Afrophilodana, Kontschán, Jenő & Seeman, Owen, 2011

Kontschán, Jenő & Seeman, Owen, 2011, Afrophilodana africana n. gen, n. sp. (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Kenya: the second species of the family Philodanidae, Zootaxa 2753, pp. 42-52 : 43-44

Afrophilodana gen. nov.

Type species: Afrophilodana africana sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Setae st1 on presternal shield; st2 on sternal shield; st3 on smooth sternogynum; st4 on endopodal region. Mesogynal shield present, large. Paired latigynal shields barely meeting medially, with three pairs of setae each. Internal malae with pilose margins. Seta h1 thickened, with long barbs.

Etymology. The new genus is named after the closely related genus Philodana Kethley, 1977 , and the continent where the specimens were collected. Gender feminine.

Remarks. Afrophilodana from Philodana are most easily separated by the presence of a mesogynal shield (absent in Philodana ), setae st1 on presternal shield (on membranous cuticle in Philodana ) and hypertrichous endopodal shield (st4 only in Philodana ). These and other important characters for distinguishing the genera are given in Table 1.

Philodana Kethley, 1977 Afrophilodana n. gen.

Mesogynal shield absent present

Setae st1 on membranous cuticle on presternal shield Endopodal shield hypertrichous with one pair of setae (st4) Setae on latigynal shields four pairs three pairs

Medial margin of latigynal shield meeting broadly not meeting or just meeting Internal malae smooth pilose