Ophionyssus

Moraza, María L., Irwin, Nancy R., Godinho, Raquel, Baird, Stuart J. E. & Bellocq, Joëlle Goüy De, 2009, A new species of Ophionyssus Mégnin (Acari: Mesostigmata: Macronyssidae) parasitic on Lacerta schreiberi Bedriaga (Reptilia: Lacertidae) from the Iberian Peninsula, and a world key to species, Zootaxa 2007, pp. 58-68 : 66

Key to males of Ophionyssus

1. Holoventral shield present with 13 pairs of setae plus post-anal seta; femur III with ventral spur; dorsal shield with 44 pairs of setae............................................................................................................................................................. 2

- Holoventral shield absent; sternogenital with 2–3 pairs of setae; femur III ventral spur present or absent............... 3

2. Genu IV, seta pl -2 present; peritremes extend to anterior half of coxae II; holoventral shield 490 long; dorsal shield 605 long, 345 wide....................................................................................................................................... O. galeotes

- Genu IV, seta pl -2 absent; peritremes extend to just beyond posterior margins of coxae II; holoventral shield 490–535 long; dorsal shield 600–635 long, 385–405 wide ..................................................................... O. scincorum

3. Femur III ventral spur present ...................................................................................................................................... 4

- Femur III ventral spur absent........................................................................................................................................ 6

4. Dorsal shield with 17–19 pairs of setae; shield 689 long, 254 wide; 11–13 pairs of dorsal setae on soft cuticle; peritremes extend to anterior third of coxae III; 7–8 pairs of ventral setae; femur III ventral spur thumb-like in shape..... ........................................................................................................................................................... O . schreibericolus

- Dorsal shield with 24 pairs of setae; peritremes extend to anterior margin of coxae III; 9–10 pairs of ventral setae on soft cuticle; femur III with strong curved spur ............................................................................................................. 5

5. Sternogenital shield 186 long; anal shield 78 x 45; dorsal shield 460 long, 255 wide; 7–8 pairs of ventral setae ........ ................................................................................................................................................................ O . galloticolus

- Sternogenital shield 195 long; anal shield 84 x 50; dorsal shield 485 long, 290 wide.................................. O. setosus

6. Sternogenital shield with 2 pairs of setae (st1, st2) ..................................................................................................... 7

- Sternogenital shield with 3 pairs of setae (st1-st3) ..................................................................................................... 10

7. Dorsal shield with 13–14 pairs of setae, 412 long, 255 wide; peritremes extend to posterior half of coxae III; 6–7 pairs of ventral setae; tarsus II–IV with ventral setae inflated basally and set on slight prominences........................... ........................................................................................................................................................ O . arnhemlandensis

- Dorsal shield with more than 14 pairs of setae; tarsus II–IV without ventral setae inflated basally and set on slight prominences .................................................................................................................................................................. 8

8. Femur III and sometimes IV with spine-like or spur-like ventral setae ....................................................................... 9

- Femur III and IV without modified ventral setae; dorsal shield with 17 pairs of setae; shield 204 long, 240 wide; peritremes extend to anterior border of coxae III; at least 11 pairs of ventral setae ........................................... O . natricis