Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995

Masan, Peter, 2017, A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna, ZooKeys 704, pp. 1-228 : 1

Genus Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995

Sinoseius Bai & Gu (in Bai et al., 1995: 435). Type species: Sinoseius lobatus Bai, Gu & Fang, 1995, by original designation.

Diagnosis (female).

Dorsal shield weakly sclerotised but coarsely ornamented, with 29 pairs of setae (z6 present). Dorsal setae including j1 similar in length and form, odd-pinnate. Sternal setae on sternal shield (st1, st2, st3), soft integument (st4) and epigynal shield (st5); opisthogastric soft integument with five pairs of setae (JV1-JV3, JV5, ZV2), all on soft integument (anal shield only with three circum-anal setae). Opisthogastric setae mostly short, smooth and needle-like; setae JV5 short or long, thickened and densely pilose to plumose; postanal seta smooth or pilose. Corniculi well sclerotised, relatively slender, with incised apex and subdistal tubercle; setae h1 slightly thickened. Cheliceral digits relatively large, fixed digit with three well developed teeth on proximal masticatory area (two proximal teeth somewhat adjacent). Epistome curved, smooth or with minute serrations. Palps relatively small, palptarsal apotele three-tined. Genu III and tibia III each with two anterolateral and one posterolateral setae, genu IV with two ventral setae, tibia IV with two anterolateral and two posterolateral setae. Tarsi I-IV each with normal empodium and claws.

Remarks.

Bai et al. (1995) established their originally monotypic genus Sinoseius on the basis of the type species Sinoseius lobatus collected in a mammal nest in China. The genus was characterised especially by the form of the dorsal shield setae and three pairs of setae on sternal shield. Karg (2005) and Karg and Schorlemmer (2009) synonymised Sinoseius with Ameroseius Berlese, 1904. Later, Karg as a collaborating author validated the genus by the description of a congeneric species, Sinoseius pinnatus , found in detritus from a straw shed in Finland ( Huhta and Karg 2010). Barilo (1986) included one further new species to the genus, collected from soil and wood substrate in Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan). The species he named as Ameroseius fossatus is here transferred to Sinoseius .

The genus Sinoseius is considered here to be a valid genus, based on the following combination of female characters (male is unknown): (1) sternal shield with three pairs of setae; (2) unusual chaetotaxy of some leg segments: genu III and tibia III each with two anterolateral and one posterolateral setae (as in Ameroseius ), genu IV with two ventral setae (not found in Ameroseius and Kleemannia ), tibia IV with two anterolateral and two posterolateral setae (as in Kleemannia ); (3) dorsal shield setae pinnate; (4) flat curved epistome; (5) cheliceral digits robust, fixed digit with three large teeth; (6) all opisthogastric setae on soft integument; (7) palps relatively small, palptarsal apotele three-tined. Some of these character states occur in other genera of Ameroseiidae , but infrequently, and not in combination. For example, three pairs of setae on sternal shield can be found also in Kleemannia miranda sp. n., while specific pinnate setae are typical of Ameroseius avium and Kleemannia bella .