Coleoscirinae Den Heyer, 1978, 1979

Skvarla, Michael J., Fisher, J. Ray & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2014, A review of Cunaxidae (Acariformes, Trombidiformes): Histories and diagnoses of subfamilies and genera, keys to world species, and some new locality records, ZooKeys 418, pp. 1-103 : 65-66

Coleoscirinae Den Heyer, 1978

Historical review.

Berlese (1888) described the first Coleoscirinae , Scirus curtipalpus , from Argentina. Berlese (1916) then erected Coleoscirus for two new species, Coleoscirus halacaroides and Coleoscirus corniculatus ( Coleoscirus corniculatus was later synonomised with Coleoscirus curtipalpus by Den Heyer 1978b). Smiley (1975) erected Pseudocunaxa and Pseudobonzia . Scutascirus was erected by Den Heyer (1976) for a South African species, Scutascirus polyscutosus . Den Heyer (1977a) erected Neoscirula for three South African cunaxids. Den Heyer (1978b) synonymized Pseudocunaxa with Coleoscirus and erected Coleoscirinae for the known genera. Tseng (1980) erected Lapicunaxa for two species from Taiwan. Smiley (1992) moved Neoscirula from Coleoscirinae to Bonziinae , synomised Lapicunaxa with Coleoscirus , and erected Neobonzia in Neobonzinae . Den Heyer and Castro (2008b) erected Coleobonzia for some species previously contained in Pseudobonzia . Den Heyer and Castro (2008c) moved Neoscirula back to Coleoscirinae . Den Heyer (2011c) moved Neobonzia to Coleoscirinae , effectively disregarding Neobonzinae , and synonymized Coleobonzia with Neobonzia .

Diagnosis.

Gnathosoma. Pedipalps 5-segmented and reach beyond the subcapitulum by at most the distal half of the tibiotarsi. Basifemora and telofemora fused but retain a dark line. Tibiotarsi usually complemented with a tubercle and a dorsodistal solenidion. Pedipalps end in a stout claw. Chelicera with seta present or absent. Subcapitulum bears 6 pairs of setae: 2 pairs of adoral setae and 4 pairs of subcapitular setae (hg1 - 4). Setae hg4 often longest.

Idiosoma, dorsal. Proterosoma covered in a shield which bears 4 pairs of setae: 2 pairs of simple setae (lps and mps) and 2 pairs of setose sensilla (at and pt). Dorsal hysterosoma median plate present or absent; if present this plate separate or fused to the proterosomal shield. Plates and shields smooth or variously covered with papillae that form reticulations. Up to 8 pairs of setae present on the dorsal hysterosoma (c1 - f1, c2, f2, h2); if these setae do not occur on larger plates or shields they may be born on small platelets that are barely larger than the setal socket. Cupule im present, usually laterad or in the proximity of e1. Unsclerotized integument striated.

Idiosoma, ventral. Coxae I-II fused and may coalesce medially to form a single sternal plate. Each pair of coxae complemented with 3 pairs of setae; if they form an extensive sternal shield, setae normally born on the unsclerotized integument may be located on the shield. Coxae III-IV fused; they may be restricted to the trochantral bases or extend posteriorly beyond the genital plates. Each pair of coxae complemented with 3 pairs of setae; if the plates are extensive they may bear setae normally born on the unsclerotized integument. The genital plates each bear 4 setae; 2 pairs of genital papillae visible underneath the plates. 1-8 pairs of setae present on the integument between coxae III and the genital plates. Anal plates complemented with 2 pairs of setae (ps1-2). Two pairs of setae (h2, pa) located on the integument near the anal plates. Cupule ih present in close proximity to h2. Legs shorter than idiosoma; they are never constricted apically so as to end in lobes. Trichobothrium on leg tibia IV present. Ambulacral claws on either side of a four-rayed empodium present.

Key to adult female Coleoscirinae

(modified from Den Heyer and Castro 2008b)

1	Idiosomal plates well-developed and defined; hysterosomal shield present and fused to proterosomal plate ( Fig. 66a, b ); females and most males with coxae I-II fused medially into a sternal shield ( Fig. 67a ); apices of some solenidia, especially on tarsi I, swollen	2
-	Idiosomal plates poorly developed and sometimes ill-defined; hysterosomal plate absent ( Fig. 66c, d ); coxae I-II usually not fused medially and restricted to trochantral bases ( Fig. 67b, c ); solenidia on tarsi I and II usually cylindrical	3
2 (1)	Idiosoma with 15 to 19 plates, including 4 pairs of dorsolateral plates ( Fig. 66a ); 2 dorsal plates; pedipalp tibiotarsal ventral tubercle often bifurcate ( Fig. 68a )	Scutascirus
-	Idiosomal with no more than 8 plates; dorsolateral plates absent ( Fig. 66b ); females with only one dorsal plate but males with up to 3 dorsal plates; pedipalp tibiotarsal ventral tubercle not bifurcate, plain ( Fig. 68b )	Coleoscirus Berlese, 1916
3 (1)	Pedipalp tibiotarsus short and nearly cone-like ( Fig. 69a ); cheliceral trochanters broad; ambulacral claws smooth	Neoscirula Den Heyer, 1977
-	Pedipalp tibiotarsus long and usually narrow and S-shaped ( Fig. 69b ); cheliceral trochanters narrow; ambulacral claws rippled	4
4 (3)	Subcuticular reticulated pattern present on proterosomal, coxal, and genital plates: usually very conspicuous, even proximal leg segments may possess such pattern ( Fig. 67c )	Pseudobonzia Smiley, 1975
-	Subcuticular reticulated pattern absent or restricted to the edge of coxae ( Fig. 67d )	Neobonzia Smiley, 1992

Figures

Figures 66 - 69. Cunaxoidinae key illustrations. 66 a-d Idiosoma, dorsal. Position of setae will vary between species. 67 a-d Idiosoma, ventral 66 a, 67 a Generalized Scutascirus. Presence, position, and extent of lateral plates will vary between species 66 b, 67 b Generalized Coleoscirus 66 c, 67 c Generalized Pseudobonzia 66 d, 67 d Generalized Neobonzia 68 a Scutascirus pedipalp tibiotarsus, arrow indicates bifurcate tubercle 68 b Coleoscirus pedipalp tibiotarsus, arrow indicates plan tubercle 69 a Neoscirula pedipalps with short, cone-like tibiotarsus 69 b Pseudobonzia and Neobonzia pedipalps with elongate, s-shaped tibiotarsus.