The neotype of Pediculaster mesembrinae (Canestrini, 1881) (Acari: Siteroptidae) and the description of all life stages

Abstract

The original holotype and paratypes of Pygmephorus mesembrinae Canestrini, 1881, now known as Pediculaster mesembrinae (Canestrini, 1881), once part of the Canestrini collection housed at the University of Padua, Italy, are lost. There is an urgent need for the designation and description of a neotype for Pediculaster mesembrinae in order to rectify the many misidentifications and to describe new species. In this paper, the neotype, a phoretic female, collected from a mushroom farm in Terlizzi (South Italy, Europe), is designated. Phoretic females of this collection are assumed to be conspecific with laboratory-cultured phoretic females of Kaliszewski from Alabama, USA. The assumption is tested by statistical analysis of the sizes of 39 traditionally used morphological characters. Subsequently the normal female, male and larva found in Kaliszewski's collection, are described.

Key words :

• Acari
• Siteroptidae
• Pediculaster mesembrinae (Canestrini, 1881)
• neotype
• female dimorphism
• life cycle stages