Adhaerenseius

Mesostigmata

t

Taxonomy

updated 2025

Name

Adhaerenseius Loots and Theron

Classification

Superorder Parasitiformes » Order Mesostigmata » Suborder Monogynaspida » Infraorder Gamasina » Hyporder Dermanyssiae » Superfamily Phytoseioidea » Family Blattisociidae » Genus Adhaerenseius

Diagnostic characters

  • Blattisociidae with dorsal shield incised
  • Metasternal plates present
  • Corniculi approximate

Similar taxa

Species of Blattisocius have entireentire:
a shield or sclerite with a continuous margin without incisions.
dorsal shields and approximate corniculicorniculus:
(pl. corniculi) (also, external malae) a usually horn-like process (sometimes toothed, bifurcate, trifurcate, spine-like, spatulate, or membranous) on the subcapitulum of parasitiform mites that usually supports the salivary styli.  A toothed corniculus could be confused with a rutellum, a possibly homologous structure in Acariformes and Opilioacarida. Phytoseiid image is spatulate corniculus.
.

Key to genera of Blattisociidae

  1. Leg II of female often thickened, with strong, opposable spine-likespine-like:
    a seta or other structure that resembles a thorn or spine; spiniform.
    setae on ventralventral:
    relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
    surface on femurfemur:
    (pl. femora) major leg segment between trochanter and genu; often subdivided into a basifemur and a telofemur.
    , genugenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    , tibiatibia:
    (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
    , and tarsustarsus:
    (pl. tarsi) the subdistal leg segment between the tibia and the pretarsus (apotele).
    ; fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    multidentate, its distaldistal:
    towards the free end of an appendage.
    extremity usually with enlarged rounded margin bearing a row of small rasping teeth; trochantertrochanter:
    the leg segment between the coxa and the femur.
    I with 4 or 5 setae (av1 absent); genugenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    and tibiatibia:
    (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
    I each with maximum of 11 setae (pd3, av2 absent).............................. Hoploseius
    - Leg II of female not thickened, without spine-like ventral setaeventral setae:
    in the Lindquist-Evans system used in the Mesostigmata, the ventral region has up to three longitudinal rows (JvZvLv) with 1-5 transverse row designations.
    ; fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    with few to many teeth, its distaldistal:
    towards the free end of an appendage.
    extremity not enlarged, without row of small teeth; trochantertrochanter:
    the leg segment between the coxa and the femur.
    I with 6 setae (av1 present); genugenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    and tibiatibia:
    (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
    I each with 13 (rarely 12) setae (pd3 and usually av2 present).............................. 2

  2. Corniculicorniculus:
    (pl. corniculi) (also, external malae) a usually horn-like process (sometimes toothed, bifurcate, trifurcate, spine-like, spatulate, or membranous) on the subcapitulum of parasitiform mites that usually supports the salivary styli.  A toothed corniculus could be confused with a rutellum, a possibly homologous structure in Acariformes and Opilioacarida. Phytoseiid image is spatulate corniculus.
    narrowly separated, usually slender; epistomegnathotectum:
    (= epistome, tectum) an often membranous dorsal projection of the anterior margin of the basis capitulum in Mesostigmata; often diagnostic at family-, genus- or species-levels; also often difficult to see without high magnification and good optics.
    convex, smooth; fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    with few or no teeth; peritrematalperitrematal:
    (peritrematic) of or referring to the peritreme; adjectival form of peritreme.
    shield slender, barely wider than stigmastigma:
    the opening to the tracheal system.
    at level of stigmastigma:
    the opening to the tracheal system.
    ; female with humeral seta (r3) usually on soft cuticle beside dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield; protonymphprotonymph:
    the first nymphal stage or instar, usually octopod.
    with 2 setae on palp trochantertrochanter:
    the leg segment between the coxa and the femur.
    .............................. 3
    - Corniculicorniculus:
    (pl. corniculi) (also, external malae) a usually horn-like process (sometimes toothed, bifurcate, trifurcate, spine-like, spatulate, or membranous) on the subcapitulum of parasitiform mites that usually supports the salivary styli.  A toothed corniculus could be confused with a rutellum, a possibly homologous structure in Acariformes and Opilioacarida. Phytoseiid image is spatulate corniculus.
    well separated, stout; epistomegnathotectum:
    (= epistome, tectum) an often membranous dorsal projection of the anterior margin of the basis capitulum in Mesostigmata; often diagnostic at family-, genus- or species-levels; also often difficult to see without high magnification and good optics.
    convex or triramous, smooth or denticulatedenticulate:
    bearing small, sharp processes, e.g., the hypostome of ticks.
    ; fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    usually with many teeth; peritrematalperitrematal:
    (peritrematic) of or referring to the peritreme; adjectival form of peritreme.
    shield clearly wider than diameter of stigmastigma:
    the opening to the tracheal system.
    at level of stigmastigma:
    the opening to the tracheal system.
    ; female with humeral setae on dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield; protonymphprotonymph:
    the first nymphal stage or instar, usually octopod.
    with 1 seta on palp trochantertrochanter:
    the leg segment between the coxa and the femur.
    .............................. 4

  3. Dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield without midlateral incisions; opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region of dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield holotrichous, with 15 pairs of setae; fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    well developed or reduced; female without isolated metasternal plates; male leg IV without enlarged, spine-likespine-like:
    a seta or other structure that resembles a thorn or spine; spiniform.
    setae.............................. Blattisocius
    - Dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield with midlateral incisions; opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region of dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield hypotrichous, with 12 pairs of setae (lacking a pair in each of J, Z, S series); fixed chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    well developed; female with isolated metasternal plates; male leg IV with several enlarged spine-likespine-like:
    a seta or other structure that resembles a thorn or spine; spiniform.
    setae.............................. Adhaerenseius

  4. Female and male with all marginal rR setae on edge of dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield, opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region of shield with 20 pairs of setae; rows of deutosternal denticlesdeutosternal denticles:
    rows of small teeth-like projections (often irregular and sometimes reduced to a single tooth) running transversely across the deutosternal groove and sometimes onto the lateral faces of the subcapitulum.
    narrow, each with 2–4 denticlesdenticles:
    small tooth-like processes, e.g., on the subcapitula of ticks and many mesostigmatans.
    ; movable chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    with ridge extending from para-axial surface to 1–2 denticlesdenticles:
    small tooth-like processes, e.g., on the subcapitula of ticks and many mesostigmatans.
    on proximo-ventralventral:
    relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
    surface.............................. Orthadenella
    - Female and male with 1–9 pairs of marginal rR setae on soft cuticle beside dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield, opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region of shield with maximum of 15 pairs of setae in female, 17 in male; rows of deutosternal denticlesdeutosternal denticles:
    rows of small teeth-like projections (often irregular and sometimes reduced to a single tooth) running transversely across the deutosternal groove and sometimes onto the lateral faces of the subcapitulum.
    moderately wide, each with 5 to many denticlesdenticles:
    small tooth-like processes, e.g., on the subcapitula of ticks and many mesostigmatans.
    ; movable chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    lacking ridge or denticlesdenticles:
    small tooth-like processes, e.g., on the subcapitula of ticks and many mesostigmatans.
    on paraxialparaxial:
    against the axis of the body (also adaxial), e.g., the inner face of the chelicera.
    and ventralventral:
    relating to the lower or under side; opposed to dorsal.
    surface.............................. 5

  5. Adults with 1 pair of marginal setae (R1) on soft lateral cuticle; female metapodal platesmetapodal shields:
    (also metapodal plates, metapodal platelets, metapodal sclerites) in Mesostigmata, a pair (sometimes fused) of small sclerites posteriad coxae IV in the ventral region that probably reflect muscle attachments.
    incorporated into ventrianal or peritrematalperitrematal:
    (peritrematic) of or referring to the peritreme; adjectival form of peritreme.
    plates, and ventrianal shieldventrianal shield:
    in Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening, circum anal setae, and one or more pairs of ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) [see anal shield]; maybe rather narrow or very broad and covering most of the gaster.
    with 7 pairs of setae in addition to circumanals; male with holoventral shield.............................. 6
    - Adults with 3–9 pairs of marginal setae (rR) on soft lateral cuticle; female metapodal platesmetapodal shields:
    (also metapodal plates, metapodal platelets, metapodal sclerites) in Mesostigmata, a pair (sometimes fused) of small sclerites posteriad coxae IV in the ventral region that probably reflect muscle attachments.
    free on soft cuticle, and ventrianal shieldventrianal shield:
    in Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening, circum anal setae, and one or more pairs of ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) [see anal shield]; maybe rather narrow or very broad and covering most of the gaster.
    with 6 or fewer pairs of setae in addition to circumanals; male usually with separate sternogenital, ventrianal and peritrematalperitrematal:
    (peritrematic) of or referring to the peritreme; adjectival form of peritreme.
    -exopodal shields.............................. 7

  6. Podonotalpodonotal:
    relating to the dorsal podosoma, the region of the idiosoma over the legs.
    region of adult dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield lacking setae z1, s1, s2; female with metapodal platesmetapodal shields:
    (also metapodal plates, metapodal platelets, metapodal sclerites) in Mesostigmata, a pair (sometimes fused) of small sclerites posteriad coxae IV in the ventral region that probably reflect muscle attachments.
    incorporated into ventrianal shieldventrianal shield:
    in Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening, circum anal setae, and one or more pairs of ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) [see anal shield]; maybe rather narrow or very broad and covering most of the gaster.
    ; female ventrianal shieldventrianal shield:
    in Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening, circum anal setae, and one or more pairs of ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) [see anal shield]; maybe rather narrow or very broad and covering most of the gaster.
    lacking setae ZV1 but with JV5 on its posterolateral margins; genugenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    III with 10, tibiaetibia:
    (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
    III and IV with 9 and 10 setae, respectively (pl2 present on each of these segments).............................. Zercoseius
    - Podonotalpodonotal:
    relating to the dorsal podosoma, the region of the idiosoma over the legs.
    region of adult dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield holotrichous; female with metapodal platesmetapodal shields:
    (also metapodal plates, metapodal platelets, metapodal sclerites) in Mesostigmata, a pair (sometimes fused) of small sclerites posteriad coxae IV in the ventral region that probably reflect muscle attachments.
    incorporated into posteriorposterior:
    the back part of the body or towards that region in comparison, e.g., 'posterior to'.
    margins of peritrematalperitrematal:
    (peritrematic) of or referring to the peritreme; adjectival form of peritreme.
    shields; female ventrianal shieldventrianal shield:
    in Mesostigmata, a ventral shield bearing the anal opening, circum anal setae, and one or more pairs of ventral setae or pores (lyrifissures) [see anal shield]; maybe rather narrow or very broad and covering most of the gaster.
    with setae ZV1 but with JV5 inserted on soft cuticle behind its posterolateral margins; genugenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    III with 9, tibiaetibia:
    (pl. tibiae) the leg segment between the genu and the tarsus.
    III and IV with 8 and 9 setae, respectively (pl2 absent from each of these segments).............................. Arrhenoseius

  7. Female with 11 pairs of setae on podonotalpodonotal:
    relating to the dorsal podosoma, the region of the idiosoma over the legs.
    region of dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield (s5 absent) and 7–10 pairs of setae on opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region (Z1, J2 absent); epigynialepigynal:
    (also epigynial) of or relating to the female genital opening or a shield protecting it.
    shield rounded posteriorly; ventral setaeventral setae:
    in the Lindquist-Evans system used in the Mesostigmata, the ventral region has up to three longitudinal rows (JvZvLv) with 1-5 transverse row designations.
    ZV1, JV5 absent; cervixcervix:
    (= calyx) in phytoseioid Mesostigmata (Phytoseiidae, Blattisociidae, Otopheidomenidae, Podocinidae), a collar-like structure of the sperm access system which surrounds the base of the vesicle.
    of spermathecaspermatheca:
    a structure in the female for storing sperm, typically sac-like.
    not sclerotized; movable chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    with 4 teeth; genuagenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    II and III with 10 and 8 setae respectively (pv1 absent).............................. Aceodromus
    - Female with 12–23 pairs of setae on podonotalpodonotal:
    relating to the dorsal podosoma, the region of the idiosoma over the legs.
    region of dorsaldorsal:
    relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
    shield (s5 present) and 10–15 pairs of setae on opisthonotalopisthonotal:
    dorsal opisthosoma.
    region (Z1, J2 present); epigynialepigynal:
    (also epigynial) of or relating to the female genital opening or a shield protecting it.
    shield usually truncate posteriorly; ventral setaeventral setae:
    in the Lindquist-Evans system used in the Mesostigmata, the ventral region has up to three longitudinal rows (JvZvLv) with 1-5 transverse row designations.
    ZV1, JV5 present; cervixcervix:
    (= calyx) in phytoseioid Mesostigmata (Phytoseiidae, Blattisociidae, Otopheidomenidae, Podocinidae), a collar-like structure of the sperm access system which surrounds the base of the vesicle.
    of spermathecaspermatheca:
    a structure in the female for storing sperm, typically sac-like.
    well sclerotised; movable chelachela:
    a pincer, as in a pseudoscorpion's distal pedipalpal segments.
    with 3 teeth (rarely 4); genuagenu:
    (pl. genua) (= patella) the 4th leg segment, between the femur and tibia.
    II and III usually with 11 and 9 setae respectively (pv1 usually present).............................. Lasioseius

Ecology and distribution

The only described species of Adhaerenseius was found in flowers in South Africa.

References

  • Halliday et al. 1998Halliday et al. 1998:
    Halliday RB, Walter DE, and Lindquist EE. 1998. Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Invertebrate Taxonomy 12: 1-54.
  • Loots and Theron 1992Loots and Theron 1992:
    Loots GC and Theron PD. 1992. Adhaerenseius floralis, a new ascid genus and species (Acari: Parasitiformes: Ascidae) associated with Poellnitzia rubriflora (L. Bol) Uitewaal in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 55: 39-49.
 Adhaerenseius floralis
Adhaerenseius floralis