Halolaelaps Berlese et Trouessart, 1889

Gwiazdowicz, D. J. & Teodorowicz, E., 2017, Description of Halolaelaps coulsoni n. sp. (Acari, Halolaelapidae) from the High Arctic, Acarologia 57 (2), pp. 393-406 : 394

Genus Halolaelaps Berlese et Trouessart, 1889

Synonyms: Saintdidieria Oudemans, 1939 ; Saprolaelaps Leitner 1946

Type species: Gamasus marinus Brady, 1875 (= Halolaelaps glabriusculus Berlese et Trouessart, 1889 )

The genus Halolaelaps was created by Berlese and Trouessart (1889), and later complimented by succeeding authors ( Hirschmann 1966, Evans and Till 1979, Bregetova and Shcherbak 1977, Karg 1993, Halliday 2008). A typical character of Halolaelaps are two subequal dorsal shields, the idiosoma lacking horn-like caudal processes. The opisthonotal shield of many species bears a median incision running posteriorly from an anterior boarder towards the inner area of the shield. Dorsal setae commonly are simple or pilose. Tritosternum biflagellate with columnar base. Sternal shield subrectangular, fused with a presternal plate but not with endopodal plates, bearing three pairs of simple setae (st1-3) and two pairs of lyrifissures (iv1- 2). Pair of st4 setae situated in a soft membrane or on the metasternal plates and pair st5 on a trapezoidal genital shield. Peritremes either short or long and peritrematal shields not expanded posteriorly; ventrianal shield broad, bearing 3-4 pairs of ventral setae or reduced to anal shield with three circumanal setae; metapodal plates varied in shape; palp genu with 6 setae, palp apotele 3-tined, corniculi horn-like. Chelicerae chelate-dentate; movable digit without excrescences. Tectum with a median prong either evenly trifurcate or denticulate.

Tarsus I with claws; trochanter I with 6 setae; femur I with 13 setae; genu I with 12 setae; tibia I with 11 setae; genu III with 9 setae; coxae sometimes with spines.

Remarks — A division of the genus Halolaelaps was made by Błaszak and Ehrnsberger (1993, 1995, 1998a,b) into 4 subgenera ( Halolaelaps s.str., Halogamasellus, Haloseius , Saprogamasellus) based on the shape of epistome, the number of setae on femur I, and a spine on coxa II. Those designations and the characters used raised some multiple questions and controversies. For instance, why a type-species for Halolaelaps , that is Halolaelaps marinus , has not been placed into the subgenus Halolaelaps s.str. but into subgenus Hologamasellus ( Błaszak and Ehrnsberger 1995) or why a type species have not been designated for the four subgenera that had been erected. All the controversial issues on this subject have been presented by Halliday (2008), and the authors of this paper agree with them completely. Therefore the discussion here does not follow the division of Halolaelaps into four subgenera.