Bunaxella Den Heyer & Castro, 2009

Skvarla, Michael J., Fisher, J. Ray & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2014, A review of Cunaxidae (Acariformes, Trombidiformes): Histories and diagnoses of subfamilies and genera, keys to world species, and some new locality records, ZooKeys 418, pp. 1-103 : 17-19

Bunaxella Den Heyer & Castro, 2009

Historical review.

Den Heyer (1981b) described Cunaxoides oribensis , Cunaxoides quini , and Cunaxoides zebedielensis . Den Heyer and Castro (2009) erected Bunaxella and transferred Cunaxoides oribensis , Cunaxoides quini , and Cunaxoides zebedielensis to the new genus.

Diagnosis.

Gnathosoma. Pedipalps 3-segmented. Femurogenua are at least twice as long as wide and complemented with 5 setae. Tibiotarsi at least twice as long as wide and usually complemented with 6 setae. A small apophysis present basally and a pointed process occurs near the terminal tip; a ridge present between the apophysis and pointed process. Subcapitulum with 6 pairs of setae (hg1 - 4 and 2 pairs of adoral setae) present; setae hg4 is often the longest. Chelicera without seta.

Idiosoma, dorsal. Proterosoma bears an ill-defined and weakly sclerotized shield which is complemented with 2 pairs of setae (lps and mps) and 2 pairs of setose sensillae (at and pt). The dorsal hysterosoma may or may not bear a plate; if a plate is present it is ill-defined and weakly sclerotized, may be complemented with a variable number of setae, and may or may not be fused with the proterosomal shield. Setae c1 - h1, c2, and h2 are present. Seta c2 plumose or fan-shaped. Cupule im is present laterad and posterior of e1. Integument that is not covered in shields or plates is striated.

Idiosoma, ventral. Coxae are weakly sclerotized and ill-defined; they can be recognized by possessing somewhat denser striations than the surrounding integument. Coxae I-II may be fused and may coalesce medially to form a sternal shield. Coxae III-IV fused or not. Each coxa complemented with 2-4 setae. Genital plates each bear 4 setae (g1 - 4); 2 pairs of genital papillae visible underneath the plates. Anal plates bear one pair of setae; one pair of setae is present ventrally on the integument near the anal plates. Up to 7 pairs of setae present on the integument between the coxal and genital plates. Cupule ih present ventrally laterad the integumental setae associated with the anal plates. Integument that is not covered in shields or plates is striated. Legs. Tarsi are never constricted apically so as to end in lobes. Depression for the famulus on tarsus I is absent. Tibia III complemented with 1 bsl, 5 sts. Tibia IV is complemented with 4 sts and lacks a trichobothrium. Ambulacral claws occur on either side of a 4-rayed empodium.

Key to adult female Bunaxella

(modified from Den Heyer and Castro 2009)

1	Basifemora I-IV with 3-3-3-0 sts; telofemora IV with 1 sts; dorsal setae fan-shaped, except for smooth f2	Bunaxella quini (Den Heyer, 1981)
-	Basifemora I-IV with 4-4-3-1 sts; telofemora IV with 2 sts; dorsal setae plumose, except for h2 which may be plumose or smooth	2
2 (1)	Setae h2 plumose	Bunaxella oribensis (Den Heyer, 1981)
-	Setae h2 smooth	Bunaxella zebedielensis (Den Heyer, 1981)