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Alycosmesis
Alycosmesis Grandjean, 1939: 1-122
Type species: Alycosmesis palmata, (Oudemans, 1904) (Sebia palmacea [sic] Oudemans 1904) – holarctic, dry humus
Alycosmesis retiformis Theron, 1975 – bluegum litter, South Africa; Alycosmesis granuliformis Theron, 1975 – acacia litter, South Africa; Alycosmesis corallium Theron, 1975 – bluegum litter, South Africa
DIAGNOSIS. Prodorsum with 1 pair of filiform trichobothria (bo) and 5 pairs of setae, mostly expanded to foliose; naso well developed and bearing setae ro, and on its underside, the median eye; lateral eyes absent. Subcapitulum with 5-6 pairs of setae; rutella slender, with distal shear-like blade; chelicerae chelate-dentate, each with 2 setae. Adults with 28-35 pairs of setae on segments C-PA, mostly expanded, foliose or subrectangular; 10-16 pairs of genital setae in 2 rows; 3 pairs of genital papillae; ovipositor, eugenital setae present. All pretarsi with a pair of simple claws and a claw-like empodium with a setulate (rayed) base. Gut boluses with fungal hyphae and spores. No males described.
REMARKS. Little is known about these extremely tiny but ornately ornamented mites.
References
Grandjean F. 1939. Quelques genres d’acariens appartenant au groupe des Endeostigmata. Ann. Sci. nat. Zool. 11(ser. 2):1-122.
Kethley JB. 1982. Endeostigmata. pp. 118-120, In: Parker SP (ed.) Synopsis and classification of living organisms. McGraw-Hill, NY.
Kethley JB. 1990. Acarina: Prostigmata (Actinedida). pp. 667-756, In: DL Dindal (ed), Soil Biology Guide. John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane.
Theron PD. 1976. Three new species of the genus Alycosmesis (Acari: Terpnacaridae) from South Africa. J. ent. Soc. sth. Afr. 38: 289-296.