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Petralycus
Petralycus Grandjean, 1943: 1-59.
Type species: Petralycus unicornis Grandjean, 1943 – Europe
Petralycus longicornis Theron, 1977 – acacia soil in South Africa; Petralycus brevicornis Theron, 1977 – pasture soil in South Africa; Petralycus caryapecaus McDaniel & Bolen; Petralycus celtisacinus McDaniel & Bolen
DIAGNOSIS. Prodorsum with of 2 pairs of trichobothria, posterior pair (si) filiform, anterior pair (ve) globose to capitate; other prodorsal setae reduced to 2-3 pairs of setae ( exp absent; in, se present or absent ); naso produced as spine-like process; eyes usually absent. Chelicerae chelate-dentate, each with 0-1 seta; rutella with teeth and usually a spine. Opisthosoma hypertrichous or holotrichous; 3 pairs of genital papillae.
REMARKS. Members of the genus Petralycus are distinctive because of their acuminate, tubercle-like naso and the capitate form of the anterior pair of bothridial sensilla (ve). Species of Bimichaelia also have a capitate sensillum, but it is the posterior pair (si), and they lack a naso, but retain the median eye.
References
Grandjean F. 1942. Queques genres d’Acariens appartenant au groupe des Endeostigmata, 2e Série. Première partie. Ann. Sci. nat. Zool. 11e sér 4:85-135.
Grandjean F. 1943. Queques genres d’Acariens appartenant au groupe des Endeostigmata, 2e Série . Deuxiérme partie. Ann. Sci. nat. Zool. 11e sér 5:1-59.
Theron PD. 1977. New species of the genus Petralycus Grandjean (Acari: Endeostigmata) from South Africa. Acarologia 19: 38-45.