The genus Mackiena is revised. I t is very close to bird-chiggers of the genus Neoschoengastia but differs especially in possessing a distinct pretarsal caruncle. This caruncle is a development of a rudimentary bud found on the pretarsi of many other species. In subgenus M ackiena the caruncle is well developed and the empodium is lost. In fact, the caruncle does not replace the absent empodium as sorne authors have been inclined to suppose. In subgenus Tinpinna, caruncle and empodium coexist together, demonstrating that they are two distinct structures. Tinpinna Toshioka and Hiromatsu is reduced to a subgenus of Mackiena Traub and Evans. M. (M. empodijormia, M (M.) todai, M. (M.) smadeli, M. (T.) sugiharai are revised and a new species M. (T.) premackiena is described, which clearly links Mackiena with Neoschoengastia.