Definition of Tenuipalpus sensu stricto (Acari, Tenuipalpidae), with redescription of Tenuipalpus caudatus (Dugès) and description of a new species from Costa Rica

Abstract

The taxonomic history of the genus Tenuipalpus Donnadieu is discussed and Tenuipalpus caudatus (Dugès) (=Tenuipalpus palmatus Donnadieu) is redescribed based on specimens from Portugal intercepted at ports of entry in the United States, and references including photographic records of the neotype of T. caudatus. In addition, a proposed new species, Tenuipalpus erbei sp. nov. is described from Costa Rica. Our results show that T. caudatus, T. erbei sp. nov. and another 36 known species of Tenuipalpus share a pair of lateral body projections associated with setae c3, considered a synapomorphy for the newly defined group, Tenuipalpus sensu stricto. We also show that its members share other character states, although these features are found elsewhere in Tenuipalpus and also in Ultratenuipalpus, indicating their origins are within Tenuipalpus. A list of Tenuipalpus sensu stricto species is presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Flat mites
• taxonomy
• systematics
• Tenuipalpus palmatus Donnadieu
• body projections
• crests
• remote-sampling
• low-temperature scanning electron microscopy

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to Carlos Vargas (CATIE-Costa Rica), Ronald Vargas, Danilo Brenes and Maylin Paniagua (ALAS parataxonomists), Dr Hugo Aguilar (UCR), Nit Malikul and Debra Creel (SEL-USDA) for their technical support; to Chris Pooley (ECMU-USDA) for his help with the LT-SEM images. In addition, we wish to thank the following for collecting and/or lending valuable specimens: Dr Laura Leibensperger, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Museum of Comparative Zoology – (MCZ), Harvard University; Dr Bob Blinn, NCSU Insect Museum, Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University; Dr Gilberto J. de Moraes and Dr Carlos H.W. Flechtmann, The Acarology Collection – USP-ESALQ; Dr Cal Welbourn (FSCA-DPI, Florida, USA). We thank Mr. Eric McDonald, Dr Gregory Evans (APHIS-USDA), Dr Barry OConnor (Univ. of Michigan), Dr Owen Seeman, Dr Bruce Halliday and Dr Jennifer Beard (Australia) for their careful revision and very helpful suggestions on the manuscript. We thank Dr Fábio Akashi (Brazil), Dr Henri André, Dr Wouter Dekoninck (Belgium) and Dr Mark Judson (France) for information on the T. caudatus neotype.

Notes

1. The cover of Annales de la Societe Linneene de Lyon, volume 22, says “Annee 1875”, but the publisher’s imprint says 1876, so 1876 is the date of publication of palmatus. The original combination is T. palmatus Donnadieu, 1876 (B. Halliday pers. comm.).

Additional information

Funding

We thank the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, ALAS Project (Finca La Selva, Costa Rica), University of Maryland (Dept. of Entomology), National Agricultural Library (NAL-USDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Program and APHIS for their support and assistance with references, permits and funding for this study. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the USDA; USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This study was supported by the “Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior” (CAPES) (Proc. n° BEX 7768/13-3) and “Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico” (CNPq) (Proc. n° 303435/2013-5), by fellowship and research grant to first and third authors, respectively.