Procorticacarus

Smit, Harry, 2015, The water mite genus Procorticacarus K. O. Viets in Australasia (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae), Zootaxa 3956 (1) : -

Key to the Australian Procorticacarus species (adapted from Cook 1986)

1. Genital field with more than three pairs of acetabula.......................................................... 2

- Genital field with three pairs of acetabula................................................................. 4

2. Genital field with six pairs of acetabula, anteromedial plate reversed pear-shaped..................... P. piriformis Smit

- Genital field with four pairs of acetabula, anteromedial plate various............................................. 3

3. Glandularia platelets directly posterolateral of anteromedial plate much larger than other glandularia platelets; P-4 very slen- der, ventral margin without peg-like seta......................................................... P. aligenitalis

- Glandularia platelets directly posterolateral of anteromedial plate not larger than other glandularia platelets; P-4 less slender, ventral margin with peg-like seta...................................................... P. septentrionalis n. sp.

4. Anteromedial plate occupying most of dorsum, surrounded by glandularia platelets, P3 with a distoventral extension.................................................................................................. P. gennadus

- Anteromedial plate smaller and not surrounded by glandularia platelets, P3 without distoventral extension.............. 5

5. Acetabular plates fused anteriorly and posteriorly, gonopore small....................................... Males...6

- Acetabular plates separated from each other, gonopore large.........................................Females …. 25

6. Paired postocularia plates present, first coxae separated medially.................................... P. angulicoxalis

- Postocularia on a single plate, first coxae fused medially....................................................... 7

7. Large anteromedial plate with a pair of glandularia (but occasionally one gland not incorporated)...................... 8

- Large anteromedial plate without a pair of glandularia........................................................ 9

8. A pair of enlarged glandularia platelets posterolaterally of anteromedial plate................... P. quadriscutatus n. sp.

- Pair of glandularia platelets posterolaterally of anteromedial plate not distinctly larger than other glandularia platelets.............................................................................................. P. pachydermis

9. P4 very slender, P3 and ventral extension of p2 without papillae.................................... P. paulaae n. sp.

- P4 less slender, P3 and/or P2 with papillae................................................................. 10

10. Dorsal glandularia with slit-like openings................................................................. 11

- Dorsal glandularia without slit-like opening................................................................ 12

11. Palp slender, especially P5; glandularia platelets enlarged, especially first pair posterior to anteromedial plate (and these usu- ally fused).................................................................................. P. cramerae

- Palp less slender and without enlarged and/or fused glandularia platelets..................................... P. cooki

12. Coxae in three groups and genital field separate............................................................. 13

- Coxae and genital field fused into a solid ventral shield....................................................... 14

13. Acetabula close to each other, separated by less than a diameter of an acetabulum; fourth coxae elongated.. P. parvus (Cook)

- Acetabula far apart from each other, separated by more than a diameter of an acetabulum; fourth coxae not elongated.................................................................................................... P. togalus

14. Third pair of acetabula separated from the others by much more than a diameter of an acetabulum.................... 15

- Third pair of acetabula separated from the others by approximately the diameter of an acetabulum or less.............. 19

15. Medial glandularia platelets directly posterior to anteromedial platelet enlarged and close together or fused... P. victoriensis

- Medial glandularia platelets directly posterior to anteromedial platelet of same size as other glandularia platelets and not fused.................................................................................................. 16

16. Cxgl-4 lying near posterior margin of fourth coxae................................................. P. longipalpis

- Cxgl-4 lying near middle of fourth coxae.................................................................. 17

17. Anteromedial plate rectangular.............................................................. P. fonticolus Smit

- Anteromedial plate more rounded........................................................................ 18

18. Palp more slender, especially P3; ratio P3/P4> 0.90; anteromedial plate occupying 70 % of the dorsum...... P. australicus

- Palp less slender, ration P3/P4 <0.82, anteromedial plate occupying a bit more than 50 % of the dorsum........ P. hirsutus

19. Anterior two pairs of acetabula separated by posterior pair by a ridge......................... P. queenslandicus n. sp.

- No such ridge present................................................................................ 19

20. Four pairs of glandularia platelets present posterior to anteromedial plate; Cxgl–4 located posterior to insertion of fourth legs.................................................................................................. 21

- Two or three pairs of glandularia platelets present posterior to anteromedial plate; Cxgl-4 located anterior to insertion of fourth legs............................................................................................... 22

21. Ventral extension of P2 long, without papillae; posterior margin of anteromedial plate convex......... P. neoprasadi n. sp.

- Ventral extension of P2 short and with papillae; posterior margin of anteromedial plate straight......... P. prasadi (Cook)

22. Two pairs of medial glandularia platelets posterior to the anteromedial plate............................... P. nabidus

- Three pairs of medial glandularia platelets posterior to the anteromedial plate.................................... 23

23. Lateral two pairs of acetabula very close together on their respective sides................................ P. aloonus

- Lateral two pairs farther apart on their respective sides....................................................... 24

24. Second pair of acetabula nearly directly posterior to the first pair..................................... P. tasmanicus

- Second pair of acetabula nearly decidedly posterolateral to the first pair........................... P. tadilopus (Cook)

25. With a single anteromedial plate with the postocularia........................................................ 26

- Paired anteromedial plates with the postocularia present...................................................... 34

26. Anteromedial plate with a pair of glandularia..................................................... P. pachydermis

- Anteromedial plate without a pair of glandularia............................................................ 27

27. Posterolaterally of anteromedial plate a pair of elongated platelets with glandularia............... P. quadriscutatus n. sp.

- Without elongated platelets posterolaterally of anteromedial plate.............................................. 28

28. Acetabular plates fused with the coxal sclerotization......................................................... 29

- Acetabular plates lying free in the integument.............................................................. 30

29. Dorsal glandularia with elongated slit-like openings; P2 with a ventral bulge but no pronounced projection..... P. cramerae

- Dorsal glandularia without elongated slit-like openings; P2 with a distinct ventral projection.................. P. aloonus

30. Anteromedial plate longer than wide.............................................................. P. nabidus

- Anteromedial plate wider than long..................................................................... 31

31. First coxae separated medially, palp segments comparatively long............................................. 32

- First coxae fused medially, palp segments shorter.......................................................... 33

32. Two pairs of glandularia platelets posterior to anteromedial plate enlarged.............................. P. victorianus

- Glandularia platelets of dorsum more or less of same size............................................ P. longipalpis

33. Anteromedial plate of dorsum rounded oval, distal segments of first leg relatively long................... P. tasmanicus

- Anteromedial plate of dorsum more or less angled, distal segments of first leg relatively stocky................ P. aloonus

34. First coxae fused medially.............................................................................. 35

- First coxae separated medially......................................................................... 41

35. Dorsal glandularia with elongated slit-like openings..................................................... P. cooki

- Dorsal glandularia without elongated slit-like openings....................................................... 36

36. Ventral margin of P3 without papillae..................................................................... 37

- Ventral margin of P3 with papillae....................................................................... 38

37. Palp segment stocky, especially P4........................................................ P. curtipalpis n. sp.

- Palp segments long, especially P4............................................................. P. nasutus n. sp.

38. Acetabula small, occupying only a small part of acetabular plate............................................... 39

- Acetabula large, occupying most of acetabular plate........................................................ 40

39. Glands and associated setae of Vgl-2 separated, acetabular plate rounded........................ P. wenlockensis n. sp.

- Glands and associated setae of Vgl-2 lying close to each other, acetabular plate somewhat lunate......... P. fonticolus Smit

40. Secondary sclerotization of genital field fused with acetabula only, ventral projection of P2 relatively short and broad................................................................................................ P. karanovici

- Secondary sclerotization of genital field fused with acetabula and gonopore, ventral projection of P2 relatively long and nar- row......................................................................................... P. togalus

41. Pregenital sclerite large, arrow-shaped (but can be absent in teneral specimens), acetabular plate fused with a tapering platelet of secondary sclerotization........................................................... P. queenslandicus n. sp.

- Pregenital sclerite not arrow-shaped, tapering platelet of secondary sclerotization absent............................42

42. Cxgl-4 lying near suture line of third and fourth coxae......................................... P. kosciuszko n. sp.

- Cxgl-4 lying near middle of fourth coxae.................................................................. 43

43. Postocularia lying near middle of anteromedial dorsal plate; a row of four glandularia platelets located posterior to anterome- dial plate, the most anterior pair much farther apart than the second pair........................................ 44

- Postocularia lying relatively close to posterior margin of anteromedial dorsal plate; a row of four glandularia platelets located posterior to anteromedial plate, the most anterior pair much only slightly farther apart than the second pair............ 46

44. Palp very slender, especially P4 and P5; anteromedial plate with a shallow anterolateral indentation......... P. mixtus Smit

- Palp less slender, anteromedial plate without a shallow anterolateral indentation.................................. 45

45. Postocularia lying anterior to middle of anteromedial plate; ratio of P3/P4 <0,81; medial projection of posterior coxae located well posterior to suture lines of third and fourth coxae................................................ P. hirsutus

- Postocularia lying posterior to middle of anteromedial plate; ratio of P3/P4> 0,85; medial projection of posterior coxae located slightly anterior to suture lines of third and fourth coxae........................................... P. australicus

46. P3 without ventral papillae.................................................................. P. angulicoxalis

- P3 with numerous small ventral papillae.................................................................. 47

47. Postocularia small (51–53 µm), peg-like seta on P4 well distal to ventral projection...................... P. gracilipalpiz

- Postocularia large (144–150 µm), peg-like seta on P4 only slightly distal to ventral projection................. P. prasadi