Ameroseius

Teodorowicz, Ewa & Nemati, Alireza, 2023, Description of Ameroseius lidiae male (Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from Iran with a key to males of European species within the genus, Persian Journal of Acarology 12 (4), pp. 487-494 : 491

Key to European species of the genus Ameroseius (male)

Males presented in the key herein were described in detail by Westerboer and Bernhard (1963), which are A. corbiculus and A. sculptilis (syn.: A. pulcher ). Later another two were described by Mašán (1998) – A. callosus and A. fungicola . Male of A. longitrichus was described by Kaczmarek and Michalski (1988), A. ulmi by Teodorowicz and Gwiazdowicz (2020) and A. georgei by Teodorowicz (2021).

1. Anal shield with circum-anal setae only ........................................................................................ 2

– Ventrianal shield with both circum-anal and opisthogastric setae ................................................. 3

2. Setae j3, J2, J4 as long as j1 .................................................. Ameroseius fungicola Mašán, 1998

– Setae j3, J2, J4 of one-third of j1 length ................................. Ameroseius callosus Mašán, 1998

3. Dorsal setae relatively long, especially those in J row reaching bases of the consequent seta ...... 4

– Dorsal setae relatively short, especially those in J row never reaching bases of the consequent setae ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4. Vertical setae j1 quite large and pubescent distinct from the remaining setae; Jv5 short and simple; anal shield wider than long; palp tarsus three-tined ...... Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806)

– Vertical setae j1 quite short and barbed likewise the remaining setae; Jv5 long and barbed; anal shield round as long as wide; palp tarsus two-tined ....................................................................... 5

5. Seta j5 very long; j6 long but reaching only bases of one consequent seta (J2); none of the short setae situated on tubercles ....................................... Ameroseius longitrichus Hirschmann, 1963

– Setae j5 is very short; j6 is extremely long reaching bases of two consequent setae (J2, J4); multiple pairs of short setae situated on more or less distinct tubercles .. Ameroseius georgei ( Turk, 1943)

6. Setae r3 long and robust; setae j1, r3, J2, J4, Z4, Z5 and S5 broad at their tips; anterior margin of epistome denticulate ............................................................. Ameroseius ulmi Hirschmann, 1963

– Setae r3 not as above; setae j1, r3, J2, J4, Z4, Z5 and S5 narrow at their tips; anterior margin of epistome smooth ............................................................................................................................. 7

7. Characteristic subtriangular sculpture between setae j6 and J2; ventrianal shield wide and heart-shaped; digitus mobilis with one tooth .................................. Ameroseius sculptilis Berlese, 1916

– No subtriangular sculpture between setae j6 and J2; ventrianal shield as wide as long and suboval; digitus mobilis with two teeth ................................................ Ameroseius lidiae Bregetova, 1977