Rhodacarellus Willmann, 1935

Castilho, Raphael C., De Moraes, Gilberto J. & Halliday, Bruce, 2012, 3471, Zootaxa 3471, pp. 1-69 : 17

Rhodacarellus Willmann (22 described species)

Movable and fixed cheliceral digits with 2–3 and 4–6 teeth, respectively. Cheliceral arthrodial process a short coronet-like fringe. Epistome with a smooth or serrate anteromedian extension that may be of about uniform width along its length or wider at the base, and usually flanked by at least one pair of smooth or serrate anterolateral extensions, longer, subequal or shorter than the anteromedian extension. Seta h 3 about in longitudinal line with h 1 and slightly posterior and mediad to h 2. Idiosoma elongate or suboval, 240–360 µm long and 100–190 µm wide at widest level. Ratios of width of podonotal and opisthonotal shields to maximum width of idiosoma 0.9–1 and 0.7– 0.9, respectively. Dorsal idiosomal setae smooth. Podonotal shield 1–1.3 times longer than wide; smooth; with or without punctate band along posterior margin; with 16–23 pairs of setae, including 2–3 pairs (j 1, j 2 and z 1) near anterior margin; without transverse line between setae j 4 and j 5 and with four scleronoduli between setae j 5 and j 6. Soft integument along podonotal shield with 0–6 pairs of setae. Opisthonotal shield 1.1–1.7 times longer than wide; usually smooth, sometimes ornamented; with or without punctate band along anterior margin; with 15–18 pairs of setae. Soft integument along opisthonotal shield with 0–5 pairs of setae. Peritreme extending anteriorly to level between anterior margin of coxa III and the middle of coxa II [peritreme extending anteriorly to middle of coxa I in R. liuzhiyingi and R. yalujiangensis (but these species are probably not Rhodacaridae )]. Peritrematic shield anteriorly fused or not fused to podonotal shield. Presternal platelets absent. Sternal shield longer than wide, with anterior margin indistinct and posterior margin concave or straight. Genital shield usually longer than posterior width, sometimes as long as wide; posterior margin usually straight, sometimes convex. Opisthogaster usually without lightly sclerotised platetets between genital and ventrianal shields, sometimes with platetets. Ventrianal shield usually longer than wide, sometimes about as long as wide; usually smooth, sometimes ornamented; with 4–8 pairs of preanal setae; anterior margin straight or slightly concave. Soft integument around ventrianal shield with 0–3 pairs of setae. Usually with a pair of elongate (with a pore-like structure) metapodal platelets, sometimes with a pair of elongate and a pair of rounded platelets, separated or partially fused. Pretarsus I present. Seta pl 4 of tarsus IV absent.