A new genus of fungus-inhabiting blattisociid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Phytoseioidea) from Middle America, with a key to genera and subgenera of the subfamily Blattisociinae

摘要

The genus Fungiseius gen. nov. is described, based on adults of two newly described species. These rather short-legged mites, with their second pair of legs markedly thickened, have been collected only from bracket fungi. The more generalized form, F. clavulisetis gen. et sp. nov., is based on female specimens from Chiapas Province, southern Mexico. The more derivative form, F. armatus gen. et sp. nov., is based on females and males from several samples of bracket fungi in lowland tropical rainforest of Costa Rica, where they coexist with a remarkable variety of other blattisociine mites. Notable morphological attributes peculiar to adults of this genus include the dorsal shield having a delineated lateral rim that bears a row of setae of the lateral or marginal series, legs II greatly thickened, with enlarged, claw-like setae on the dorsolateral face of the tarsus, and deep furrows postgenitally on females and postanally on males and females. Comparisons are made with fungus-inhabiting mites of the genus Hoploseius, whose adults also have the second pair of legs thickened. A revised key to the world genera and subgenera of the subfamily Blattisociinae is presented; the genus Orthadenella Athias-Henriot is excluded, and placed in the ascoid family Melicharidae. The subgenera Borinquolaelaps Fox, Crinidens Karg, and Cuspiacus Christian & Karg, sensu Christian & Karg 2006 are treated as new synonyms of the subgenus Lasioseius Berlese.