FNZ 7 - Cryptostigmata (Arachnida: Acari) - Usage
Luxton, M 1985. Cryptostigmata (Arachnida: Acari) - a concise review. Fauna of New Zealand 7, 112 pages.
(
ISSN 0111-5383 (print),
;
no.
07.
ISBN 0-477-06762-X (print),
).
Published 08 Dec 1985
ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/References/98C34746-C9D1-4CD1-8FD4-1115A3FAAFAB
Use of this guide
This review concerns adult cryptostigmatids only. Juvenile stages may readily be distinguished by the slit-like nature of their genital and anal openings, which have no true genital or anal plates. Furthermore, their cuticle is thin and unpigmented. Several of the primitive cryptostigmatids are also without pigment or anal or genital plates in the adult stage, but may be distinguished by their long, black setae, or by the presence of horizontal sutures on the notogaster.
Based as they are on adult stages, the keys are somewhat artificial, and are intended as an aid to identification rather than as an opinion on phylogeny. They represent a first attempt to bring order to the voluminous and scattered literature on the subject, and to stimulate further work on taxonomy and ecology of the New Zealand species. In the present fluid state of mite systematics it is inevitable that modifications will be made in the future. In particular, familial diagnoses are in need of revision (Johnston 1982), and this must be done on the basis of the world fauna. I have excluded diagnoses of nominal families for this very reason. Families, genera, and species should be readily identifiable by means of the keys provided, and for ease of rapid checking concise diagnoses of genera are given in the section 'Diagnoses, keys to species, and collection records'. Full diagnoses of species are not included in this review; the original literature must be consulted.
Collecting locations are recorded in the manner of Crosby et al. (1976).