Persianthrombium Sedghi, Saboori & Hakimitabar

Sedghi, Ali, Saboori, Alireza, Akrami, Mohammad Ali & Hakimitabar, Masoud, 2010, A new genus and species of larval mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Microtrombidiidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 2504, pp. 61-68 : 62

Persianthrombium Sedghi, Saboori & Hakimitabar gen. nov.

Diagnosis of larva: microtrombidiids with three dorsal scuta, scutum covered with punctations and deflexed anteriorly. Scutellum I and II porose with two setae each. All dorsal and ventral setae on punctate platelets. Ge I & Ti I each with four solenidia. Coxa II with two setae. Tarsus III with reduced inner claw (Tarsal claw 3-3- 3 (dissimilar)). Gnathosoma without oral ring. Posterior margin of subcapitulum concave, there is a bifid seta on distal end of tarsus III.

Type species: Persianthrombium farajii Sedghi, Saboori & Hakimitabar sp. nov.

Remarks: This genus is obviously a member of Microtrombidiidae by the combination of the following characters: scutum deflexed anteriorly, coxal setal formula 2-2-1, femoral setal formula 6-5-4, Ti I with 6 normal setae. The following characters are so important that genera could be based on them, especially within the genus-group of Microtrombidiidae with three dorsal scuta: shape of dorsal scuta, number of coxal setae, type of coxal setae (barbed, setulose or nude), hypostomal seta (smooth, elongated setulose, minute and nude), shape of claws of Ta III (similar, dissimilar, smilum form with lophotrix and scopa), number of claws, oral ring (presence or absence), punctation and/or striation (presence or absence), shape of posterior end of gnathosoma (truncated, convex, concave) and length of h 1 or h 2 (as long as or longer than other dorsal idiosomal setae), number of setae on palp femur, number of specialized setae on genua and tibiae and shape of cheliceral blades (one or two subterminal teeth). This genus is similar to Keramotrombium Bruyant, 1912 from the French mainland, Porttrombidium Haitlinger, 2000 from Portugal and Montenegtrombium Saboori & Pešić, 2006 from Montenegro in having three punctate dorsal scuta and coxal setal formula (2-2-1). All these species have been reported only from Europe. It differs from Keramotrombium by the shape of scutum, scutum without chitinous bars (vs. with chitinous bars), fD (24 vs. 30–38), fV (12–16 vs. 18–30), NDV (34– 38 vs. 48–68), posterior margin of subcapitulum concave (vs. truncate), tarsus III with dissimilar claws (vs. three similar claws), absence of seta on palpfemur (vs. present), gnathosoma without oral ring (vs. with oral ring), presence of bifid seta on distal end of tarsus III (vs. absent), length of h 1 or h 2 (longer vs. as long as other dorsal idiosomal setae), from Montenegtrombium in the number of solenidia on Ge I & Ti I (4 vs. 2), presence of microseta on Ge II (vs. absent), number of normal setae on Ti II & III (5 vs. 6), absence of seta on palp femur (vs. present), gnathosoma without oral ring (vs. with oral ring), cheliceral blade with one subapical tooth (vs. with two subapical teeth), presence of bifid seta on distal end of tarsus III (vs. absent), type of coxal setae (nude vs. barbed) and from Porttrombidium in the number of solenidia on Ge I & Ti I (4 vs. 2), number of normal setae on Fe III (4 vs. 5), on Ti II (5 vs. 6), cheliceral blade with one subapical tooth (vs. with two subapical teeth), presence of bifid seta on distal end of tarsus III (vs. absent), the shape of scutum, posterior margin of subcapitulum concave (vs. truncate), proximal seta shorter than distal seta on coxa II (distinctly longer in Porttrombidium), length of h 1 or h 2 (longer vs. as long as other dorsal idiosomal setae).