Paraxonopsis Motaş & Tanasachi, 1947

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 : 143-144

Genus Paraxonopsis Motaş & Tanasachi, 1947 stat. nov.

Axonopsis (Paraxonopsis) : Cook, 1974a, pp. 332–333, figs. 1401–1405, 1407. Axonopsis (Paraxonopsis) : Cook, 1974b, p. 69, figs. 72–77. Axonopsis (in part): Smith & Cook, 1991, p. 577.

Axonopsis (in part): Smith et al., 2001, p. 614.

Axonopsis (in part): Smith et al., 2010, p. 555.

Axonopsis (Paraxonopsis) : Smit & Pešić, 2010, pp. 183–186, figs. 24, 25.

Diagnosis. Larva: Unknown.

Adults (modified from Cook 1974a, 1974b): Character states of Axonopsis -like mites. Dorsal and ventral shields broadly fused anteriorly; produced into a posterior cauda that bears genital field and is more strongly developed in males. Dorsal furrow lacking glandularia. Dorsal shield bearing four pairs of glandularia none of which flank excretory pore. Ventral shield on each side with ridge originating at lateral end of suture line between third and fourth coxal plates extending anterolaterally to lateral edge of shield; anterior coxal plates relatively wide and lacking hook-like projections; fourth coxal plate bearing one pair of glandularia in region between genital field and opening for insertion of fourth leg. Genital field bearing three or four pairs of acetabula. Suture lines between genital field and ventral shield indistinct. Gnathosoma with mouth opening subterminal in position; gnathosomal apodemes moderately long. Pedipalp tibia relatively long and slender, bearing a long, thick seta on a prominent projection and a sessile slender seta ventrally; tarsus shorter than tibia. Fourth leg with segments not flattened and telofemur not reduced in size.

Type species. Axonopsis vietsi Motaş & Tanasachi.

Species included. Paraxonopsis vietsi (Motaş & Tanasachi) (Europe) , P. acuminata (Cook) (West Africa), P. angulata (Cook) ( India) , P. balneatoris (Smit & Pešić) ( Oman) , P. cornifera (Cook) (West Africa), P. danielei Gerecke & Di Sabatino (Europe) , P. denticulata (Viets) (Java) , P. koenikei (Cook) (West Africa), P. luchtae (Viets) (Java) , P. neodadayi (Cook) (West Africa), P. panduvarna (Cook) ( India) , P. projecta (Cook) ( India) , P. pumila (Cook) (western United States of America), P. vivarna (Cook) ( India) . There are several undescribed species of Paraxonopsis from North America in the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids.

Distribution. Holarctic (Eurasia, North America), West Africa, India, Southeast Asia.

Discussion. Cook (1974a, 1974b) treated Paraxonopsis as a subgenus of Axonopsis and Smith & Cook (1991), Smith et al. (2001, 2010), Smit & Pešić (2010) and Gerecke & Di Sabatino (2013) followed this treatment. Here we propose to elevate the taxon to full generic level based on the unique combination of character states listed above.