Willungella Southcott

Seeman, Owen D. & Palmer, Christopher M., 2011, Parasitism of Apteropanorpa tasmanica Carpenter (Mecoptera: Apteropanorpidae) by larval Leptus agrotis Southcott (Acari: Erythraeidae) and Willungella rufusanus sp. nov. (Acari: Microtrombidiidae), Zootaxa 2925, pp. 19-32 : 23

Genus Willungella Southcott

Willungella Southcott, 1994: 91 .

Type species

Microtrombidium willungae Hirst, 1931 ; by original designation.

Diagnosis

Larva. Stolascutum smooth, not strongly lineate laterally, bearing three pairs of setae (AM, AL, PL) and one pair of trichobothria. AL scutalae closer to AM scutalae than to scutal sensilla. Setae c1 on entire scutella, setae c2 each on separate scutella, setae d2 each on separate scutella, other dorsal setae on small sclerites. Stephanostome weakly annulated. Tritorostral setae pilose. Tarsal claws I–III 2, 2, 3, respectively; tarsus III truncate, with lophotrix and scopa.

Remarks

Willungella was erected by Southcott (1994) for four species: Willungella willungae ( Hirst, 1931) , the type species; W. australis ( Womersley, 1936) ; W. obscura ( Womersley, 1936) ; and W. leei Southcott, 1994 . These species were found in South Australia, and larvae of W. willungae and W. leei were collected from a noctuid moth and a spider, respectively. Larvae for W. australis and W. obscura were collected free on the ground. Post-larval stages are known for W. willungae only.

The monotypic genera Buandikia and Parawillungella seem closely related to Willungella (see also GabryŠ & Wohltmann 2001): the former is distinguished by having longitudinal striae on the lateral parts of the prodorsal scutum, and the latter by having the AL scutalae closer to AM scutalae than to the scutal sensilla. We re-examined the type specimens of the species in each of these genera and found some discrepancies in leg setation. Southcott’s (1994) illustrations of Willungella , Buandikia and Parawillungella show microseta к on Genu I–II on W. australis (Womersley) only, but we found microseta к in all species. Southcott (1994) also shows five setae on femur I of Parawillungella nitida (Southcott) , but this species has six setae.