Eviphididae

Mašán, Peter & Halliday, Bruce, 2010, Review of the European genera of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) and the species occurring in Slovakia 2585, Zootaxa 2585, pp. 1-122 : 21-22

Key to the European genera of the family Eviphididae (females)

1. Palpgenu with five setae; dorsal shield bearing strongly reduced number of 11–17 pairs of setae; sternal shield absent, reduced or fragmented into well sclerotised anterior platelet and marginal endopodal components; at least one pair of sternal setae (st3) inserted on striated soft integument; anterior margin of epistome with at least five anteriorly directed points .................................................................................................... Thinoseius Halbert 1920 (p. 82)

- Palpgenu with six setae; dorsal shield bearing 27–33 pairs of setae, or dorsal shield weakly defined or absent; sternal shield entire, well sclerotised or hyaline, with three pairs of sternal setae, sternal setae sometimes inserted on lightly sclerotised areas of shield but never in striated integument; anterior margin of epistome mostly with one or three points............................................................................................................................................................................. 2

2. Dorsal shield extensively expanded laterally, covering wide lateral strips of ventral idiosoma, and capturing three pairs of ventral setae in opisthogastric region ( Figs 135, 136); opisthogastric soft integument otherwise hypotrichous, with three pairs of setae; central projection of epistome trifurcate ( Fig. 38) ........................................................ ................................................................................................................... Rafaphis Skorupski & Błaszak 1997 (p. 74)

- Dorsal shield never expanded onto ventrolateral margins of idiosoma, all opisthogastric setae inserted on soft integument; opisthogastric soft integument with more than three pairs of setae; central projection of epistome undivided. ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 3

3. Idiosomal integument very lightly and evenly sclerotised, so most of dorsal and ventral shields weakly outlined and apparently absent (dorsal, endopodal, peritrematal and anal shields; Figs 50, 56, 109); anterior margin of epistome with several large spines on each side of central projection ( Figs 55, 60, 112); pulvillus of legs II–IV with elongated and pointed lateral lobes, projecting beyond claws ( Figs 53, 111) ............................................................................... 4

- Idiosomal integument well sclerotised, so dorsal and ventral shields clearly defined; anterior margin of epistome with one robust spine on each side of central projection ( Figs 28, 97, 105, 106), or laterally smooth ( Figs 158, 177, 178), or at most with a rows of small denticles ( Figs 98–100, 102, 103); pulvillus of legs II–IV mostly with short and regularly rounded lateral lobes (except Alloseius ), not projecting beyond claws ( Fig. 156)........................................ 5

4. Sternal setae st1 and st2 well separated and inserted in flat sternal integument ( Figs 56, 59); metasternal setae st4 inserted in small oval platelets; genital setae st5 situated on epigynal shield ( Fig. 56); lateral and opisthogastric integument with ten pairs of setae; genu I and tibia I with three ventral setae, tibia II and genu II with one anterolateral seta ......................................................................................................................... Crassicheles Karg 1963 (p. 45)

- Sternal setae st1 and st2 adjacent and inserted in massive protuberance between coxae II ( Figs 58, 109); metasternal setae st4 inserted in soft integument; genital setae st5 situated outside epigynal shield ( Fig. 109); lateral and opisthogastric integument with nine pairs of setae; genu I and tibia I with two ventral setae, tibia II and genu II with two anterolateral setae ...................................................................................................... Neocrassicheles gen. nov. (p. 63)

5. Peritremes wide and short, never reaching beyond anterior margin of coxae II ( Fig. 138); peritrematal shields reduced, without post-stigmatic extensions ( Fig. 146); dorsal shield hypotrichous, never with full set of 30 pairs of setae ( Fig. 137) ................................................................................................................. Scamaphis Karg 1976 (p. 75)

- Peritremes narrow, long enough to extend anteriorly beyond coxae I; peritrematal shields well developed, with poststigmatic extensions; dorsal shield with full set of 30 pairs of setae ............................................................................ 6

6. Post-stigmatic section of peritrematal shields expanded and elongated, with tip reaching beyond level of posterior margin of epigynal shield ( Figs 35, 66) ........................................................................................................................7

- Post-stigmatic section of peritrematal shields short, reaching at most as far as posterior margin of coxae IV............ 9

7. Coxae II–IV on left side close to those on right side; sternal and epigynal shields anteriorly constricted; strips of soft integument between epigynal, peritrematal and anal shields very narrow; exopodal platelets II and III well developed; metapodal platelets and exopodals IV usually closely adjacent. .............................. Evimirus Karg 1963 (p. 51)

- Coxae II–IV on left side well separated from those on right side; sternal and epigynal shields not constricted; epigynal, peritrematal and anal shields separated by wide strips of integument; exopodal platelets II and III absent; metapodals and exopodals IV well separated ....................................................................................................................... 8

8. Idiosoma highly domed, almost hemispherical; vertical setae j1 minute and needle-like ( Fig. 65); posterior ends of peritrematal shields greatly enlarged; metapodal platelets completely or partly fused with peritrematal shields, occasionally unfused but enclosed within an indentation in peritrematal shield and only very narrowly separated from it ( Fig. 72); hypertrophied post-stigmatic pores situated about half-way between stigmata and posterior end of peritrematal shields; trochanter I with five setae, genu III with seven setae, sacculus foemineus well developed and sclerotised ( Figs 67, 73) .......................................................................................................... Eviphis Berlese 1903 (p. 53) - Idiosoma dorso-ventrally flattened; vertical setae j1 stout and lance-like ( Fig. 34); posterior ends of peritrematal shields less enlarged; metapodal platelets widely separated from peritrematal shields by a strip of soft integument ( Fig. 35); hypertrophied post-stigmatic pores situated close to posterior end of peritrematal shields; trochanter I with six setae, genu III with eight setae; sacculus foemineus not strongly sclerotised ........ Copriphis Berlese 1910 (p. 39)

9. Coxae I and II with at least one ventral seta modified into flat oval disk-like protuberance ( Fig. 148); genital setae inserted outside epigynal shield ........................................................................... Scarabaspis Womersley 1956 (p. 79)

- Coxae I and II with normal needle-like setae; genital setae inserted on epigynal shield ...........................................10

10. Soft integument with granular incrustation, at least on surface adjacent to dorsal shield ( Figs 19, 20, 107, 149, 150, 159, 161); highly domed forms with some dorsal shield setae apically rounded ( Figs 159, 161); dorsal shield not completely covering dorsum ( Fig. 149); anterior hyaline margin of epigynal shield subtriangular and mostly pointed, anteriorly reaching beyond posterior margin of sternal shield ( Figs 20, 150, 160, 162); presternal platelets absent...11

- Soft integument striated, without additional granular incrustation; dorso-ventrally flattened forms with all dorsal shield setae pointed; dorsal shield almost completely covering dorsum; anterior hyaline margin of epigynal shield straight or rounded; presternal platelets usually present............................................................................................. 13

11. Vertical setae j1 elongated and pointed, lanceolate ( Figs 149, 159); idiosoma widely oval, with regularly rounded caudal surface ( Fig. 150); most dorsal setae thickened, stick- or rod-shaped, with blunt or rounded tip; dorsolateral and opisthogastric integument with 14 pairs of setae; epistome with one point ............. Uroiphis Berlese 1903 (p. 84)

- Vertical setae j1 shortened and rounded, columnar ( Figs 20, 107); idiosoma lemon-shaped, with a caudal projection bearing a pair of marginal setae ( Figs 19, 108); most dorsal setae pointed, needle-like; dorsolateral and opisthogastric integument with ten pairs of setae; epistome with three points ( Figs 28, 106) .................................................... 12

12. Dorsal shield with medial protuberance, suboval, sometimes slightly constricted medially, widest in anterior part, and with punctate-reticulate sculpture ( Fig. 19); anterior extension of dorsal shield expanded onto ventral surface beyond vertex, fused to anterior parts of peritrematal shields to form an ventral arch-shaped shield structure ( Fig. 20); setae j1 and z1 displaced ventrally; endopodal platelets II-III fused to sternal shield ( Fig. 23); each metasternal seta st4 and associated pore inserted together on small metasternal platelet.................................................................. ..................................................................................................................... Alloseius Mašán & Halliday 2009a (p. 33)

- Dorsal shield flat, rectangular, with parallel lateral margins, widest in posterior part, with coarse rugose-verrucose sculpture ( Fig. 107); anterior end of dorsal shield not expanded ventrally beyond vertex, anterior sections of peritrematal shields not fused into conspicuous ventral arch-shaped shield structure; setae j1 and z 1 in normal dorsal positions; endopodal platelets II-III well separated from sternal shield ( Fig. 108); metasternal seta st4 and associated pore inserted on soft integument ............................................................... Halolaspis Mašán & Halliday 2009a (p. 60)

13. Dorsal shield with punctate-reticulate sculpture ( Fig. 133); anterior extension of dorsal shield overlapping onto ventral surface beyond vertex, fused to anterior parts of peritrematal shields to form a ventral arch-shaped shield structure ( Fig. 134); setae j1 and z1 displaced ventrally; movable digit of chelicera bidentate ( Fig. 85); metasternal setae st4 inserted on soft integument, associated pores inserted separately on microplatelets ( Fig. 134); endopodal platelets II–III almost free, fused to sternal shield only at their narrow anterior ends. .......................................................... ............................................................................................................ Pseudoalliphis Mašán & Halliday 2009a (p. 72)

- Dorsal shield with smooth or finely reticulated surface ( Figs 11, 13); anterior end of dorsal shield not expanded ventrally beyond vertex, anterior sections of peritrematal shields not fused into conspicuous ventral arch-shaped shield structure; setae j1 and z 1 in normal dorsal position; movable digit of chelicera with one robust subdistal tooth ( Fig. 83); metasternal setae st4 and associated pores inserted together on small metasternal platelets; endopodal platelets II–III and sternal shield completely fused................................................................................................................... 14

14. Dorsal shield setae with extreme variation in length, longest setae about 10 times as long as shortest setae, S5 usually several times as long as Z5 ( Fig. 131) .................................................................. Pelethiphis Berlese 1911 (p. 68)

- Dorsal shield setae without such extreme variation in length, longest setae at most three times as long as shortest setae, Z5 and S5 subequal in length............................................................................................................................ 15

15. Peritrematal shield developed along whole length of peritreme; anterior section of peritrematal shield wide and completely fused to dorsal shield (as in Fig. 40); setae j1 and z1 positioned dorsally ( Figs 11, 13); posterior dorsal shield setae subequal or only moderately varying in length; exopodal platelets I-II present ( Figs 12, 14) .............................. ........................................................................................................................................... Alliphis Halbert 1923 (p. 24)

- Peritrematal shield not reaching the anterior tip of peritremes ( Fig. 142); peritrematal shields or peritremes not connected to dorsal shield ( Fig. 142); setae j1 and z1 usually displaced ventrally ( Fig. 143); posterior marginal setae on dorsal shield (S1, S3–S5, Z1 and Z3–Z5) conspicuously longer than medial setae J1–J3 and J5 ( Fig. 139); exopodal platelets I–II absent ( Fig. 140) ............................................................................ Scarabacariphis Mašán 1994a (p. 77)