Revision of the Unionicolinae (Acari: Unionicolidae)

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Abstract
All species in the subfamily Unionicolinae Oudemans are combined into a single genus Unionicola Haldeman, with 18 subgenera. The genera Unionicolopsis Viets and Heteratax Lundblad are reduced in rank to subgenera. Two new subgenera (Cookatax and Kovietsatax) are erected and described for the first time. Diagnoses, hosts, list of species, distributions, and a key are provided for the subgenera. The genus Unionicola is considered holophyletic with the subgenus Unionicola as the least derived group. All other subgenera represent divergent groups displaying unique characters, but synapomorphies among subgenera permit the grouping of subgenera into separate clades. Distributions of the subgenera reflect continental drift, and molluscan parasites have ranges that coincide with their hosts. Groups of more closely related subgenera display evolutionary adaptive radiation from a subgroup of the subgenus Unionicola. A cladogram showing the hypothetical cladogenetic events resulting in the present subgenera in Unionicola is presented.