210 



Acarology 



Caeculidae Berlese, 1893 



Figures 160, 161 



Diagnosis: The caeculids are brownish black, moderately large mites 

 from 1.0 to 2.60 mm. long. They are plump, short, broad, and some- 

 what trapeziform in shape. There is no suture between the propodo- 

 soma and the hysterosoma. The body is heavily armored, usually with 



Figure 160 Caeciilus calechius Mu- 

 laik. Palpus. (After Mulaik 1945) 



Figure 161 Caeciilus pettiti Nevin. 

 Dorsum of female. (After Nevin 1943) 



seven dorsal shields (three unpaired and two paired) surrounded by 

 weakly striated or wrinkled skin. There are two pairs of lenslike eyes 

 on each side of the propodosoma. An outstanding character is the row 

 of tubercles on the inner side of leg i which supports very long, strong 

 spines giving them the name of "rake-legged mites"; a similar row is 

 on leg II. All tarsi lack pretarsi but have two ambulacral claws which 

 are often of different sizes. There is no empodium. The short palpi 

 have strong tibial claws and there is a ventrally placed tarsus or thumb 

 on the tibia. The chelicerae are short and thick with a strong, sickle- 

 like, movable chela and only a remnant of the fixed chela. No genital 

 suckers are present. 



Genera: 



1. Ccieculus Dufour, 1832 



Type. Caeciilus echinipes Dufour, 1832 



2. Procaeculus Jacot, 1936 



Type. Procaeculus bryani Jacot, 1936 



