Sigilla in four species of Paraphytoseius (Acari: Phytoseiidae): comments and voucher photos

A total of 9 pairs of sigilla on the podonotum (all in pair except single sai' but counted as a pair: sai', sai, saii, saiii, saiv, sav, savi, sp, and ss) and 7 pairs on the opisthonotum (saix, sax, saxi, saxii, saxiii, saxiv, and sg) along with setae, solenostomes and lyrifissures in 9 females of 4 species and 3 males of 2 species of paraphytoseius [cracentis (corpuz and rimando, 1966) = 3 non-paratype females; multidentatus swirski and shechter, 1961 = 2 paratype females; orientalis (narayanan, kaur and ghai, 1960) = 2 non-type females and 1 non-type male; and santurcensis de leon, 1965 = 2 paratype females and 2 paratype males] are compared and given in several voucher photos. these are similar in location to those described by athias- henriot (1975). they are very similar in all 4 species, with little difference in female and male, and thus appear to be of no taxonomic value in differentiating these species. problems with sigilla, especially, near and posterior to j1-j1 and around the solenostome gd5, are discussed. it is established that sigilla on the opisthonotum (7 pairs: saix, sax, saxi, saxii, saxiii, saxiv and sg) are well differentiated and clearly seen than those on the podonotum in these species and may be used for study in other species of phytoseiidae. a hypothetical model of p. cracentis in a line drawing indicating all sigilla in relation to the dorsal setae, solenostomes, and lyrifissures is included.