legs have a single pair of dorsal setae. Setac are lacking on all patellae and femora.

First pair of thoracic setae vestigial or absent, second pair 27μ long, third pair 42μ long. Sternum broad, simple, extending to level of thoracie setae II.

Abdomen with a median dorsal arch flanked by a shallow furrow on either side; 64 smooth tergites and about 80 finely microtuberculate sternites. Lateral setae absent. Ventral setae I, 67μ long, located on about the 20th postgenital ring. Ventral setae II, 12μ long, located on about the 40th postgenital ring. Ventral setae III, 37μ long, located on 9th ring from rear. Caudal setae about 80μ long. Minute accessory caudal setae present.

Epigynium bowl-shaped, 32μ wide and 20μ long. Coverflap smooth. Genital setae 12μ long, located at sides of epigynium (Fig. 1).

Male: 178μ long and 67μ wide. Generally resembling the female and with a similar setal distribution.

Type locality: Northeote, Auckland.

Collected by Miss J. Dingley, September 24, 1951.

Fig. 1—Diptilomiopus cerinus sp. nov.
D, dorsal shield; ES, detail of side skin; F, featherelaw; GF, female genitalia and coxae from below; R, right legs of mite; S, side view of mite

Host: Coprosma australis (A. Rich.) Robinson.

Relation to host. Inquiline on erinose leaves.

Type material. Type slide so designated and with the above data and a single paratype slide from the same material. Both slides located in the collection of the Plant Diseases Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Auckland, New Zealand.

This species is closest to D. javanicus, which it resembles in setal reduction and general form. However, it is readily distinguished by the presence of patellae on both pairs of legs These are lacking in D. javanicus. Both males and females of D. cerinus sp nov. produce large quantities of a white, waxy substance. This appears to be exuded mainly as three longitudinal ridges of flocculent material. In this character the species resembles D. aleyrodiformis, but differs from it in setal reduction.

Nalepa's original description of the genus Diptilomiopus may be translated as follows:

“Abdomen not uniformly ringed, dorsal half rings broader than ventral half rings. Leg joint 3 absent, legs therefore 5 jointed. Shaft of the featherelaw forked.”

The deeply forked featherclaw is a striking characteristic of this genus. Each half of the featherelaw resembles a miniature pretarsus in itself. Though Nalepa stressed the absence of leg joint 3 (patella or genu) as a generic character, its presence in other members of the genus indicates that this character is really of specific value only. Other characteristies of the genus are the massive rostrum, prominent stylets, broad sternum and varying degrees of setal reduction. Setal reduction reaches a maximum in D. javanicus and D. cerinus, where the dorsal, lateral, patella and femoral setae are absent In D. arctostaphyli, D. abronius, and D. carolinensis the dorsal, later and hind patella setae are absent. In D. pr [ unclear: ] orum, D. sacramentae, D aleyrodiformis, and D. calicoryli all the major body setae are present. The furrowing of the abdomen is suggestive of that found in Epitrimerus (sl).

Keifer (1944) erected a new tribe (Diptilomiopini) for Phyllocoptinae with a large rostrum set at right angles to the body and large, abruptly curved chelicerae He included in this tribe Phyllocoptyches Nal., Diptilomiopus Nal., Rhyncaphytoptus Keif, and Quadracus Keif. The latter three genera are very closely related, Diptilomiopus being distinguished by its two-lobed featherclaw. There appears to be little reason for separating Rhyncaphytoptus and Quadracus. The form of the abdominal rings in Phyllocoptyches renders it quite distinct from the other members of the tribe.

The known species of Diptilomiopus may be separated by the folowing key.