Studies on the Tenerffiidae (Acari : Anystoidea). II. A review of the genus Austroteneriffia

Abstract

The genus Austroteneriffia Womersley is removed from synonymy with Parateneriffia Thor and redefined. Austroteneriffia hirsti Womersley, the type species, is redescribed and a second South Australian species, A. leei, sp. nov., is described. Three species are transferred to Austroteneriffia from Neoteneriffiola Hirst: A. hojoensis (Shiba & Furukawa, 1975), comb. nov., A. japonica (Ehara, 1965), comb. nov., and A. tadjikistanica (Wainstein, 1969), comb. nov. A key to the species of Austroteneriffia is given. The Argentinian species Austroteneriffia andrei Besch, 1962, is regarded as a species inquirenda.

The unique occurrence of a genual k″ on leg I of the holotype of A. leei, sp. nov., is regarded as an atavistic reversal, this seta having been secondarily lost in other Teneriffiidae. The chevron-like arrangement of cuticular striae, running from the naso to above coxa II/III in Teneriffiidae, is interpreted as a permanent, ecdysial cleavage-line of the prodehiscent type.

The Rhagininae (nom. emend., pro Rhaginae) Womersley, 1935, originally considered to be a subfamily of the Teneriffiidae, is explicitly recognised as a junior subjective synonym of Pseudocheylidae Oudemans, 1909. Rhagina Womersley, 1935 (currently a junior subjective synonym of Anoplocheylus Berlese) is a junior homonym of Rhagina Malloch, 1932 (Diptera).