Podocinum Berlese

Yan, Yi, Jin, Dao-Chao, Wu, Dian, Guo, Jian-Jun & Guo, Xian-Guo, 2012, A revised checklist and key to the genus Podocinum Berlese (Acari: Podocinidae) with description of a new species from Tibet, Southwest China, Zootaxa 3194, pp. 35-48 : 45-46

Key to the world species of Podocinum Berlese (females)

1. Dorsal shield with a deep incision in posterior half........................................................... 2

- Dorsal shield without a deep incision in posterior half.........................................................6

2. Dorsal shield with 19 pairs of setae, antero-lateral angles of the ventri-anal shield produced into “horns”... P. ruwenzoriense

- Dorsal shield with less than 19 pairs of setae, antero-lateral angles of the ventri-anal shield blunt and inconspicuous....... 3

3. Dorsal shield with nodules forming polygonal networks....................................................... 4

- Dorsal shield with nodules but not forming polygonal networks, with 14 pairs of setae, sub-distal setae of tarsus I short, inconspicuous................................................................................... P. jamaicense

4. Polygonal networks on whole dorsal shield, dorsal shield with 16 pairs of setae, seven pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose................................................................................. P. aciculatum *

- Polygonal networks on opisthonotum only, dorsal shield with less than16 pairs of setae.............................. 5

5. Dorsal shield with 14 pairs of setae, four pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose; only one pair of thick, long and pilose podonotal setae before the incision, fixed digit of chelicera with four teeth......................... P. protonotum

- Dorsal shield with 15 pairs of setae, six pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose; two pairs of thick, long and pilose podonotal setae before the incision, fixed digit of chelicera with five or six teeth....................... P. bengalensis **

6. One or two sub-distal setae of tarsus I very long, obviously longer than or approximately equal to the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I..................................................................... 7

- Sub-distal setae of tarsus I minute, the longest sub-distal seta obviously shorter than or approximately equal to the half of the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I...................................................15

7. Dorsal shield with polygonal networks..................................................................... 8

- Dorsal shield without polygonal networks................................................................. 14

8. Two sub-distal setae on tarsus I very long, obviously longer than double the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I................................................................................ .. P. pintungense

- Only one sub-distal seta of tarsus I very long, longer than or approximately equal to the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I, others minute and inconspicuous........................................................ 9

9. Dorsal shield with 16 or 17 pairs of setae.................................................................. 10

- Dorsal shield with 19 pairs of setae...................................................................... 12

10. Dorsal shield with 16 pairs of setae, seven pairs of opisthosomal setae long, thick and pilose, anterior margin of ventri-anal shield straight.................................................................................. P. taylori

- Dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae, six or eight pairs of opisthosomal setae long, thick and pilose, anterior margin of ventrianal shield concave................................................................................... 11

11. Opisthonotum with eight pairs of thick dorsal setae, podonotum with four pairs of long, thick setae, fixed digit of chelicera with five teeth.............................................................................. P. monilicum

- Opisthonotum with six pairs of thick dorsal setae, podonotum with only one pair of long, thick setae, fixed digit of chelicera with four teeth.............................................................................. P. sumatrense

12. Dorsal shield with polygonal network of nodules connected by bridges, seven pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose, antero-lateral angles of ventri-anal shield sharply pointed, fixed digit of chelicera with seven teeth, longest sub-distal seta approximately equal to double of the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus...... P. tibetensis sp. n.

- Dorsal shield with polygonal network of nodules but not connected by bridges, eight pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose, antero-lateral angles of ventri-anal shield blunt, fixed digit of chelicera with five teeth, the longest subterminal seta approximately equal to the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I............................. 13

13. Dorsal shield with five pairs of pores, podonotum with only one pair of prominent thick dorsal setae (j2), distance between j1- j1 double the length of j1, the longest sub-distal seta equals 4/5 distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I.............................................................................................. P. sibiricum

- Dorsal shield with six pairs of pores, podonotum with at least four pairs of prominent thick and pilose setae (j2, j3, j4, j5, j6, s3, s5), distance between j1-j1 approximately three times length of j1, the longest sub-distal seta slightly longer than the distance between the setal base and the distal end of tarsus I............................................... P. tsushimanum

14. Dorsal shield with 18 pairs of setae, five pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose...................... P. sagax

- Dorsal shield with 16 pairs of setae, four pairs of opisthosomal setae thick, long and pilose.................. P. pugnorum

15. Sub-distal setae of tarsus I approximately equal to the half the distance between setal base and the distal end of tarsus I.... 16

- Sub-distal setae of tarsus I obviously shorter than the half the distance between setal base and the distal end of tarsus I.... 21

16. Two sub-distal setae on tarsus I approximately equal to the half of the distance between setal base and the distal end of tarsus I...................................................................................... P. jianfenglingense

- Only one sub-distal seta of tarsus I approximately equal to half the distance between setal base and the distal end of tarsus I..................................................................................................... 17

17. Dorsal shield with 19 pairs of setae....................................................................... 18

- Dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae............................................................... P. orientale

18. Opisthonotum with eight pairs of thick, long and pilose setae.................................................. 19

- Opisthonotum with six or seven pairs of thick, long and pilose setae............................................ 20

19. Polygonal areas of dorsal shield enclosing smaller nodules, tuberculate; fixed digit of chelicera with four teeth.................................................................................................... P. changchunense

- Polygonal areas of dorsal shield without smaller nodules, smooth; fixed digit of chelicera with seven teeth....... P. anhuense

20. Opisthonotum with six pairs of thick, long and pilose setae, fixed digit of chelicera with six teeth............. P. catenulum

- Opisthonotum with seven pairs of thick, long and pilose setae, fixed digit of chelicera with seven teeth.......... P. aokii ***

21. Dorsal shield with polygonal networks.................................................................... 22

- Dorsal shield without polygonal networks, sub-distal setae of tarsus I minute, inconspicuous.... P. mediocre & P. minus ****

22. Dorsal shield with polygonal networks in centre only.................................................. P. stellatum

- Dorsal shield with polygonal networks over whole area...................................................... 23

23. Dorsal shield with 16 pairs of setae....................................................................... 24

- Dorsal shield with more than 16 pairs of setae.............................................................. 25

24. Distance between bases of j1 shorter than their individual length....................................... P. pacificum

- Distance between bases of j1 longer than their individual length........................................... P. agilis

25. Dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae...................................................................... 26

- Dorsal shield with more than 17 pairs of dorsal setae......................................................... 27

26. Two pairs of thick setae on opisthonotum.......................................................... P. nepalense

- Five pairs of thick dorsal setae on opisthonotum.................................................. P. guizhouense

27. Dorsal shield with 19 pairs of setae, six pairs of thick setae on opisthonotum, j1 further apart than their individual length................................................................................................ P. catenum

- Dorsal shield with 18 pairs of setae...................................................................... 28

28. Dorsal shield covered with distinct nodules, opisthonotum with six pairs of thick dorsal setae, distance between bases of j1 less than their individual length.................................................................... P. hainanense

- Dorsal shield covered with minute projections, opisthonotum with five pairs of thick dorsal setae, j1 further apart than their individual length............................................................................. P. tianmonum