Parholaspididae

Taxonomic Position

Cohort Gamasina

Subcohort Dermanyssiae

Superfamily Eviphidoidea

Family: Parholaspididae Evans

Calholaspis Berlese, Gamasholaspis Berlese, Holaspina Berlese, Holaspulus Berlese, Hyattolaspina Datta & Bhattacharjee, Krantzolaspina Datta & Bhattacharjee, Krantzholaspis Petrova, Latinella Krantz, Neparholaspis Evans, Parholaspis Berlese, Parholaspella Krantz, Parholaspulus Evans, Proparholaspulus Ishikawa, Parholaspella Krantz, Snaveolaspis Johnston

Similar taxa. Macrochelids (recurved peritreme); pachylaelapids (lack arthrodial brush); ologamasids (tibia I with 6 dorsal setae); Laelapidae: Ololaelaps (lacks arthrodial brush).

Diagnosis. Yellow to dark brown dermanyssine mesostigmatans with holodorsal shields. Peritremes generally well developed, shields sometimes produced posteriorly. Sternal shield bearing 3 (rarely 4) pairs of setae (st1-3, 4) and 2-3 pairs of lyrifissures; metasternal shields present with st4 or fused to sternal or endopodal shields; genital shield mound-shaped, tongue-shaped, or broadly opisthogenital and bearing 1-2 (rarely more) pair of setae; ventrianal shield broad with several pairs of ventral setae, sometimes fused to genital shields. Tarsus I with or without claws; trochanter I with 6 setae; tibia I with 5/3 dorsal/ ventral setae, genu I 5/2-3; genu IV with 9 setae, 4/1 dorsal/ ventral. Chelicerae chelate-dentate, serrate, or snapping; movable digit without excrescences, but with well developed arthrodial brush. Palp genu with 6 setae, palp apotele 3-tined; corniculi horn-like to bayonet-like. Tritosternum biflagellate with columnar base. Tectum with long median process or denticulate-trifurcate. Female sperm induction pores near bases of coxae IV. Males with genital opening at base of tritosternum in sternogenital shield; spermatodactyl usually well developed.

Evans, G. O. 1956. On the classification of the family Macrochelidae with particular reference to the subfamily Parholaspinae (Acarina - Mesostigmata). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 127 : 345-377.

Halliday RB. 1995. A new genus and two new species of Parholaspididae from Australia and Papua New Guinea (Acarina: Mesostigmata). In Australasian Spiders and Their Relatives: Papers Honouring Barbara York Main. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 52: 209-217. (NB – new genus = Lasioseius in Ascidae)