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Protogamasellopsis

Family: Rhodacaridae Oudemans

Protogamasellopsis Evans & Purvis

Diagnostic characters:

• Rhodacarid mites without scleronoduli, but with j1-2 & z1 aligned on anterior margin of podonotal shield and posterior margin with a narrow band

• 3 ventral setae on tibia I

• Spine-like tubercle on coxa I. 

• One of the more common species, P. corticalis Evans & Purvis, has a band of punctae and a pair of deeper punctae across the sternal shield of the female.

Similar taxa.  Rhodacarella Moraza may be congeneric.

Key to Adult Females of Rhodacarus-like Mites
(Rhodacaridae, Ologamasidae, Digamasellidae, Ascidae)

1.  Arthrodial process simple ..... 4

-   Arthrodial process produced as a brush .... 2

2.  Basitarsus IV with 4 setae (pl4 present) .... Pararhodacarus

-   Basitarsus IV with 3 setae (pl4 absent) ... 3

3.  Tectum with single median process or dentate .... Afrogamasellus

-   Tectum with median stalk y-shaped, usually with lateral tines ......... Afrodacarellus

4.  Scleronoduli present ........... 5

-   Scleronoduli absent ........... 10

5.  Tibia I with 4 ventral setae; palp apotele 3-tined ................ 6

-   Tibia I with 3 ventral setae; palp apotele 2-tined ................. 9

6.  3 scleronoduli (median unpaired);  j1-2, z1, and s1 on anterior margin of podonotal shield ............ 7

-   4 scleronoduli (median pair +/- fused);  j1 (but not j2), z1 and s1 on anterior margin of shield ........ 8

7.  Pretarsus I absent; without presternal platelets ................. Rhodacarus (+Mediorhodacarus)

-   Pretarsus I present; with 2 pairs of presternal platelets........................ Rhodacaropsis

8.  Podonotal shield entire ...................... Rhodacarellus

-   Podonotal shield divided between setae j3-j4; tectum denticulate-trifurcate .... Minirhodacarellus

9.  Tibia I with 5 (rarely 4) dorsal setae; 2 pairs of scleronoduli; sternal shield with 4 pairs of setae; anal opening normal ................................ Dendrolaelaps (Digamasellidae)

-   Tibia I with 6 dorsal setae; 3 scleronoduli; sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae (st4 in soft cuticle); anal opening enlarged ....................................... Protogamasellus mica Group (Ascidae)

10.  Sternal seta st4 on sternal shield .............. 11

-   Sternal  seta st4 in soft cuticle ................. 15

11.  Anal opening large; tibia I with 5 dorsal setae ............. Digamasellus (Digamasellidae)

-   Anal opening normal; tibia I with 6 dorsal setae ..................... 12

12.  Sternal shield strongly sclerotized throughout; tibia I with 4 ventral setae ....... Geogamasus (Ologamasidae)

-   Anterior region of sternal shield poorly sclerotized, setae st1 in soft or granulate cuticle; tibia I with 3 ventral setae ..................... 13

13.  Palp apotele 2-tined; coxa I without dorsal spine ..... 15

-      Palpapotele 3-tined: coxa I with dorsal spine ...... 14

14.   Presternal area granulate ................................ Protogamasellopsis

-     Presternal area with paired stacks of 4 presternal platelets ..... Rhodacarella

15.  Posterior margin of podonotal (at j6) and anterior margin of opisthonotal (at J1) shields with transverse lines; genu IV with 8 setae, tibia IV with 9 setae ......... Protogamasellus hibernicus Group (Ascidae)

-   Podonotal and opisthonotal shields without transverse lines; genu IV with 9 setae, tibia IV with 10 setae .......................................... Gamasellodes (Ascidae)

References

Athias-Henriot C.  1961.  Mesostigmatides (Urop. excl.) edaphiques Mediterraneans (Acaromorpha, Anactinotrichida).  Acarologia 3:381-509.

Evans, G. O. and Purvis, G. 1987. A new Ascid mite from St Helena with observations on the Protogamasellus complex (Acari: Mesostigmata). Journal of Natural History 21 : 855-861.

Lee DC. 1970. The Rhodacaridae (Acari : Mesostigmata); classification, external morphology and distribution of genera. Records of the South Australian Museum 16: 1-219.

Loots GC.  1969.  Notes on Rhodacarus Oudemans and its related genera with descriptions of new species from the Ethiopian region.  Publ. cult. Co. Diam. Angola 81: 45-82.

Moraza ML.  2004.  Rhodacarella, a new genus of Rhodacaridae mites from North America (Acari: Mesostigmata: Rhodacaridae).  Zootaxa 470: 1-10.