Agauopsis Viets, 1927

Bartsch, Ilse, 2015, The genital area of Halacaridae (Acari), life stages and development of morphological characters and implication on the classification, Zootaxa 3919 (2), pp. 201-259 : 208

Agauopsis Viets, 1927

(Figs 9–15)

Type species. Agaue brevipalpus Trouessart, 1889 .

Adults. In both female and male GP and AP fused. Female GP with (two to) three (to four) pairs of pgs, these setae filiform and smooth, rarely with delicate filaments (e.g. Otto 1999a: fig. 7C). GO in posterior half of GA. Each genital sclerite with zero to four sgs. Three pairs of gac either almost equal-sized and adjacent (Fig. 9; Benard 1962: fig VIII, 3) or somewhat different in length and separated into two adjacent anterior and a third posterior pair (Figs 13, 14; Bartsch 1977b: fig. 276). Ovipositor at rest short, if at all only slightly extending beyond GO. Genital spines generally distinctly sclerotized (brown colour), palmate and flattened, ending with several small tines ( Otto 1994: fig. 11) or spiniform, smooth and slender. Basal pair of spines in some species absent in other species present (Figs 9, 13, 14). Ovipositor apically with two pairs of anterior and three or four pairs of posterior genital spines (Fig. 11; Benard 1962: fig VIII, 3). Male GA often somewhat smaller than that of female. Plate with 15–50 pairs of setiform pgs, these generally smooth, rarely plumose ( Newell 1984: fig. 631; Bartsch 1985c: fig. 8, 2007b: fig. 4C; Otto 1999a: figs 8, 11), arranged close around GO; often one pair of setae outlying. Distance between GO and anal cone almost the same or slightly larger than in female. Genital sclerites with three to five pairs of short, often spurlike sgs. GO with two or three pairs of gac (Figs 10, 12, 15); third pair may be obscured by internal sclerites. Most species with small epimeral pores, with slit-like opening; in a few species epimeral pores obscured by apodemes or lacking.

Juveniles. With a larva and two nymphal stages. In most nymphal stages GP and AP separated (e.g. Krantz 1973: figs 13, 14; Bartsch 1996c: figs 31, 34), in a few species GP and AP fused ( Bartsch 1984b: fig. 10). Deutonymphal GP with two pairs of internal gac, two pairs of pgs and zero to two pairs of sgs ( Krantz 1976: fig. 29; Bartsch 1984b: fig 10, 1996e: p. 705, fig. 29; Pepato & Tiago 2005: fig 4E). Protonymphal GP with single pair of gac; neither pgs nor sgs present. Larval AE always with epimeral pores.

Remarks. Agauopsis includes more than 80 species ( Bartsch 2009a). The majority of species can be attributed to species groups (cf. Bartsch 1986c, 2005d), most of these groups are spread all around the globe. The genus is in need of revision.