Review of the mite family Pachylaelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata)
Author
MAŠÁN, PETER
Author
HALLIDAY, BRUCE
text
Zootaxa
2014
2014-03-12
3776
1
1
66
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3776.1.1
journal article
5865
10.11646/zootaxa.3776.1.1
fffc3d5c-425a-47ab-9bb5-c4e1e130ce3c
1175-5326
5047863
20BC10E3-3C51-4EBB-A5BD-5E214595D3A7
Genus
Olopachys
Berlese, 1910
Pachylaelaps
(
Olopachys
)
Berlese, 1910a: 256
.
Type
species
Pachylaelaps
(
Olopachys
)
scutatus
Berlese, 1910
, by original designation.
Berlese (1910a)
described
Olopachys
as a subgenus of
Pachylaelaps
, in which the females have the anal and genitiventral shields fused together.
Koroleva (1977b)
,
Karg (1993)
and
Mašán (2007a)
considered this character state to be of generic importance because there is no other pachylaelapid genus with an entire genitiventrianal shield covering the posteroventral idiosoma. The genus was re-defined by
Mašán (2007a
,
2007b
), and currently comprises 14 described species distributed mainly throughout the Caucasus and adjacent regions.
In
Olopachys
, as in other genera of
Pachylaelapinae
, there are species with 1–2 spur-like distal setae on tarsus II, as well as species with dorsal setae J5 either minute or normal.
Mašán (2007b)
divided the genus into two subgenera, namely
Olopachylaella
and
Olopachys
s. str.
The subgenus
Olopachylaella
may be reliably distinguished from
Olopachys
s. str.
mainly by the presence of normal needle-like clunal setae J5, and a shortened and foliate spermatodactyl. In general appearance, gnathosomal features and armature of legs II (not considering the fusion of the genitiventral shield and anal shield),
Olopachylaella
is similar to
Pachylaelaps
(
Longipachylaelaps
)
, which also has normally developed setae J5. More significant similarities in external morphology between
Olopachylaella
and
Longipachylaelaps
than between
Olopachylaella
and
Olopachys
s. str.
suggest convergent or parallel evolution of the two
Olopachys
subgenera as well as the secondary fusion of the genitiventral and anal shields in
Olopachylaella
.