Neodiscopoma Vitzthum, 1943

Kontschán, Jenő & Starý, Josef, 2013, Two new Uropodina species from Ethiopia (Acari: Mesostigmata), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 49-56 : 49

Genus Neodiscopoma Vitzthum, 1943

In Hirschmann’s (1993) Uropodina system, which was based mainly on the gnathosomal processes (e.g. shapes of epistome, tritosternum, chelicerae and hypostomal setae), the genus Neodiscopoma is treated as a species group within the genus Uropoda , as the Uropoda splendida group. We do not agree with Hirschmann’s view, and discuss the species of the Uropoda splendida group as species belonging to the genus Neodiscopoma . Synapomorphies of Neodiscopoma include (all of these are missing in other taxa of the genus Uropoda s.l.): central area of dorsal shield elevated from the other parts, this area having strongly sclerotized margins; marginal shield reduced on caudal part; and setae in caudal area situated on small platelets.The genus Neodiscopoma is widely distributed in the Palaearctic region. Species of this genus can be found in Europe, the Middle East and Japan. Extra-Palaearctic species of the genus occur in Malaysia and Indonesia, with one species recorded from Tanzania. When Hirschmann (in Wiśniewski & Hirschmann 1993) moved the species N. franzi Marais & Theron, 1986 into the genus Uropoda , this species became a junior homonym of Uropoda franzi Hirschmann & Zirngiebl-Nicol, 1969 . Therefore, Hirschmann ( Wiśniewski & Hirschmann 1993) proposed a new name for this species (U. theroni Hirschmann, 1993). By restoring Neodiscopoma to generic rank, the original name Neodiscopoma franzi Marais & Theron, 1986 once again becomes available and the alternative name, U. theroni Hirschmann, 1993, becomes its junior synonym.