Pionacercopsis K. Viets, 1926

Gerecke, R., 2014, Pseudofeltria (Acariformes: Pionidae) In Europe: Three Previously Described Taxa, A Species New To Science From The Northern Apennines, And A Redefinition Of Foreliinae, Acarologia 54 (1), pp. 57-67 : 59

Genus Pionacercopsis K. Viets, 1926

Diagnosis (after Cook 1974, modified) — Idiosoma soft in female, but with dorsal and ventral shields in male. Coxal plates in four groups in female, but Cx- I+II medially fused and Cx-III+IV closely in touch in male. Cx-I+II with short posterior apodemes, Cx- IV medial margin well developed in male, in females medial margin of Cx-III+IV mostly formed by Cx-III. Genital field with three pairs of large acetabula; in females genital plates triangular, with strongly reduced sclerotized surface, mostly covered by acetabula and with concave medial and lateral margins between anterior and posterior acetabula. Males without petiole. P-4 mediodistally with small peg-like seta. Male IV-L exhibiting sexual dimorphism: IV-L-4 with a spur-like extension covered by numerous peg-like setae, IV-L-6, which is bowed with 7-8 peg-like setae on concave margin.

Discussion — Up to date, Pionacercopsis was ranked as a subgenus of Pionacercus . However, distinct character states (a long and slender palp and rather large, circular acetabula in both sexes, in males the development of a dorsodistal spur on IV- L-4, in females the reduction of the sclerotized genital plate surface around the acetabula) suggest to consider this taxon as a separate genus.