Sperchontidae Thor, 1900

Martin, Peter, 2006, On the morphology and classification of larval water mites (Hydrachnidia, Acari) from springs in Luxembourg, Zootaxa 1138, pp. 1-44 : 11

Sperchontidae Thor, 1900

Diagnosis: Dorsal plate mostly large, in unengorged specimens covering more than half the length of the idiosoma, Dp bearing 4 pairs of setae; lateral eyes on each side borne on a common eye plate; coxal plates I to III separate, plate III often larger than the others; plates I­III with 3 or 4 pairs of coxal setae (seta C3 on CX­II present or absent); chelicerae small, basal segments separated from each other; chela dentate; palpal segment 4 and 5 short, P5 thumb­like; some setae on palpal segments very large; legs I to III fivesegmented and each with three heavy claws; fusion line of former basifemur and telofemur present on legs I to III; leg segments 5 broad distally; eupathidium present on distal leg segment of legs I, II and III; solenidia on leg segments 3 to 5 of legs I and II very thin and placed at the distal end of the segment.

Remarks: The available descriptions of larval Sperchontidae do not allow genera diagnoses within the family. The formerly proposed differences between the genera Sperchonopsis and Sperchon (see Prasad & Cook 1972; Smith 1982) relating to characters of the chetotaxy and patterns of the Dp is no longer valid after the description of Sperchonopsis verrucosa ( Protz, 1896) by Martin (2000). For details, see the discussion therein.