Shimer, 1868
Appearance in life
Scale cover of adult female elongate, shaped like a mussel shell, usually strongly convex, grey to brown to purple, with dark, terminal exuviae; scale cover of immature male (when present) similar to that of female but smaller.
Morphology
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Adult female not pupillarial; body elongate and fusiform; usually membranous except for pygidium, but a few species sclerotized on thorax; lateral lobes of free abdominal segments well developed, often with marginal sclerotized spurs or bosses present. Pygidium with median lobes well developed, well separated; each lobe with the side margins parallel for at least part of their lengths; not zygotic. Second lobes well developed, bilobed; third and fourth lobes absent, or represented by prominences or serrations only. Ventral paraphyses often arising from the lobes, slender and usually more or less parallel with longitudinal axis. Gland spines well developed, present on pygidial segments and at least abdominal segments III and IV; a pair always present between the median lobes; replaced by duct tubercles when anterior to abdominal segment II. Anus circular to oval, situated in the anterior quarter of the pygidium; vulva situated at, or just anterior to, centre of pygidium. Marginal macroducts usually numbering 6 (sometimes 7) on each side of the pygidium, never with macroduct present between median lobes; each marginal macroduct enlarged, with a thick sclerotized rim and with the long axis perpendicular to the margin. Dorsal macroducts smaller than marginal ducts, or represented as microducts, arranged in segmental rows. Duct tubercles may be present anterior to abdominal segment II. Perivulvar pores present in 5 groups. Stigmatic disc pores present by anterior spiracles only. Antennal setae numbering 1-5, usually 2 or 3.