Malaconothrus

[Genus Malaconothrus]

Berlese established Malaconothrus as a subgenus when he described Lohmannia (Malaconothrus) egregius in 1904. He did not designate a type-species but he did compare L. (Malaconothrus) egregius with Nothrus monodactylus Michael, 1888. Subsequently, Sellnick (1928), Willmann (1931), Baker and Wharton (1952), Knülle (1957) and Balogh (1965, 1972) considered Malaconothrus monodactylus as the type of the genus. However, van der Hammen (1959) concluded that the genus was monotypical, only the identity of Malaconothrus egregius being certain at that time, and named Malaconothrus egregius as the type-species. This opinion was subsequently accepted by Balogh and Mahunka (1983). The identity of Nothrus monodactylus Michael, 1888 is firmly established here as being the first described species of the genus, and confirms the view of most authorities that this species should be regarded, in the absence of primary designation, as the type for the genus.

The species of Malaconothrus are small yellowish animals, typically found in wet biotopes. The body is generally covered with a cerotegument which may be granulated or otherwise patterned and which is easily abraded. Species have been described from every continent except Antarctica but their taxonomy is difficult (van der Hammen, 1952) and much confusion exists in the literature. This confusion was not resolved by the first key to the species (Willmann, 1931) which contained many inaccuracies and anomalies. A clearer picture of the European species was provided by van der Hammen (1952, 1959) and Knülle (1957). Balogh and Mahunka (1983) accepted, keyed and illustrated the following European species: M. egregius (Berlese, 1904), M. mollisetosus Hammer, 1952, M. processus van der Hammen, 1952, M. punctulatus van der Hammen, 1952, M. gracilis van der Hammen, 1952. Two other species, M. monodactylus and M. globiger Trägardh, 1910, were considered by those authors as species inquirendae. However, Knülle (1957) suggested that M. globiger could be differentiated on the basis of 'gefiederten notogasterhaare' (the adanal setae are also figured as setose in Trägardh's diagram), and 'ventrale Kiel am Femur I', while M. monodactylus is redescribed below.