Armascirus

Skvarla, Michael J. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2012, Some new armascirine cunaxids (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from the Eastern United States, Zootaxa 3194, pp. 1-34 : 24-25

Key to adult female Armascirus

The following key, based on one presented by Kaluz (2009), has been modified and illustrated. The following species, in addition to those newly described in this work, have been included: Armascirus javanus , A. garciai , A. makilingensis and A. apoensis . In addition, A. bakeri ( Smiley, 1992) , which possesses a palpal basifemoral simple seta and has a leg I–IV telofemoral chaetotaxy of 4-4-4-4 sts, is moved from Dactyloscirus to Armascirus based on the generic diagnosis given in this work and by Den Heyer and Castro (2008).

Armascirus ebrius possesses a holodorsal shield complemented with c1–f1, c2. This condition is reported in the few male Armascirines that have been described (see for example Corpuz-Raros 1995; Den Heyer 1978) but never in females. The authors are of the opinion that A. ebrius may be a male mistakenly described as a female. Not having seen the type specimen we can neither confirm nor deny this and so have included in in the following key.

1 Hysterosomal median shield present ( Figs. 17 a–i, 18a–d)..................................................... 2

- Hysterosomal median shield absent ( Fig. 19 a–c)............................................................ 28

2 Median shield small or large, complemented with setae ( Fig. 17 a–i).............................................. 3

- Median shield small, not complemented with setae, (Fig. 18a–d)............................................... 22

3 One pair of setae (d1) on hysterosomal median shield ( Fig. 17 a–f)............................................... 4

- Two or more pairs of setae on hysterosomal median shield ( Fig. 17 g–i)......................................... 18

4 Lateral hysterosomal platelets present ( Fig. 17 a–d)........................................................... 5

- Lateral hysterosomal platelets absent ( Fig. 17 e, f).......................................................... 15

5 Setae c1 very short, the distance between the bases of c1–c1 20 times the length of c1; venter caudally from coxae II with 5 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae).............................................. A. rafalskii

- Setae c1 longer, the distance between the bases of c1–c1 less than 10 times the length of c1; venter caudally from coxae II with 6 or more pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae)........................................... 6

6 The distance between caudal parts of hysterosomal lateral platelets wider than the distance between their frontal parts ( Fig. 17 a, b)............................................................................................. 7

- The distance between caudal parts of hysterosomal lateral platelets shorter than the distance between their frontal parts ( Figs. 11 a, 17c,d)......................................................................................... 9

7 Lateral hysterosomal platelets equal to or longer than hysterosomal median shield ( Fig. 17 a); venter caudally from coxae II with 6 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae).................................... A. jasmina

- Lateral hysterosomal platelets shorter than hysterosomal median shield ( Fig. 17 b); venter caudally from coxae II with 7 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae)...................................................... 8

8 Palpal genua with 3 spls, 1 sts..................................................................... A. akhtari

- Palpal genua with 3 spls..................................................................... A. satianaensis

9 Venter caudally from coxae II with 7–8 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital,coxal, and anal setae)................. 10

- Venter caudally from coxae II with 6 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae).................. 11

10 Apophyses adjoining palpal genua longer than genu; median shield pointed caudally ( Fig. 17 c); venter caudally from coxae II with 7 pairs of setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae); tarsal sts chaetotaxy I–IV 18-15-13 -12........... A. asghari

- Apophyses adjoining palpal genua shorter than genu; median shield truncated caudally ( Fig. 17 d); venter caudally from coxae II with 8 pairs of setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae); tarsal sts chaetotaxy I–IV 25-23-23 -21......... A. albiziae

11 Tarsus I with more than 27 setae; tarsus II with at least 24 setae................................................ 12

- Tarsus I with less than 25 setae; tarsus II with less than 23 setae................................................ 13

12 Genital valve with random dot-like lobes; tarsal sts chaetotaxy I–IV 29-25-23 -22............................. A. pluri

- Genital valve longitudinal rows of dot-like lobes; tarsal sts chaetotaxy I–IV 29-24-22 -21.................... A. mactator

13 Palpal telofemora with 1 apophysis, 2 spls; palpal genua with 1 ap, 2 spls, 2 sts.......................... A. huyssteeni

- Palpal telofemora with 1 apophysis, 1 spls; palpal genua with 1 ap, 3 spls, 1 sts.................................. 14

14 Genua II with 1 asl, 5 sts; genua IV with 2 asl, 5 sts.................................................... A. taurus

- Genua II with 2 asl, 5 sts; genua IV with 1 asl, 4 sts........................................ A. primigenius sp. nov.

15 Hysterosomal median shield with a straight or concave frontal margin and with very acute anterior lateral corners (angle less than 45°) ( Fig. 17 e).................................................................................. 16

- Hysterosomal median shield with convex frontal margin and with rounded anterior lateral corners ( Fig. 17 f)........... 17

16 Palpal genua with 1 ap, 2 spls, 1 sts; legs I–IV sts formulae (excluding solenida): basifemora 1-2-1-0; telofemora 4-4-4-4; genua 6-7-5-6; h1 4 times the length of c1; hysterosomal shield width: length = 2.2:1........................... A. sabrii

- Palpal genua with 1 ap, 3 spls, 1 sts; legs I–IV sts formulae (excluding solenida): basifemora 2-2-1-1; telofemora 4-4-4-3; genua 8-6-6-6; h1 3 times the length of c1; hysterosomal shield width: length 1.5:1......................... A. gorjaensis

17 Apophysis adjoining genu and tibiotarsus shorter than palpal tibiotarsus; palpal atelofemoral apophyses three times longer than spine-like seta; distance between the bases of mps–mps 9 times the length of mps............................. A. bison

- Apophysis adjoining genu and tibiotarsus longer than palpal tibiotarusus; palpal telofemoral apophyses three times longer than spine-like seta; distance between the bases of mps–mps 5 times the length of mps.............................. A. fixus

18 Hysterosomal median shield with 2 pairs of setae (c1, d1) ( Fig. 17 g)............................................ 19

- Hysterosomal median shield with more than 2 pairs of setae ( Fig. 17 h, i)....................................... 20

19 Palpal telofemora with 2 ap, 1 spls; palpal genua with 2 spls, 2 sts; venter caudally from coxae II with 6 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae); tarsi I–IV with 21-20-15-13 sts (excluding solenida); the distance between bases of c1–c1 4 times the distance of h1–h1; distance between c1–c1 5 times the length of c1 ......................... A. anastosi

- Palpal telofemora with 1 ap, 1 spls; palpal genua with 3 spls, 1 sts; venter caudally from coxae II with 5 pairs of simple setae (excluding genital, coxal, and anal setae); tarsi I–IV with 19-13-13-13 sts (excluding solenida); the distance between c1–c1 2 times the distance between h1–h1; the distance between c1–c1 4 times the length of c1 ....................... A. heryfordi

20 Hysterosomal shield bearing 3 pairs of setae (c1, d1, e1) ( Fig. 17 h); apophysis adjacent to palpal genua and tibiotarsi absent...................................................................................................... 21

- Hysterosomal shield bearing 5 pairs of setae (c1–f1, c2) ( Fig. 17 i); apophysis adjacent to palpal genua and tibiotarsi present................................................................................................. A. ebrius

21 5 pairs of genital setae; palp claw bifid ( Fig. 20 a); hysterosomal setae not serrate.......................... A. apoensis

- 4 pairs of genital setae; palp claw entire, not bifid ( Fig. 20 b); hysterosomal setae serrate...................... A. fuscus

22 Lateral hysterosomal platelets present (Fig. 18a–c).......................................................... 23

- Lateral hysterosomal platelets absent (Fig. 18d)............................................................ 25

23 Hysterosomal platelets large, as long as median shield (Fig. 18a); width: length of hysterosomal median shield 1:1; venter cau- dally from coxae II with 7 pairs of sts (excluding genital and anal setae); genital setae g1–g4 equal in length....... A. cerris

- Hysterosomal platelets large or small (Fig. 18b,c); width: length of hysterosomal median shield 2:1; venter caudally from coxae II with 6 pairs of sts (excluding genital and anal setae); genital setae g3 & g4 ca 1.3 times longer than g1 & g2 ....... 24

24 Hysterosomal platelets as long as median shield ( Figs. 3 a, 18b)................................ A. ozarkensis sp. nov.

- Hysterosomal platelets ½ as long as median shield ( Figs. 11 a, 18c)....................................... A. gimplei

25 Apophysis on palp telofemur extends to distal margin of segment; 2 pairs of ventral pregenital setae thickened and spiculate; f1 1/3 length of h1 .......................................................................... A. makilingensis

- Apophysis on palp telofemur extends well beyond distal margin of segment; ventral pregenital setae not thickened and spicu- late; f1 subequal to h1 ................................................................................. 26

26 Palpal telofemora with 2 ap, 1 spls; the distance between the bases of c1–c1 two times the distance of d1–d1 ... A. limpopoensis

- Palp telofemora with 1 ap, 1 spls; the distances between the bases of c1–c1 = d1–d1 ................................ 27

27 Palp tibiotarsus with 1 spls, 4 sts................................................................ A. harrisoni

- Palp tibiotarsus with 1 spls, 3 sts.................................................................. A. bakeri

28 Palpal telofemoral apophyses long, reaching apical apophysis on palpal genu; lateral platelets present................ 29

- Palpal telofemoral apophyses short, not reaching apical apophysis on palpal genu; lateral platelets present or absent...... 30

29 Palpal basifemora with 1 subrectangular apophysis; palp tibiotarsal spls 3 times the length of terminal claw; hysterosomal platelets small, equal in length to c2 ( Fig. 19 a); coxal chaetotaxy I–IV 3-2 -3-3........................... A. lebowensis

- Palpal basifemora without subrectangular apophysis; palp tibiotarsal spls equal in length to terminal claw; hysterosomal plate- lets long, 2–3 times the length of c2 ( Fig. 19 b); coxal chaetotaxy I–V 3-1 -3-1............................ A. campbelli

30 Coxal chaetotaxy I–IV 3-2 -3-3........................................................................ 31

- Coxal chaetotaxy I–IV 3-2 -3-2......................................................................... 33

31 Palpal telofemora with 1 apophysis, 2 spls, 1 sts; the distance between d1–d1 9 times the length of d1; palpal genua with 2 spls, 1 sts........................................................................................ A. cyaneus

- Palpal telofemora with 1 apophysis, 2 spls; the distance between d1–d1 4 times the length of d1; palpal genua chaetotaxy not as above............................................................................................ 32

32 Hysterosomal platelets present ( Fig 19 b); palpal genua with 2 spls, 2 sts; basifemora with 5-5-4-2 sts........ A. virginiensis

- Hysterosomal platelets absent ( Fig. 19 c); palpal genua with 1 spls, 1 sts; basifemora with 6-6-4-2 sts........... A. javanus

33 Palpal telofemoral apophyses as long as width of telofemora; palpal genu with 1 apophysis, 2 spls, 2 sts................................................................................................. A. pennsylvanicus sp. nov.

- Palpal telofemoral apophyses only 1/3 width of telofemora; palpal genu with 1 apophysis, 3 spls, 1 sts........... A. garciai

Figures

FIGURE 11. Armascirus gimplei Smiley. Gnathosoma. a — Subcapitulum. b — Chelicera, dorsal. c— Palp, dorsal. Palp, dorsal. Polygonal sculpturing illustrated on basifemur present on all segments.

FIGURE 19. Examples in which the median shield is absent.