Salfacarus, Van der Hammen, 1979

Ma. Magdalena Vázquez G. & Hans Klompen, 2010, The genus Salfacarus (Acari: Opilioacarida) in Madagascar, Zootaxa 2482, pp. 1-21 : 19-20

Key to the adults of Salfacarus species in Madagascar

This key is restricted to the species from Madagascar because the descriptions of the three species known from mainland Africa are incomplete, disallowing proper evaluation of characters.

1 Ratio of dorsolateral setae on tibia IV to width of tibia IV distinctly exceeding 1.0; legs IV in female may be longer than legs I ............................................................................................................ S. robustipes Van der Hammen 1977

- Ratio less than 1.0; legs IV always shorter than legs I ................................................................................................ 2

2 Ovipositor with one or more distinct pairs of spinose structures near its base ( Figs. 12, 13 ) ..................................... 3

- Ovipositor with trachea-like structures, patches of differentiated cuticle or no specific structures ( Figs. 26, 27 ) ..... 4

3 Palp femur with a very large (15–19) number of papilliform setae; movable digit of male chelicera with 3–5 ventral denticles .................................................................................................................................. S. antsirananensis n. sp.

- Palp femur with a much smaller (6–12) number of papilliform setae; movable digit of male chelicera with very few ventral denticles (1–2) .................................................................................................................. S. kirindiensis n. sp.

4 Pregenital setae in the female tapering; ovipositor with a pair of trachea-like structures ( Fig. 27 ) .............................. ........................................................................................................................................................ S. ranobensis n. sp.

- Pregenital setae in female papilliform; ovipositor with patches of differentiated cuticle, but without large basal structures.............................................................................................................................................................................. 5

5 Ovipositor with one large basal, and two much smaller distal patches of differentiated cuticle.................................... .............................................................................................................................. S. legendrei Van der Hammen 1977

- Ovipositor with all three patches of differentiated cuticle of similar size ( Fig. 26 ) .................. S. mahafaliensis n. sp.

Figures

FIGURE 12 – 13. Ovipositor. 12, Salfacarus antsirananensis n. sp. (OSAL 007755). 13, Salfacarus kirindiensis n. sp. (OSAL 007323).

FIGURES 26 – 27. Ovipositor. 26, Salfacarus mahafaliensis n. sp. (OSAL 007323). 27, Salfacarus ranobensis n. sp., ovipositor. (OSAL 007268).