Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Macrochelid mites with straight to slightly hooked peritremes (not recurved at the stigma) and anal shields
• All stages and both sexes may be phoretic

Similar taxa

Most macrochelids have recurvedrecurved:
a curved suture or line of dehiscence that arches posteriorly; opposed to procurved.
peritremes and ventrianal shields.

Key to adult females of some common genera of Macrochelidae

1. With 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.
   bearing 9–13 setae.............................. 2
   - With anal shield bearing 3 circumanal setaecircumanal setae:
   in Mesostigmata, the three setae (postanal and pair of peranal) setae surrounding the anal opening.
   .............................. Neopodocinum

2. Vertical setae (j1) sessile on anterior dorsaldorsal:
   relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
   shield.............................. 3
   - Vertical setae (j1) on prow-like projection.............................. Holostaspella

3. 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 3 pairs of setae (+3 circumanals).............................. 4
   - 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 5 pairs of setae (+3 circumanals).............................. Geholaspis

4. Sternal shieldsternal shield:
   a shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
   with raised polygonal ornamentation & enclosing most of genital shieldgenital shield:
   a shield or shields covering the genital opening; in female mongynaspine Mesostigmata this shield is usually called the epigynal (epigynial) shield.  
   .............................. Glyptholaspis
   - Sternal shieldsternal shield:
   a shield in the anterior intercoxal region of parasitiform mites that bears one or more pairs of sternal setae.
   variously ornamented, but without strongly raised reticulatereticulate:
   foveate - having a net-like ornamentation composed of irregular, rounded cells. Also having a net-like structure; usually referring to ornamentation on shields composed of irregular, angular cells.
   ornamentation and not strongly enclosing genital shieldgenital shield:
   a shield or shields covering the genital opening; in female mongynaspine Mesostigmata this shield is usually called the epigynal (epigynial) shield.  
   .............................. Macrocheles

References

• Evans and Browning 1956Evans and Browning 1956:
  Evans GO and Browning E. 1956. British mites of the subfamily Macrochelinae Trägårdh (Gamasina - Macrochelidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology 4: 4-55 + Plates I-IV.
• Krantz 1983Krantz 1983:
  Krantz GW. 1983. Mites as biological control agents of dung-breeding flies, with special reference to the Macrochelidae. pp. 91-98. In: Hoy MA, Cunningham GL, and Knutson L, eds. Biological control of pests by mites. University of California Agriculture Experiment Station, Special Publication 3304, Berkley.