Microdispidae, Cross, 1965

Hajiqanbar, Hamidreza & Sobhi, Mohammad, 2018, New records of the microdispid mites (Acari: Heterostigmata: Microdispidae) associated with ants with a review of the family in Iran, Persian Journal of Acarology 7 (2), pp. 105-113 : 108-109

Key to genera and species of the family Microdispidae recorded from Iran

1. Tibiotarsus I with claw …………………………… Unguidispus ………...…..………….……. 2

- Tibiotarsus I without claw ………………….………………………………..…………………. 3

2. Dorsal setae of hysterosoma spatulate with dense barbs …………..…...…………… U. japonicus

- Dorsal setae of hysterosoma simple, smooth or weakly barbed …….…………….… U. okumurai

3. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate entire …………….…..…………………………….. 4

- Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate tripartite …………..…………………...………….. 13

4. Pseudanal segment with three pairs of setae; tibia IV with three setae ……………………..……... ……………………………………… Neomicrodispus ……………………………... N. iranicus

- Pseudanal segment with two pairs of setae; tibia IV with four setae ……………….………..… 5

5. Tibiotarsus I with three solenidia and 14 setae; pharyngeal pump III much larger than pump I ………………………………………… Paramicrodispus ………………………....…….….... 6

- Tibiotarsus I with four solenidia and 16 setae; pharyngeal pumps I and III reduced, subequal …... ………………………………….……… Caesarodispus ………………………..…………….. 7

6. Setae c 1 shorter than distance c 1 - c 2; setae e and f subequal; setae e not reaching to bases of setae h 1 ………………………………………………....………………………… P. scarabidophilous

- Setae c 1 subequal to distance c 1 - c 2; setae e longer than f; setae e reaching to bases of setae h 1 ……... ………………………………….………………………..………………… P. crenulatus

7. Hysterosomal tergites not reticulated; femur II with three setae ..…………………..….………. 8

- Hysterosomal tergites distinctly reticulated; femur II with two setae …..…………... C. samsinaki

8. Tibia IV seta d heavily barbed, reaching beyond tip of pretarsus IV ..……………………….… 9

- Tibia IV seta d smooth or weakly barbed, not reaching beyond tip of pretarsus IV ….…….… 11

9. Seta d of femur IV longer than tc” of tarsus IV; minute setae ps 2 present …..……..… C. modestus

- Seta d of femur IV shorter than tc” of tarsus IV; minute setae ps 2 absent.…………………… 10

10. Distance h 1 - h 2 and h 1 - h 1 usually subequal; posterior part of aggenital plate smooth ……………... …………………..……………………………………………………….…………. C. nodijensis

- Distance h 1 - h 2 about 2.5 times longer than h 1 - h 1; posterior part of aggenital plate distinctly reticulated.……………………………………………………….…………………. C. pheidolei

11. Posterior part of aggenital plate distinctly reticulated ……………………….…... C. shandizensis

- Posterior part of aggenital plate smooth …………………………………..……………...….… 12

12. Distance h 1 - h 2 clearly about 2.5 times longer than h 1 - h 1 …………………….……… C. khaustovi

- Distance h 1 - h 2 and h 1 - h 1 subequal ……………………………………………...…….. C. minutus

13. Seta s of tibiotarsus I present; two pairs of cheliceral setae ……. Punicodoxa …... P. termitophila

- Seta s of tibiotarsus I absent; usually one pair of cheliceral setae ….… Premicrodispus …….. 14

14. Setae 4 a present ……………………………………………………………………...……..…. 15

- Setae 4 a absent ……………………………………..……………………………….………… 16

15. Bases of setae f associated with well-developed oblique ridges ………………………. P. lineatus

- No ridges near the bases of setae f …………………………………………………. P. paramaevi

16. Setae ps 2 present …………………………………………………………………………....…. 17

- Setae ps 2 absent …………..…………………………………………………………….……... 19

17. Setae h 1 and h 2 subequal; tarsi and tibiae II and III with spine-like setae ……………... P. spinosus

- Setae h 2 distinctly shorter than h 1; tarsi and tibiae II and III with no spine-like seta ………..... 18

18. Tibiotarsus I with four solenidia; seta ps 3 longer than h 1; setae e and h 1 subequal ….. P. turkmenus

- Tibiotarsus I with three solenidia; seta h 1 distinctly longer than ps 3 and e ..………... P. akermanae

19. Setae sc 2 and d subequal ……………………………..………………..…………. P. acutisetosus

- Setae sc 2 distinctly longer than d …………………………………..………….………………. 20

20. Setae ps 3 distinctly longer than ps 1 ……………………………………………….. P. longicaudus

- Setae ps 1 and ps 3 subequal …………………………………………………………………….. 21

21. No ridges near the bases of setae e ……………………………………………..………. P. krczali

- Bases of setae e associated with well developed oblique ridges …………………………….… 22

22. Setae sc 2 and c 1 subequal; setae c 2 and c 1 situated almost at the same level ………….… P. rackae

- Setae sc 2 distinctly longer than c 1; setae c 2 situated distinctly anterior to c 1 ………… P. brevisetus