Ueckermannopalpus mineirus Castro, Ochoa & Beard, 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 : 35-39

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5653.1.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:71BBC5DB-72BA-4319-8536-4489AB9D468F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15821640
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/992C3264-FFF7-FFE9-A0D9-FE4DD35BC8C1
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Ueckermannopalpus mineirus Castro, Ochoa & Beard
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ueckermannopalpus mineirus Castro, Ochoa & Beard sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–9 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 )

Diagnosis

FEMALE: Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae short to minute. Central region of prodorsum smooth; sublateral region with longitudinal to oblique striae; opisthosoma with longitudinal striae sublaterally; central region between setae c1 and e1 mostly smooth; region posterior to setae e1 with transverse and broken striae. Palps three-segmented; second segment elongate and bearing one seta; distal (third) segment bearing one eupathidium. Ventral seta 4a2 absent; ventral cuticle mostly smooth; ventral propodosoma with longitudinal striae; ventro-genital and anal plates poorly developed. Trochanters I–IV 1-1-2-1, genua I–IV 3-3-0-0. Tarsal claws pad-like. MALE: Dorsal setae similar to those of female.

Type material. Holotype: female collected on Lychnophora ericoides Mart. ( Asteraceae ), from the Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra, located in São Roque de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, (20°10’S, 46°26’W), 21 September 2016, coll. E.B. Castro ( DZSJRP). Paratypes: 2 females, 1 male, same data as holotype ( DZSJRP); 1 female, same data as holotype ( DEES).

Description

FEMALE ( Figs. 1–5 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 , n=4). Dorsum ( Figs. 1–2 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 ): Distance between setae v2–h1 200 (190–205), sc2–sc2 120 (100–120). Anterior margin of prodorsum with one pair of median lobes, forming a forked projection with a notch. Central region of prodorsum smooth; sublateral region with longitudinal to oblique striae; opisthosoma with longitudinal striae sublaterally; central region between setae c1 and e1 mostly smooth; region posterior to setae e1 with transverse and broken striae. Opisthosomal pores present. Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae short to minute, similar in length. Setal lengths: v2 5 (5–6), sc1 5 (5–8), sc2 6 (6–8), c1 missing (6), c3 5 (4–6), d1 3 (3–5), d3 5 (4–5), e1 4 (3–6), e3 3 (3–5), f3 3 (3–4), h1 4 (4–5), h2 3 (3–4). Distance between setae: v2–v2 18 (16–18), sc1–sc1 75 (68–75), c1–c1 45 (38–46), c3–c3 135 (115–135), d1–d1 31 (23–31), d3–d3 123 (112–124), e1– e1 9 (9–11), e3–e3 100 (90–100), f3–f3 77 (72–78), h2–h2 45 (42–50), h1–h1 14 (14–15).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ): Palps three-segmented, basal (first) segment short; second segment elongate and bearing one long, acicular seta d 13 (13–14); distal (third) segment bearing one eupathidium ul′ 8 (8–9). Ventral setae m 16 (14–16), smooth; distance between setae m–m 11 (11–13).

Venter ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ): Ventral cuticle mostly smooth; ventral prodorsum with longitudinal striae laterally; cuticle between setae 3a and 4a with weakly transverse striae; ventro-genital and anal plates poorly developed. Coxal, genital and anal setae fine; setae 1a elongate filiform. Setal lengths: 1a 65 (65–80), 1b 30 (27–30), 1c 15 (10–15), 2b 16 (15–18), 2c 13 (11–13), 3a 10 (10–13), 3b 9 (9–12), 4a 10 (9–12), 4b 11 (11–13), ag 5 (5–8), g1 4 (4–5), g2 4 (4–5), ps2 8 (5–8), ps3 8 (7–8).

Spermatheca : Not visible.

Legs ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ): 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” 6 (6–7) and two eupathidia pζ′–pζ” (all 8–9). Femora with dorsal setae d, thin, smooth. Genua III and IV nude. Tarsal claws pad-like.

MALE ( Figs. 6–9 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 , n=1). Dorsum ( Figs. 6–7 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 ): Distance between setae v2–h1 150, sc2–sc2 88. Anterior margin of prodorsum with one pair of median lobes, forming a forked projection with a notch. Central region of prodorsum smooth; sublateral region with longitudinal to oblique striae; opisthosoma with longitudinal striae sublaterally. Opisthosomal pores present. Prodorsal and opisthosomal setae short to minute, similar in length. Setal lengths: v2 6, sc1 6, sc2 7, c1 6, c3 6, d1 missing, d3 5, e1 4, e3 5, f3 5, h1 4, h2 4. Distance between setae: v2–v2 13, sc1–sc1 55, c1–c1 29, c3–c3 88, d1–d1 22, d3–d3 80, e1– e1 9, e3–e3 62, f3–f3 55, h2–h2 33, h1–h1 12.

Gnathosoma : Palps similar to those of females. Seta d on second segment 11, eupathidium ul′ on distal (third) segment 7. Ventral setae m 12; distance between setae m–m 12.

Venter ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ):Cuticle between setae 1a and 4a with fine weak striae centrally; prodorsal region with longitudinal to oblique striae laterally. Genital plate with transverse striae centrally. Anal valves with weakly longitudinal striae. Coxal, genital and anal setae fine; setae 1a elongate filiform; setae ps3 modified and inserted in a ventral and distal position on anal valves. Setal lengths: 1a 18 broken, 1b 20, 1c 9, 2b 15, 2c 12, 3a 10, 3b 12, 4a 10, 4b 9, ag 11, g1 13, g2 12, ps2 7, ps3 7.

Legs ( Figs. 8–9 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 ): 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, 10(2)- 10(2)-5-5. Tarsi I and II with two solenidia (one abaxial, one adaxial), tarsi I ω” 7, ω’ 7, tarsi II ω” 7, ω’ 6 and two eupathidia pζ′–pζ” (7, 7; 8, 8 respectively). Other setae similar to those of female.

IMMATURES: Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name mineirus in honour of the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil, where the species was collected.

Differential diagnosis. Ueckermannopalpus mineirus sp. nov. resembles U. cerradoensis sp. nov., here described, by the shape of dorsal setae and dorsal ornamentation, but can be separated by having ventral setae 4a short (elongate and filiform in U. cerradoensis sp. nov.) and setal formula of tibia 5-5-3-3 (5-5-3- 2 in U. cerradoensis sp. nov.).