Mexecheles (Females), 1962

Fuangarworn, Marut & Lekprayoon, Chariya, 2010, Two new species of cheyletid mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from Thailand, Zootaxa 2494 (1), pp. 59-68 : 63-64

Key to Species of Mexecheles (Females) *

1 Setae dG (or dorsolateral setae) on palp femur bifid .................................................................................................... 2

- Setae dG (or dorsolateral setae) on palp femur monaxial............................................................................................. 5

2 Seta p’ (or mesal paraterminal seta) on tarsi I long, extending beyond pretarsi........................................................... 3

- Seta p’ (or mesal paraterminal seta) on tarsi I short, not extending beyond pretarsi.................................................... 4

3 Reticulate pattern on tegmen formed by unbroken striae with scattered broken striae within the patterns; prodorsal shield with 4 pairs of median stag horn-like setae ........................................................... M. aztecorum De Leon, 1962

- Reticulate pattern on tegmen formed by microtubercles with scattered microtubercles within the patterns; prodorsal shield with 5 pairs of median stag horn-like setae ........................................................... M. hawaiiensis ( Baker, 1949)

4 Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma straplike; setae d1 short, not able to reach eyes; propodonotal shield with 5 pairs of median stag horn-like setae .................................................................................. M. impolita ( Smiley & Moser, 1970)

- Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma rodlike; setae d1 long, able to reach eyes; propodonotal shield with 4 pairs of median stag horn-like setae .............................................................................................................. M. marshalli ( Baker, 1949)

5 Seta ft (or guard seta) on tarsi I minute, much shorter than half length of solenidion ω 1 ............................................ 8

- Seta ft (or guard seta) on tarsi I large, longer than half length of solenidion ω 1 .......................................................... 6

6 Pretarsal claw II–IV without basal apophysis; hysteronotal shield with 3 pairs of median stag horn-like setae ........... ............................................................................................................................................. M. cunliffei De Leon, 1962

- Pretarsal claw II–IV with basal apophysis; hysteronotal shield with 4 pairs of median stag horn-like setae .............. 7

7 Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma short, setae vi shorter than or about distance from its base to dorsal midline .............. ............................................................................................................................. M. panneus Summers & Price, 1970

- Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma long, setae vi longer than distance from its base to dorsal midline .............................. ......................................................................................................................................... M. virginiensis ( Baker, 1949)

8 Setae h2 absent (5 pairs of dorsolateral setae on hysteronotal shield); seta p’ on tarsi I extending beyond pretarsi; pretarsal claw II–IV with basal apophysis .................................................................................................................... 9

- Setae h2 present (6 pairs of dorsolateral setae on hysteronotal shield); seta p’ on tarsi I not extending beyond pretarsi; pretarsal claw II–IV smooth ........................................................................................ M. votandinii Jeffrey, 1975

9 Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma and most of leg setae rodlike; propodonotal shield with 6 pairs of median stag hornlike setae; leg I twice as long as the idiosoma ......................................................... M. shiva Bochkov & Ochoa, 2005

- Dorsolateral setae on idiosoma and most of leg setae spatulate; propodonotal shield with 5 pairs of median stag horn-like setae; leg I 1.2 times as long as the idiosoma ............................................................. M. thailandensis n. sp.