Ololaelaps, Berlese, 1904

Babaeian, Esmaeil, Ghobari, Hamed & Samani, Kyumars Mohammadi, 2019, Redescription of Ololaelaps tasmanicus (Womersley, 1956) and description of a new species of Ololaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 4629 (3), pp. 351-364 : 362

Key to the Iranian species of Ololaelaps (adult females)

This key is based on published descriptions, not directly on examined material. Incomplete original descriptions and figures of some species did not allow us to provide a robust key.

1. Sternal shield distinctly longer than wide, ratio L/ W 1.3 –1.6................................................... 2

- Sternal shield wider or as long as wide, ratio L/ W 0.6 –1.0..................................................... 3

2. Sternal shield fused with endopodals III–IV; peritrematal shield posteriorly fused to exopodal shields IV; genitiventrianal shield with four pairs pre-anal setae (Zv2 and Jv3 off shield)................................ O. elongatus Babaeian sp. nov.

- Sternal shield free from endopodals III–IV peritrematal shield free from exopodal shield IV; genitiventrianal shield with six pairs of pre-anal setae (Zv2 and Jv3 on shield)........................................... O. mooiensis Ryke, 1962

3. Peritrematal shield posteriorly fused with exopodal-parapodal and genitiventrianal shields............................................................................................... O. sellnicki Bregetova & Koroleva, 1964

- Peritrematal shield posteriorly free, not fused with exopodals IV and genitiventrianal shield.......................... 4

4. Genitiventrianal shield wide, markedly expanded laterally, with transversely oriented elongate cells, sternal setae about 1/2 length of shield, poststigmatal section of peritrematal shield long, level with posterior margin of exopodal-parapodal shield.............................................................................. O. placentula ( Berlese, 1887)

- Genitiventrianal shield narrow, withiout elongate cells, sternal setae about 1/3 length of the shield, poststigmatal section of peritrematal shield shorter, not reaching posterior margin of exopodal-parapodal shield................................................................................................ O. ussuriensis Bregetova & Koroleva, 1964