Pseudoopsonyssus Bochkov, 2008

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 : 81-82

Genus Pseudoopsonyssus Bochkov et OConnor gen. nov.

Opsonyssus Fain 1959a: 8, 1959d: 18 , 1967: 30; Zabludovskaya 2005: 149 (in part).

Type species: Opsonyssus phyllorhinae Fain, 1959 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. ADULTS. Setae subc absent. Pair of distinct apically pointed projections present ventro-laterally on subcapitulum. Idiosoma moderately elongated, about 2 times as long as wide, almost ellipsoid in outline. Propodonotal shield fused with apodemes I; its posterior margin concave. Idiosomal dorsum and opisthosomal venter covered by distinct striations. Sternum connected with apodemes II. Ventro-median part of idiosoma with butterfly-shape sclerotization between coxal fields II. Apodemes III fused with median transverse sclerite; apodemes IV distinctly developed, fused with apodemes III, coxal fields III closed. Coxal fields I bearing membranous posterior projections. Folds posterior to coxal fields II absent. Coxal fields III distinctly sclerotized. Anus situated ventrally. Tarsi shortened, about 3 times shorter than respective tibiae, without pretarsi. Trochanters III–IV each with distinct, widely rounded, ventral projection. Idiosomal setation (see Table 1): setae ps2 absent in males; setae se, 1a, 3a, h2 all filiform, h2 whip-like; si, c2, c3, 4a, 4b, g, h3, and ps3 all microspines or short spurs; f2 alveoli. Leg setation (see Tables 2 and 3): setae s I–IV, kT IV, solenidion ϕIV and solenidion ω 3 I in females absent; setae d I–IV, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II all filiform, d I–IV short; gT I–II and kT III very short spines; f I–IV, r I–IV, w I–IV spur-like; solenidion ϕIII rudimentary, in shape of small tubercle.

FEMALE. Bursa copulatrix opening dorsal or terminal. Epigynum variable in form and shape. Posterogynal folds of oviporus smooth. Median fold in some species associated with apodemes IV.

MALE. Pregenital apodeme variable in form and shape. Setae g situated in base of aedeagal cone. Adanal shields present or absent.

JUVENILE STAGES. Larva always bearing idiosomal setae se, 1a, c3, c2, and h2, and leg setae d I–III, e I–III, f I–III, r I–III, w I–III, gT I–II, kT III, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II, solenidia ω 1 I–II, ϕI–III, and famulus ε. Subcapitulum with ventral projections. Apodemes I fused, Y-shaped. Ventral folds on trochanters III present. In protonymph setae d IV, w IV, and r IV added on legs. In tritonymph setae 4a and 4b added on idiosoma, and e IV, f IV on legs. Setae f2 absent, delayed to adult stage.

Species included: P. phyllorhinae , P. striatus , P. zumpti .

Host range and distribution. Species of the genus are recorded from microchiropteran bats of the families Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae in Europe, Asia, and Africa (Tables 6 and 7). These mites live in the nasal passages of their hosts.

Etymology. The name of this new genus refers to the high similarity with the genus Opsonyssus .

Remarks. This new genus differs from the genus Opsonyssus by the concave posterior margin of the propodonotal shield, closed coxal fields III, the presence of setae f2, the absence of setae ps 2 in males, and by the spine-like setae ps3 and h 3 in both sexes. In mites of the genus Opsonyssus , the posterior margin of the propodonotal shield is widely rounded or bears a median projection, coxal fields III are open, setae f2 are absent, setae ps2 are present in males, setae ps3 are represented by alveoli or are absent, and setae h3 are represented by alveoli or microspines.