A review of Charletonia Oudemans (Trombidiformes: Erythraeidae) based on the larval stage

Abstract

The genus Charletonia is revised based on type specimens and other specimens from species and locations worldwide. A total of 86 species were identified and the genus was divided into three morpho-groups, and seven subgroups. The following synonymies were also made: C. braunsi and C. agatae as junior synonyms of C. kibonotensis; C. farajii as a junior synonym of C. shahriari; C. saboorii as a junior synonym of C. damavandica; C. dalegori as a junior synonym of C. nazeleae; C. bahaensis Kamran and Alatawi, 2014 as a junior synonym of C. krendowskyi (Feider, 1954); C. hunanensis Zheng, 1996 as a junior synonym of C. banksi Southcott, 1966 and C. lombokensis Haitlinger, 2006 as a junior synonym of C. okinawaensis (Kitahara & Takara, 1964). Also, tarsal chaetotactic maps are shown, leg chaetotaxy is discussed, and keys to species groups, subgroups, and species are included. We amended and provided new morphological data for 41 species. The holotype of C. farajii is considered as a neotype for C. shahriari.