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Rhodocaropsis
Taxonomic Position
Cohort Gamasina
Subcohort Dermanyssiae
Superfamily Rhodacaroidea
Family: Rhodacaridae Oudemans
Rhodacaropsis Willmann
Diagnostic characters:
Divided dorsal shield with 3 scleronoduli on podonotal shield and 4 pairs of setae (j1-2, z1, s1) on its anterior margin
Peritremes highly reduced or absent
Legs I with pretarsus
Femur III with 4 setae
Sternal shield with 4 pairs of setae; 2 pairs of presternal platelets.
Similar taxa. Species of Rhodacarus lack both pretarsus I and presternal platelets.
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)
Athias-Henriot C. 1961. Mesostigmatides (Urop. excl.) edaphiques Mediterraneans (Acaromorpha, Anactinotrichida). Acarologia 3:381-509.
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.
