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 recurved peritremes and ventrianal shields.

Key to adult females of some common genera of Macrochelidae

1. With ventrianal shield bearing 9–13 setae.............................. 2
   - With anal shield bearing 3 circumanal setae.............................. Neopodocinum

2. Vertical setae (j1) sessile on anterior dorsal shield.............................. 3
   - Vertical setae (j1) on prow-like projection.............................. Holostaspella

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

4. Sternal shield with raised polygonal ornamentation & enclosing most of genital shield.............................. Glyptholaspis
   - Sternal shield variously ornamented, but without strongly raised reticulate ornamentation and not strongly enclosing genital shield.............................. Macrocheles

References

• Evans and Browning 1956Evans and Browning 1956:
  Evans GO, 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, Knutson L, eds. Biological control of pests by mites. University of California Agriculture Experiment Station, Special Publication 3304, Berkley.