Pneumocoptidae Baker, Camin, Cunliffe, Woolley et Yunker, 1958

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 : 143

Family Pneumocoptidae Baker, Camin, Cunliffe, Woolley et Yunker, 1958

Baker et al. 1958: 164.

Type genus: Pneumocoptes Baker, 1951 .

Diagnosis. ADULTS. Sexual dimorphism weakly expressed. Males only slightly smaller than females. Gnathosoma in terminal position, separated from propodonotal shield and apodemes I. Palps with 2 segments bearing setae dp and v, and solenidion ω; setae da and eupathidia absent. Subcapitulum without ventral projections or setae subc.; setae elc.p. present, filiform, as long as palps. Chelicerae chelate; fixed digit with 3 teeth; movable digit with 2 teeth; other cheliceral structures absent. Idiosoma oval in outline. Remnants of sejugal furrow indistinct. Supracoxal glands and setae scx absent. Propodonotal and hysteronotal shields present, distinctly developed. Propodonotal shield with short longitudinal apodeme between bases of setae si. Small postanal sclerite present terminally. Opisthosoma weakly developed and legs IV inserted very close to posterior body margin. Apodemes I fused, Y-shaped. Apodemes II fused to each other or their distal ends closely situated. Posterior apodemes of coxal fields II fused to each other and often with apodemes II in median part of idiosoma. Apodemes III fused to each other; coxal fields III closed. Apodemes IV angled. Median sclerite absent. Coxal fields sclerotized. Genital papillae absent. Anal opening situated ventrally, close to posterior margin of opisthosoma. Legs normally developed, with 5 free podomeres. Trochanters and femora III–IV joining at right angles. Tibiae and tarsi subequal in length. Tibiae I–II each with small dorsal spur “guarding” solenidion ϕ. All tarsi bearing pretarsus. Sclerites of pretarsi indiscernible (reduced).Idiosomal setation (see Table 1): si alveoli, se distinct, filiform; c2, cp, and c3 all alveoli; 1a and 3a short filiform; 4a, 4b, and g all alveoli; alveoli ps3 present only in males. Leg setation (see Tables 2 and 3): setae ba I–II microsetae, d I–IV filiform, f I–IV membranous with pointed apices, e I–II microsetae, e III–IV alveoli, s I–III spur-like; r I–IV and w I–IV thickened; gT I–II, kT III, cG I–II, mG I–II, vF I–II all short spurs; solenidia ω 1 I–II, and ϕI–III present; solenidion ϕIV present or absent.

FEMALE. Bursa copulatrix opening dorsal. Coxal fields distinctly sclerotized. Oviporus situated at level of legs III. Epigynum reduced, completely fused with distal ends of apodemes II. Posterogynal fold of oviporus distinctly developed, smooth. Median fold without sclerites. Distinct opisthogastric shield present posterior to oviporus.

MALE. Coxal fields weakly sclerotized. Aedeagus situated ventrally at level of legs III. Post-dorsal apodeme of aedeagus distinctly developed. Pregenital apodeme rudimentary, fused with distal ends of apodemes III. Postgenital shield present. Opisthosomal lobes, adanal suckers and adanal shields absent. Setae d IV and e IV not modified into suckers.

JUVENILE STAGES. Females ovoviviparous. Setae si, se, c2, cp, c3, 1a, and 3a present in larva; legs as in females, but apodemes III and IV separated. Protonymph unknown. In tritonymph setae 4a, 4b, g, d IV, e IV, f IV, r IV, and w IV present. Apodemes III and IV separated.

Genera included: type genus only.