Taxonomy of the Family Teneriffiidae (Acari: Prostigmata: Anystoidea): Generic Synonymies with the Key to World Species of the Family

Simple Summary The generic divisions of the family Teneriffiidae have been dealt with superficially, by which different morphological features were introduced over time to justify the addition of apparently unnecessary genera. The present research provides thorough and detailed insight into the taxonomy of the family Teneriffiidae, and different morphological characters were evaluated. As a result, two genera, Teneriffia Thor and Parateneriffia Thor, were considered valid based on persistent morphological character/s. The other existing genera were synonymized, and a diagnostic key to genera and species of the family Teneriffiidae was developed while four species were synonymized.Abstract The family Teneriffiidae Thor has an equivocal and patchy generic history due to a lack of proper diagnostic character/s, causing the addition of an over-sufficient number of genera (i.e., nine) for the 28 described species. The present study aimed to resolve those taxonomic uncertainties related to generic divisions and species assignments by thoroughly reviewing all the published literature of the family, identifying key diagnostic character/s for generic divisions while debating on previously used morphological features. In the present research, only two genera, Teneriffia Thor and Parateneriffia Thor, are considered valid genera in the family Teneriffiidae, based on the absence and presence of palpgenu oncophysis, respectively. The previously used other generic diagnostic characters such as coxal setal formula, pectination strength of leg claws, absence or presence of genital papillae, genital discs, and pedal solenidion have been argued for their inconsistencies. A total of four species were synonymized with the closely related species, while additional notes for six poorly described species are given. Moreover, the key to the genera and species of the family Teneriffiidae is provided.