Considerations on systematics of the Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata), with definition of a new species group and description of a new species Author Tsolakis, Haralabos Author Ragusa, Salvatore text Zootaxa 2015 3926 2 229 243 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3926.2.4 c1814604-7caa-4cb2-8941-156572789b7d 1175-5326 245942 57A156D8-A3ED-4E3A-997B-55CED2C9695C porathi species group Tsolakis & Ragusa, species group nov. Exemplar species— Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) porathi Swirski & Amitai, 1967 : 53 . Diagnosis. The six known species of this species group are of Palaearctic origin ( Fig. 1 ) and are grouped considering the characteristic shape of the insemination apparatus. Insemination apparatus with a free bulbous atrium; minor duct clearly visible in some species. Major duct at least 1.5 times the length of the calyx. The latter tubular, with a thin-walled section near the atrium and a thicker section with a double ring near the vesicle. All the species belonging to this group have the same dorsal and caudoventral setal patterns, 12A:8A and JV:ZV, as most of the species belonging to the subgenus Anthoseius sensu Chant & McMurtry (1994) . Dorsal setae subequal in length, except for Z5, distinctly longer in some species, and J5, always distinctly shorter. Dorsal shield reticulated, with five pairs of solenostomes (gd2, gd4, gd6, gd8 and gd9). Apex of peritreme usually closer to base of j1 than of j3, except for Typhlodromus ( A .) wainsteini Arutunjan , closer to j3. Sternal shield smooth and lightly sclerotised; the posterior margin often indistinguishable. Extent of sternal shield variable, encompassing ST1-ST3 (hoplochorous) in Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) porathi Swirski & Amitai , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) betulae Kolodochka and Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) sandrae n. sp. , or encompassing only ST1 and ST2, with each ST3 on a separate platelet (tylochorous) in T. ( A. ) wainsteini Abbasova and Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) dactyliocalyx Stathakis, Papadoulis & Kapaxidi. Setae ST4 always each in a separate platelet. The insertions of ST3 and ST 4 in Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) krimbasi Papadoulis & Emmanouel are not clear. The ventrianal shield is subpentagonal, except in T . ( A .) dactyliocalyx where it is elongated; with four pairs of setae in addition to circumanal setae and a pair of evolved solenostomes (gv3) in all species, except in the new species described here, in which it is in primitive condition. FIGURE 1. Distribution of species of the porathi species group in the Palaearctic Zone. 1. T . ( A .) sandrae , 2. T . ( A .) betulae , 3. T . ( A .) porathi , 4. T . ( A .) krimbasi , 5. T . ( A .) wainsteini , 6. T . ( A .) dactyliocalyx . Movable cheliceral digit bearing 1–6 teeth and fixed digit with 3–5 in addition to apical tooth of each digit. All but one species with spatulate macrosetae on genu, tibia and tarsus of leg IV. Notes. There are two other clades in the rhenanus species group sensu Chant & McMurtry (1994) that share some apomorphies with the porathi species group: the fleschneri group , with Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) fleschneri Chant , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) terrulentis van der Merwe, Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) rapidus Wainstein & Arutunjan , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) neobakeri Prasad , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) brisbanensis Schicha , and the caudiglans group , with Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) caudiglans Schuster , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) nodosus De Leon , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) orientalis Wu , Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) marinus Wu & Liu and Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius ) timidus Wainstein & Arutunjan. Both of these groups share some external features with the porathi species group (habitus of dorsal shield, spatulate macrosetae on leg IV, presence of the solenostome gv3) but differ from it (and between themselves) in the different shape of the insemination apparatus. However, the definition of these taxa goes beyond of the aim of the present work.