Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 60. (Budapest 1968)

Farkas, H.: On the systematics of the family Phytoptidae (Acari: Eriophyoidea)

It is now a safe inference to state that all species bearing an odd number of setae on the shield descended from a common ancestor. The common ancestral form had evidently lived on a conifer, and its descendants retained, in a strikingly conservative character, their original foodplant, that is spread at most to closely related taxa. It also seems to be a safe assumption now that the odd or even numbers of the setae borne on the shield of the species belonging to the family Phytoptidae indicate two big, phylogenetically distinct subgroups. Since these two groups sharply differs (with respect to the very numbers of setae) from one another, I deem it justified to attempt a clarification of the systematical conditions of the family Phytoptidae. With three (Novophytoptinae .ROIVAINEN, Sierraphytoptinae KEIFER, Nalepellinae ROIVAINEN) of the four subfamilies of the family Phytoptidae, there are, in essence, no fundamental problems. Each of the three subfamilies is homogeneous: they comprise species with odd- or even-numbered hairs on the shield. The problems resulting, however, from the inhomogeneous subfamily Phytoptinae KEIFER will, for the sake of a better survey, be discussed under serial numbers in the folio wings. 1. The subfamily Phytoptinae KEIFER, 1944, should, for the sake of attempting homogeneity, be broken up. For its type-genus, KEIFER (1938) selected Phytoptus DTJJARDIN, 1851 (type-species : Ph. avellanae NAL.), the species being a characteristical representative of the group bearing 4 setae on the shield. The subfamily Phytoptinae KEIFER comprises, accordingly, only genera which contain species bearing four shield setae ( Anciphytoptus KEIFER, 1944, Acathrix KEIFER, 1962, Phytoptus DTJJARDIN, 1851, Mackiella KEIFER, 1939). 2. The new subfamily Trisetacinae subfam. n. is hereby erected. For the typespecies of the genus Trisetacus KEIFER, KEIFER (1952), selected the species Trisetacus pini (NALEPA, 1887), and the new subfamily is hereby based on the type-genus Trisetacus KEIFER, 1952. It will contain all species bearing 3 setae on the shield, hereby removed from the subfamily Phytoptinae KEIFER, 1944 (Trisetacus KEIFER, 1952). 3. The new subfamily Boczekellinae subfam. n. is also hereby established. The type-species of the genus is Boczekella laricis FARKAS, 1965. Phylogenetically, the new taxon may be regarded as a further development of the subfamily Trisetacinae, insofar as its posterior pair of setae disappeared, and the number of tergites surpasses that of the ventrites. Identification key of the family Phytoptidae MURRAY, 1877 1 (6) Shield with 4 setae. 2 (5) Number of tergites and ventrites equal. 3 (4) Less than 10 rings present between coxae and genital organ of female; sternal line not T-shapecT Phytoptinae KEIFER, 1944 4 (3) Female genital organ situated on 10—12. ring; sternal line T-shaped Novophytoptinae ROIVAINEN, 1953 5 (2) Number of tergites and ventrites different Sierraphytoptinae KEIFER, 1944 6 (1) Shield with 1 or 3 setae. 7 (10) Shield with 3 setae.