Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Phytoseiidae with opisthonotal setae except R1, J5, Z4–5 suppressed
• All dorsal setae except J5 paddle-shaped
• r3 on dorsal shield, R1 in soft cuticle
• JV5 paddle-shaped; seta s6 absent but z6 present, z3 present.
• Z4–5 with insertions distant
• Genu II with 6 setae; genu III with 6 setae; no marcosetae on legs.

Similar taxa

Dorsal chaetomes composed of spatulate setae occur sporadically in other groups, but only Chantia paradoxa has such a highly reduced chaetome with only 4 pairs of opisthonotal setae.

Key to genera of Phytoseiinae

1. Seta z3 absent, s6 present.............................. Platyseiella Muma
   - Seta z3 present, s6 present or absent............................... 2

2. Seta z6 absent, s6 present; dorsal shield setae barbed, usually acicular, fine to thickened.............................. Phytoseius Ribaga
   - Seta z6 present, s6 absent; dorsal shield setae spatulate/paddle-shaped.............................. Chantia Pritchard & Baker

Ecology and distribution

Only one specimen is known from a collection in central Africa.

References

• 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.