Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Amblyseiinae (both setae z3 and s6 suppressed) with narrow bodies
• Dorsaldorsal:
  relating to the upper or back side; opposed to ventral.
  shield notched at level of s4; several long, thickened and barbed setae; setae Z4, Z5 elongate and adjacent; seta S4 present; S5 present or absent. 
• 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.
  +/- vase-shaped 
• Legs IV with 3–5 large macrosetae 
• Chelicerae chelate-serrateserrate:
  with closely set teeth that resemble the cutting edge of a saw.
  

Similar taxa

Species of Phytoseius and Platyseiella have setaeseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
z3 (although they are often minute) and Phytoseius also has setaseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
s6; both lack setaseta:
(pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
S4 and do not have serrateserrate:
with closely set teeth that resemble the cutting edge of a saw.
chelicerae.

Key to the subtribe Paraphytoseiina Chant & McMurtry 2003

1. Setaseta:
   (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
   J2 present.............................. Neoparaphytoseius Chant & McMurtry
   - Setaseta:
   (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
   J2 absent.............................. 2

2. Setaseta:
   (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
   S2 present.............................. Amblyseiulella Muma
   - Setaseta:
   (pl. setae, from L. = bristle) cuticular process composed of a hollow shaft (sometimes filled with a refractive material) produced from a membranous socket (the alveolus); the hair-like, spine-like, branched or variously expanded structures on the surfaces of the legs and body.  Most setae function as mechanoreceptors, but others (e.g., solenidia) are chemoreceptors or have unknown or ambiguous functions.
   S2 absent.............................. Paraphytoseius

Ecology and distribution

Species of Paraphytoseius, like those of Phytoseius, are largely restricted to vegetation with a moderate to dense layer of tomentum. Most species appear to have a tropical-subtropical distribution.

References

• Beard and Walter 1996Beard and Walter 1996:
  Beard JJ, Walter DE. 1996. Australian mites of the genera Paraphytoseius and Paraamblyseius (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). Australian Journal of Entomology 35: 235–241.
• Chant and McMurtry 1994Chant and McMurtry 1994:
  Chant DA, McMurtry JA. 1994. A review of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae (Acari: Phytoseiidae). International Journal of Acarology 20: 223–310.
• Chant and McMurtry 2003bChant and McMurtry 2003b:
  Chant DA, McMurtry JA. 2003b. A review of the subfamily Amblyseiinae Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae): Part II. The tribe Kampimodromini. International Journal of Acarology 29: 179–224.
• Schicha 1987Schicha 1987:
  Schicha E. 1987. Phytoseiidae of Australia and neighbouring areas. Indira Publishing House, Oak Park, Michigan.
• Tseng 1976Tseng 1976:
  Tseng YH. 1976. Systematics of the mite family Phytoseiidae from Taiwan, with a revised key to the genera of the world (II). Journal of the Agricultural Association of China 94: 86-128.
• Walter 1999Walter 1999:
  Walter DE. 1999. A review of Australian Asperoseius Chant, Euseius Wainstein, Okiseius Ehara and Phytoscutus Muma (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) with a key to the genera of Australian Amblyseiinae and descriptions of three new species. Australian Journal of Entomology 38: 85-95.
• Walter and Beard 1997Walter and Beard 1997:
  Walter DE and Beard JJ. 1997. A review of the Australian Phytoseiinae (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 11: 823-860.