Scirula Berlese, 1887

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 : 40

Scirula Berlese, 1887

Remarks.

This is a monobasic subfamily, with the single genus containing two described and one undescribed species. The subfamily and genus are therefore treated together.

Historical review.

Berlese (1887) erected Scirula for Scirula impressa . Thor and Willmann (1941) and Baker and Hoffmann (1948) redescribed and illustrated Scirula impressa . Den Heyer (1980c) erected Scirulinae for the then monotypic genus. Michocka (1987) reported Scirula impressa from Poland. Smiley (1992) redescribed and illustrated Scirula impressa . Lin (1997) described Scirula papillata from China.

Diagnosis.

Gnathosoma. Pedipalps 4-segmented and do not reach beyond the subcapitulum. A flange-like apophysis present on either the genua or tibiotarsi. Pedipalps end in a stout claw. Subcapitulum with 4 pairs of r setae (hg1-4).

Idiosoma, dorsal. Proterosoma covered in a plate 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 may or may not be complemented with a plate. 6 dorsal setae, c1-h1, c2 present. Cupule im present.

Idiosoma, ventral. Coxae I- IV fused, resulting in a complete shield covering the ventral idiosoma. Genital plates each bear 4 setae; 2 pairs of genital papillae visible underneath the plates. Cupule ih present. Anal plates bear 2 pairs of setae (ps1 and ps2); 1 pair of setae born on integument next to anal plates.

Key to adult female Scirula

1	Hysterosomal shield present ( Fig. 45a ); Japan, USA, Denmark, Italy	Scirula impressa Berlese, 1887
-	Hysterosomal shield absent ( Fig. 45b ); China, USA	Scirula papillata Lin, 1997

Figures

Figures 45. Scirula key illustrations. 45 a Scirula impressa 45 b Scirula papillata.