Gahniacarus


           Fig. 1.   Gahniacarus   tuberculatus  female dorsum.

Fig. 1. Gahniacarus tuberculatus female dorsum.


           Fig. 2.   Gahniacarus gersonus  female   dorsum.

Fig. 2. Gahniacarus gersonus female dorsum.


           Fig. 3a.   Gahniacarus gersonus  female; 3b.     G. tuberculatus  female.

Fig. 3a. Gahniacarus gersonus female; 3b. G. tuberculatus female.


           Fig. 4.   Gahniacarus tuberculatus  female   posterior venter.

Fig. 4. Gahniacarus tuberculatus female posterior venter.


Key characters

  • c2, d2, e1, e2 absent (Fig. 1)
  • f2 present
    • inserted either posterior to f3 (G. tuberculatus - Fig. 1) or anterior to f3 (G. gersonus - Fig. 2)
  • h2 elongate, tapered (Figs. 1, 2, 3)
  • sc1 similar to other dorsal setae (Figs. 1, 3b) or elongate and tapered (Figs. 2, 3a)
  • genital setae g1 inserted anterior to g2 (Fig. 4)
  • anterior margin of prodorsum smoothly rounded, projections absent
  • ventral, genital and anal plates not developed, membranous (Fig. 4)
  • 2 pairs ps setae (Fig. 4)
  • 3 segmented palp
  • ventral cuticle finely striate

Similar taxa

Acaricis - c1 absent; e1 present; anterior margin of prodorsum with forked projection; palp 4-segmented

Cyperacarus - f3 absent; c1, d1 minute, obviously shorter than other dorsal setae; 3 projections on anterior margin prodorsum

Prolixus - body elongate; c1 absent; e1 present; f2 present or absent

Number of species

Two - G. tuberculatus, G. gersonus

Authority

Beard and Ochoa

Distribution

Australia

Hosts

Gahnia spp. (Cyperaceae)

Colour

yellow, with small black spots visible internally

Remarks

Individuals wedge themselves into grooves on underside of host leaf blades.

Eggs laid in grooves also.