Pseudofeltria Soar, 1893

Smith, Ian M., Cook, David R. & Gerecke, Reinhard, 2015, Revision of the status of some genus-level water mite taxa in the families Pionidae Thor, 1900, Aturidae Thor, 1900, and Nudomideopsidae Smith, 1990 (Acari: Hydrachnidiae), Zootaxa 3919 (1), pp. 111-156 : 119

Genus Pseudofeltria Soar, 1893

Pseudofeltria: Cook, 1974a , p. 288, figs. 1219–1225, 1229.

Pseudofeltria: Smith, 1976 , pp. 48–49, 79, 81, 90–92, figs. 12–14.

Pseudofeltria: Smith & Cook, 1991 , pp. 554, 576, 578, figs. 16.167, 16.171. Pseudofeltria: Smith et al., 2001 ; pp. 581, 612, 615, figs. 129, 131, 337. Pseudofeltria: Smith et al., 2010 , pp. 524, 553, 556, figs. 15.129, 15.131. 15.338. Pseudofeltria: Gerecke, 2014 , pp. 60–66, figs. 3–5.

Diagnosis. Larva (modified from Smith 1976): Character states of the subfamily Foreliinae. Lateral coxal apodeme nearly parallel to anterior edge of second coxal plate. Third coxal plate with medial coxal apodeme present and transverse muscle attachment scar present. Excretory pore plate triangular in shape with setae ps1 well anterior to setae ps2. Numbers of setae on leg segments as follows: IITi 9; IIITr 2 (seta Tr2 present); IIITi 9.

Adults (modified from Smith 1976): Character states of subfamily Foreliinae. Idiosoma with dorsum bearing sclerotized plates of various sizes and shapes that may be coalesced into a dorsal shield that occupies entire dorsal surface; venter with coxal plates and genital field surrounded by soft integument or incorporated in a ventral shield that occupies entire ventral surface. First, second, and third coxal plates without spatulate setae near lateral edges. Genital field with 10–30 acetabula per side borne on ventral shield in males and either on tongue-shaped acetabular plates surrounded by soft integument or on ventral shield in females; acetabular region extending laterally beyond posterolateral angles of fourth coxal plates. Gnathosoma bearing anchoral process. Pedipalp segments moderately long and slender, with tibia bearing two slender setae on small projections ventrally and a peg-like, sessile seta distomedially. Male third leg with tarsus bearing unmodified claw sockets and claws; fourth leg with genu unmodified, lacking both thick setae and a proximoventral projection, tibia relatively long, slightly expanded distally, and bearing a patch of blade-like setae distoventrally, and tarsus curved dorsally, bearing a row of thick, peg-like setae that extends both proximal and distal to deepest part of curved portion, and bearing slender unmodified claws.

Type species. Pseudofeltria scourfieldi Soar.

Species included. Pseudofeltria scourfieldi Soar (Europe) , P. quadriscutata Biesiadka (eastern Europe), P. aemiliana Gerecke (southern Europe), P. multipora Cook (eastern North America), P. laversi Cook (western North America). There are five undescribed species of Pseudofeltria from North America in the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids.

Distribution. Holarctic (Europe, North America).

Discussion. Cook (1974a), Smith (1976), and Gerecke (2014a) all considered Pseudofeltria as a separate genus and we follow that treatment here.