CONTRIBUTION TO THE TAXONOMY OF THE GENUS SPINTURNIX (ACARI, SPINTURNICIDAE), WITH THE ERECTION OF A NEW GENUS, EMBALLONURIA

We evaluated various characters, inclusive of those observable rapidly and intuitionally, as taxonomic criteria for Spinturnix mites. In add ition to the form and nature of idiosomal armatures, and chaetotaxy on idiosoma, idiosomal armatures and legs that have been widely used as taxonomic criteria, the topography of proteronotal setae, dorsal scale s, ornamentations on the dorsal shield, sternal or sterno-genital shie ld, and venter of proximal leg segments were proved to be characterist ic of a species. As the first step for putting the taxonomy of Europea n species in order, the myoti, acuminata, carnificina and psi species groups were defined to show morphological properties characteristic of each species or species group. Known species were relegated to the re spective groups as many as possible. Spinturnix orientalis Turk was tr ansferred to Emballonuria gen. n. The new genus was characterized by i ts 3 pairs of proteronotal setae, hooked spermadactyl, unique patterns of dorsal cuticle and dorsal shield, large tritosternum, anal shield with anal cribrum, relatively short peritreme and peritremal shield no t reaching to the venter, short posterior seta of coxa II, and unique leg pattern. Spinturnix helvatiae Deunff, Keller et Aellen was relegat ed to a subspecies of Spinturnix acuminata (C.L. Koch).