Mesostigmata

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Taxonomy

updated 2025

Diagnostic characters

• Moustache-like internal malae
• Scale above 3-tined palp apotele
• Separate or deeply incised dorsal shields
• Anal shield free from ventral shield

Diagnosis

Yellow to orange-brown dermanyssine mesostigmatans. Females with separate podonotal and opisthonotal shields or with deeply incised schizodorsal shield; opisthonotal region reduced, hypotrichous to slightly hypertrichous; males with holodorsal shield. Peritremes typical running past coxa I; peritrematal shield usually narrow, joining podonotal shield anteriorly, sometimes fused to ventral shield. Female with large sternal shield bearing 3 pairs of setae (st1–3) and 2 pairs of lyrifissures (stp1–2); metasternal shields strap-like to subtriangular and bearing st4, stp3; genital shield usually trapezoid and bearing 1 pair of setae, free from, partially fused to (at posterior corners), or completely fused to ventral shield; rarely absent (Gamasolaelaps); ventral shield well developed, free from or fused to peritrematal or genital shields; anal shield free and bearing 3 circumanal setae, rarely with 1 pair of ventral setae. Tarsus I slender, elongate, with claws; trochanter I with 6 setae; tibia I with 6 dorsal and 4 (rarely 3) ventral setae; genu IV with 5 dorsal and 2 ventral setae; trochanter and femur IV of female sometimes with ventral spurs. Chelicerae typically elongate, snapping, with teeth and blade-like regions, less commonly chelate-dentate; movable digit without excrescences. Palp genu with 6 setae, palp apotele 3–4 tined and with dorsal hyaline scale-like process; corniculi horn-like; internal malae highly divided, often bilobed and moustache-like. Tritosternum biflagellate, with columnar base. Tectum bifurcate, and often with an elongate, subdorsal median process; subcapitular gutter usually broad, with 10 rows of denticles. Female sperm induction pores typically near base of coxae IV; sperm ducts lead to unpaired, central spermathecal sack (laelapid type). Males with genital opening at base of tritosternum in sternogenital shield or holoventral plate; spermatodactyl simple and finger-like to extremely elongate; legs II with spurs on femora, genua, tibiae and tarsi.

Similar taxa

Parasitidae are superficially similar, but have ventrianal shields and lack characters such as the scale-like process above the palp apotele and moustache-like internal malae.

Key to Genera of Veigaiidae

1. Tarsi II–IV with 1–2 broad ambulacral pads.............................. 2
   Tarsi II–IV with 2 narrow, acuminate ambulacra.............................. Cyrthydrolaelaps Berlese

2. Ambulacral pad entire.............................. Gamasolaelaps Berlese
   Ambulacra divided into 2 lobes .............................. Veigaia Oudemans

References

• Evans 1959Evans 1959:
  Evans GO. 1959. The genera Cyrthydrolaelaps Berlese and Gamasolaelaps Berlese (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Acarologia 1: 201–215.
• Farrier 1957Farrier 1957:
  Farrier MH. 1957. A revision of the Veigaiidae (Acarina). North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 124: 1–103.
• Gilyarov and Bregatova 1977Gilyarov and Bregatova 1977:
  Gilyarov MS, Bregatova NG, eds. 1977. Handbook for the identification of soil-inhabiting mites, Mesostigmata. Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences, Petrograd.
• Halliday 1990cHalliday 1990c:
  Halliday RB. 1990c. The occurrence of Veigaia uncata Farrier (Acarina: Mesostigmata: Veigaiidae) in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Australian Entomological Magazine 17: 115–116.
• Hurlbutt 1983Hurlbutt 1983:
  Hurlbutt HW. 1983. The systematics and geographic distribution of east African Veigaiidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Acarologia 24 (2): 129–143.
• Hurlbutt 1984Hurlbutt 1984:
  Hurlbutt HW. 1984. A study of North American Veigaia (Acarina: Mesostigmata) with comparisons of habitats of unisexual and bisexual forms. Acarologia 25: 207–222.
• Ishikawa 1978Ishikawa 1978:
  Ishikawa K. 1978. The Japanese mites of the family Veigaiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata). 1. Description of two new species. Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses 51 (2): 100–106.
• Till 1988Till 1988:
  Till WM. 1988. Additions to the British and Irish mites of the genus Veigaia (Acari: Veigaiidae) with a key to the species. Acarologia 29 (1): 3–12.
• Tseng 1994Tseng 1994:
  Tseng YH. 1994. A taxonomic study of free living Gamasinae mite family Veigaiidae Oudemans (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Taiwan. Chinese Journal of Entomology 14 (4): 501–528.
• Womersley 1956Womersley 1956:
  Womersley H. 1956. On some new Acarina-Mesostigmata from Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 42: 505–599.