Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Tibia and genu I with 1 al seta
• Dorsal shield entire
• Sternal shield with 3 pairs of setae
• Anus on small anal shield with 3 setae
• Deutonymphs often with acrotarsus I

Simplified key to some genera of Eviphididae

1. Palp genu with 6 setae.............................. 2
   - Palp genu with 5 setae.............................. Thinoseius

2. Tibia I with 3 ventral setae; 4–6 rows of deutosternal denticles; palp apotele 2-tined.............................. 3
   - Tibia I with 2 ventral setae; 3 rows of deutosternal denticles; palp apotele 3-tined.............................. Evimirus

3. Genu III with 2 ventral seta; chelicerae normal.............................. 4
   - Genu III with 1 ventral seta; chelicerae slender, elongate, with small digits.............................. Eviphis

4. Setae on coxae I–II setiform or spine-like.............................. 5
   - Setae on coxae I–II mostly knob-like.............................. Scarabaspis

5. Peritrematal shield not extending posterior to coxa IV.............................. 6
   - Peritrematal shield produced strongly behind coxae IV.............................. Copriphis

6. Dorsal shield with 30 pairs of setae; J1 present.............................. 7
   - Dorsal shield with 26 pairs of setae; J1 absent.............................. Scamaphis

7. Vertical setae (j1) elongate and conspicuous..............................8
   - Vertical setae (j1) shorts.............................. Alliphis

8. Tibia II with 10 setae; genu II with 9 setae.............................. Crassicheles
   - Tibia II with 11 setae; genu II with 10 setae.............................. Uroiphis

Diagnosis

Yellow, brownish to bright pink dermanyssine mesostigmatans with holodorsal shields usually bearing 25–30 pairs of setae (17 in Thinoseius), sometimes dome-like. Peritremes generally well developed, shield sometimes produced posteriorly; large glands may be present near stigmata that secrete a viscous substance. Sternal shield (absent in Thinoseius) bearing 3 pairs of setae (st1–3) and 2 pairs of lyrifissures; metasternal shields present with st4 or absent (st4 in soft cuticle); genital shield subrectangular, strap-like or onion-shaped (Evimirus), with 0–1 pair of setae; anal shield with 3 circumanal setae. Tarsus I with claws; trochanter I with 5–6 setae; tibia I with 5/2–3 dorsal/ventral setae, genu I 5/3; genu IV with 7 setae, 4/1 dorsal/ ventral; coxal spurs are found in Scarabaspis. Chelicerae chelate-dentate or elongate and slender (uropodoid), sometimes with a distal excrescence in the males. Palp genu with 6 setae, palp apotele 2- or 3-tined; corniculi horn-like; subcapitulum with 3–6 rows of denticles. Tritosternum biflagellate with columnar or short, squat base. Tectum with long median process or denticulate. Female sperm induction pores near bases of coxae IV. Males with genital opening at base of tritosternum in sternogenital shield; spermatodactyl usually well developed.

Similar taxa

The mouthparts of some eviphidoids resemble those of uropodoids.

References

• Christie 1983Christie 1983:
  Christie JE. 1983. A new species of Alliphis (Mesostigmata: Eviphididae) from Britain. Acarologia 231–242.
• Karg 1989bKarg 1989b:
  Karg W. 1989b. Die Arten Raubmilbengattung Evimirus Karg, 1963 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 36: 165–168.
• Karg 1996Karg 1996:
  Karg W. 1996. Neue Arten aus Raubmilbengattungen der Gamasina Leach (Acarina, Parasitiformes) mit Indikationen zum Entwicklungsalter. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin 72: 149–195.