Afrogamasellus Loots & Ryke, 1968

Castilho, Raphael C., De Moraes, Gilberto J. & Halliday, Bruce, 2012, 3471, Zootaxa 3471, pp. 1-69 : 13

Afrogamasellus Loots & Ryke (24 described species)

Movable and fixed cheliceral digits with 3–4 and 5–6 teeth, respectively. Cheliceral arthrodial process shaped like a cylindrical brush. Epistome with with an anteromedian extension wider at the base, not flanked by anterolateral extensions [with an anteromedian extension narrower at the base, flanked by a pair of anterolateral extensions in A. congoensis (Ryke & Loots) and A. uviraensis (Ryke & Loots) ]. Seta h 3 about in longitudinal line with h 1 and slightly posterior and mediad to h 2. Idiosoma elongate or suboval, 280–690 µm long and 140–370 µm wide at widest level. Ratios of width of podonotal and opisthonotal shields to maximum width of idiosoma 0.8–1 and 1– 1.1, respectively. Dorsal idiosomal setae smooth. Podonotal shield 0.7–1.1 times longer than wide; usually smooth, sometimes ornamented; with or without punctate band along posterior margin; with 18–23 pairs of setae, including two pairs (j 1 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 (absent in A. luberoensis kalibuensis Loots ). Soft integument along lateral margins of podonotal shield without seta ( A. franzoides Hurlbutt with a pair of setae). Opisthonotal shield 0.7–1 times longer than wide; smooth or ornamented; with or without punctate band along anterior margin; with 17–20 pairs of setae. Soft integument along lateral margins of opisthonotal shield without seta ( A. isthmus Hurlbutt with three pairs of setae). Peritreme extending anteriorly to level between the middle of coxa III and anterior margin of coxa II. Peritrematic shield anteriorly fused or not fused to podonotal shield. Usually with a pair of presternal platelets, sometimes without presternal platelets. Sternal shield longer or as long as wide, with anterior margin distinct and posterior margin straight, concave or with a central spine-like projection. Genital shield usually shorter than posterior width, sometimes subequal; posterior margin straight or slightly convex. Opisthogaster without platelets between genital and ventrianal shields. Ventrianal shield longer than wide, as long as wide or wider than long; usually ornamented, sometimes smooth; with 5–7 pairs of preanal setae; anterior margin straight or concave. Soft integument around ventrianal shield with 0–2 pairs of setae. With 1–2 pairs of rounded, elongate or subtriangular (usually with a pore-like structure) metapodal platelets; when with two pairs, these separated or partially fused. Pretarsus I present. Seta pl 4 of tarsus IV absent.