Ueckermannopalpus unguibus Tassi, Castro & Machado, 2025

Castro, Elizeu B., Tassi, Aline D., Machado, Vinicius B. G., Ochoa, Ronald, Beard, Jennifer J., Seeman, Owen D. & Lofego, Antonio C., 2025, A new genus of flat mites (Acariformes: Tenuipalpidae), with the description of three new species from Brazil, Zootaxa 5653 (1), pp. 33-62 : 49-50

Ueckermannopalpus unguibus Tassi, Castro & Machado sp. nov.

( Figs. 15–21 )

Diagnosis. FEMALE: Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae short to minute. Central region of prodorsum smooth; lateral and sublateral regions with longitudinal to oblique striae; opisthosoma with oblique striae laterally; central region between c1–c1 to h1–h1 smooth. Palps two-segmented; distal (second) segment elongate and bearing one seta and one eupathidium. Ventral seta 4a2 absent; ventral cuticle mostly striated; ventro-genital and anal plates poorly developed. Trochanters I–IV 1-1-2-1, genua I–IV 3-3-0-0. Tarsal claws uncinate. DEUTONYMPH: Dorsal setae sc2, c3 and d3 acicular, barbed; other dorsal setae short to minute.

Type material. Holotype: female collected on Echinolaena inflexa (Poir.) Chase. ( Poaceae ), from Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil, (15º52’31.1” S 47°50’29.1” W), 02 August 2018, coll. A.D. Tassi ( DZSJRP). Paratypes: 6 females, 1 deutonymph, same data as holotype ( DZSJRP); 3 females, same data as holotype ( DEES).

Description

FEMALE ( Figs. 15–19 , n=4). Dorsum ( Figs. 15–16 ): Distance between setae v2–h1 262 (245–265), sc2–sc2 170 (150–160). Anterior margin of prodorsum with one pair of central median lobes, forming a forked projection with a notch, and one pair of lateral projections. Central region of prodorsum smooth; lateral and sublateral region with longitudinal to oblique striae; opisthosoma with longitudinal striae laterally; central region between c1–c1 to h1–h1 smooth. Opisthosomal pores present. Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae short to minute, similar in length. Setal lengths: v2 5 (5–6), sc1 4 (4–7), sc2 10 (10–12), c1 10 (9–10), c3 7 (7–10), d1 5 (5–6), d3 9 (8–11), e1 4 (3–5), e3 6 (4–6), f3 5 (5–6), h1 6 (4–6), h2 5 (5–7). Distance between setae: v2–v2 30 (27–30), sc1–sc1 95 (94–98), c1–c1 51 (47–52), c3–c3 157 (147–162), d1–d1 34 (31–38), d3–d3 136 (131–142), e1– e1 20 (17–22), e3–e3 102 (97–102), f3–f3 83 (77–87), h2–h2 50 (50–61), h1–h1 20 (17–20).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 18 ): Palps two-segmented, basal (first) segment short; distal (second) segment elongated and bearing one long seta d 17 (13–17) and one setiform eupathidium ul′ 8 (8–11). Ventral setae m 8 (8–13), smooth; distance between setae m–m 14 (12–15).

Venter ( Fig. 17 ): Ventral cuticle mostly striated; ventral propodosoma with longitudinal striae laterally and irregular striae centrally; cuticle between setae 3a and 4a with transverse striae; ventro-genital and anal plates poorly developed; region between setae ag and ps3 with transverse striae. Coxal, genital and anal setae fine, short to minute; setae 1a and 4a elongate filiform. Setal lengths: 1a 80 (62–84), 1b 27 (15–27), 1c 14 (12–15), 2b 17 (15–20), 2c 14 (11–15), 3a 12 (9–12), 3b 15 (10–15), 4a 93 (57–93), 4b 13 (12–16), ag 5 (4–6), g1 4 (4–5), g2 3 (3–5), ps2 9 (6–9), ps3 10 (7–10).

Spermatheca : Not visible.

Legs ( Fig. 19 ): Setal formula for legs I–IV (coxae to tarsi): 2-2-1-1, 1-1-2-1, 4-4-2-1, 3-3-0-0, 5-5-3-3, 9(1)- 9(1)-5-5. Tarsi I and II each with one solenidion ω″ 7 (6–9), ω″ 7 (6–7), respectively, and two eupathidia pζ′–pζ″ 12 (11–12), 11 (10–13), respectively. Femora with dorsal setae d, acicular, barbed. Genua III and IV nude. Tarsal claws well-developed, uncinate.

DEUTONYMPH ( Figs. 20–21 , n=1). Dorsum ( Fig. 20 ): Distance between setae v2–h1 187, sc2–sc2 105. Anterior margin of prodorsum shield rounded without projections or notch. Prodorsum smooth; region between setae c1 and d1 with widely spaced, incomplete transverse folds and striae; posterior opisthosoma smooth. Dorsal setae sc2, c3 and d3 barbed, longer and thicker than other dorsal setae; other dorsal setae short to minute. Setal lengths: v2 4, sc1 5, sc2 16, c1 6, c3 16, d1 3, d3 18, e1 3, e3 4, f3 3, h1 3, h2 3. Distance between setae: v2–v2 28, sc1–sc1 73, c1–c1 35, c3–c3 110, d1–d1 24, d3–d3 91, e1– e1 8, e3–e3 70, f3–f3 58, h2–h2 39, h1–h1 14.

Gnathosoma : Palps similar to those of females. Seta d on second segment 7, eupathidium ul′ 6. Ventral setae m 8; distance between setae m–m 13.

Venter : Cuticle between setae 1a and g1 with fine transverse striae; coxal, genital and anal setae fine; setae 1a and 4a elongate filiform. Setal lengths: 1a 45, 1b 7, 1c 6, 2b 6, 2c 5, 3a 5, 3b 5, 4a 20, 4b 6, ag 3, g1 3, ps2 5, ps3 4.

Legs ( Fig. 21 ): Setal formula for legs I–IV (coxae to tarsi): 2-2-1-1, 1-1-2-1, 4-4-2-1, 3-3-0-0, 5-5-3-3, 9(1)- 9(1)-5-3. Tarsi I and II each with one solenidion ω” 4, 5, respectively, and two eupathidia pζ′–pζ″ 9, 10, respectively. Tarsus IV with tc′–tc” absent. Other setae similar to those of female.

MALE: Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name unguibus (claw, L.) refers to the presence of uncinated tarsal claws.

Differential diagnosis. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov. can be easily separated from the other species in the genus by the unique presence of uncinated tarsal claws.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., dorsum of female.

FIGURE 16. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., dorsum of female.

FIGURE 17. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., venter of female.

FIGURE 18. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., ventral infracapitulum of female.

FIGURE 19. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., female. A —leg I, B —leg II, C —leg III, D —leg IV. (Left legs). (Unguinal setae u’–u” on tarsi I and II are represented by their setal bases only).

FIGURE 20. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., dorsum of deutonymph.

FIGURE 21. Ueckermannopalpus unguibus sp. nov., deutonymph. A —leg I, B —leg II, C —leg III, D —leg IV. (Right legs).