Amblypalpus Mitrofanov & Strunkova, 1978

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 : 58

Genus Amblypalpus Mitrofanov & Strunkova, 1978

Type species: Amblypalpus narsikulovi Mitrofanov & Strunkova, 1978

Diagnosis (adult female)

Palps three-segmented; palp tarsus usually with 1 terminal phanere, or with highly reduced second phanere ( narsikulovi ). Anterior margin of prodorsum with distinct median forked projection forming a notch, sometimes flanked by lateral projections ( masakii , thomissus ); dorsal opisthosoma with 7–8 pairs of setae (c3, d1, d3, e1, e3, f3, h1 present; c2, d2, e2, f2, h2 absent; c1 present, or absent in masakii ); dorsal setae variable: fine, short ( masakii , narsikulovi ) or heteromorphic ( thomissus with sc1, c1, e1 very long, lateral setae thickened). Ventral and genital plates merged together into ventro-genital region ( masakii , narsikulovi ), or genital plate developed ( thomissus ); 2 pairs of ps setae (not known for masakii ); anal plate membranous with ps2–3 inserted longitudinally ( narsikulovi , thomissus ), or unknown ( masakii ); setae 4a elongate fine ( masakii , narsikulovi ), or short ( thomissus ); supernumerary coxal setae 4a2 present ( narsikulovi ) or absent ( masakii , thomissus ), supernumerary coxal setae 3a2 absent. Trochanter setal formula 1-1-2-1 or unknown ( thomissus ). Femora formula 4-4-2-2 or 4-4-2-1; femur III seta d present, femur IV seta d present or absent ( masakii ). Genua formula 3-3-1-0 or 3-3-0-0; genua III with l seta present ( narsikulovi ) or absent ( masakii , thomissus ). Tibiae with five setae (lʹʹ present). Femora I–IV, genua I–II, tibiae I–IV usually with seta d and lʹʹ acicular, smooth ( narsikulovi , masakii ) or unknown ( thomissus ). Ontogeny of leg setae unknown. Tarsal claws pad-like. Opisthonotal pores present ( masakii , narsikulovi ) or absent ( thomissus ).

Remarks. We propose that Amblypalpus includes just three species, A. narsikulovi Mitrofanov & Strunkova (the type species), A. masakii (Ehara & Ueckermann) , and A. thomissus (Meyer) . The diagnosis of the genus has been modified to exclude the species A. iraniensis and A. thymus , which are here moved to Ueckermannopalpus gen. nov. The three species of Amblypalpus have opisthosomal setae h2 absent ( Table 1 ), and the dorsal opisthosoma bearing 7–8 pairs of setae (i.e., c3, d1, d3, e1, e3, f3, h1 present; c1 present or absent). The absence of setae h2 is considered a synapomorphy of the tribe Obuloidini ( Beard et al. 2022) and is also observed in the genera Terminalichus Anwarullah & Khan, 1973 and Goodeniacarus.