.

Krantz, G.W. 1983. Mites as biological control agents of dung-breeding flies, with special reference to the Macrochelidae, in Biological Control of Pests by Mites, eds M.A. Hoy, G.L. Cunningham & L. Knutson. Berkeley, University of California Agriculture Experiment Station Special Publication 3304: 91–98.