Gastronyssidae Fain, 1959

Bochkov, Andre V., Zabludovskaya, Svetlana & Oconnor, Barry M., 2008, Phylogeny and systematics of the endoparasitic astigmatid mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes) of mammals: families Gastronyssidae, Lemurnyssidae, and Pneumocoptidae, Zootaxa 1951 (1), pp. 1-152 : 35-36

Family Gastronyssidae Fain, 1959

Fain 1959a: 3, 1964b: 40, 1972: 71.

Type genus: Gastronyssus Fain, 1955 .

Diagnosis. ADULTS. Sexual dimorphism weakly expressed. Males subequal or slightly smaller than females. In most taxa, gnathosoma in terminal position, separated from propodonotal shield and apodemes I. In Gastronyssus , gnathosoma in ventral position, fused with propodonotal shield and anterior ends of apodemes I. Palpal segments separated from each other, basal segment bearing setae dp and v, apical segment with setae da and solenidion ω. Eupathidia absent. Subcapitulum with ventral projections (absent in Gastronyssus ). Setae subc. present or absent; setae elc.p. present (absent in Gastronyssus ), shorter than palps. Chelicerae chelate; fixed and movable digits with several small teeth; other cheliceral structures absent. Idiosoma slightly elongated, 2–2.5 times longer than wide (vermiform in Gastronyssus ). Remnants of sejugal furrow indistinct. Supracoxal glands and setae scx absent. Propodonotal shield present, entire; other dorsal shields absent. Opisthosoma well developed. Opening of opisthonotal glands indiscernible. Idiosomal dorsum and opisthosomal venter with or without striations. Apodemes I fused, Y shaped. Apodemes II–IV variable in shape. Median sclerite present or absent. Coxal fields sclerotized or not. Genital papillae absent. Anal opening situated ventrally, more rarely terminally. Legs normally developed, with 5 free podomeres. Tarsi subequal or much shorter than respective tibiae. Projections or folds on leg podomeres present or absent. Pretarsi normally developed, strongly reduced or absent. Sclerites of pretarsi not discernible (reduced). Condylophores (if present) straight. Idiosomal setation (maximum): si, se, c2, cp, cp3, h1, h2, h3, 1a, 3a, 4a, 4b, g, ps3 and ps 2 in males. Leg setation (maximum): ba I–II, la I–II, d I–IV, f I–IV, e I–IV, s I–IV, r I–IV, w I–IV, g T I–II, kT III–IV, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II, pR I–II, ω 1 I–II, ω 3 I, ϕI–IV, and ε.

FEMALE. Bursa copulatrix opening terminal or more rarely dorsal. Oviporus situated at level of legs III– IV. Epigynum strongly reduced. Posterogynal folds of oviporus distinctly developed, smooth (ornamented in Eidolonyssus). Median fold with paired sclerites or without sclerites. Opisthogastric shield absent (in some species of Rodhainyssus and Opsonyssus , sclerotized remnants present).

MALE. Aedeagus situated ventrally between levels of legs III–IV. Post-dorsal apodeme of aedeagus present. Pregenital apodeme reduced. Postgenital shield present or absent. Opisthosomal lobes and adanal suckers absent. Adanal shields present or absent. Posterior legs not modified. Setae d IV and e IV (if present) setiform.

JUVENILE STAGES. Females ovoviviparous. Life cycle and ontogenetic appearance of setae generally similar to those of other sarcoptoids. Details of juvenile morphology described in diagnoses of individual genera.

Subfamilies included: Gastronyssinae with 7 genera arranged into 3 tribes and Yunkeracarinae with 2 genera.