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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295179
Title: A new genus and species of Nematalycidae (Acari: Endeostigmata)

Author
item BOLTON, S. - The Ohio State University
item KLOMPEN, H. - The Ohio State University
item BAUCHAN, G. - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron

Submitted to: Journal of Natural History
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2013
Publication Date: 2/20/2014
Citation: Bolton, S.J., Klompen, H., Bauchan, G.R., Ochoa, R. 2014. A new genus and species of Nematalycidae (Acari: Endeostigmata). Journal of Natural History. 48(23-24):1359-1373.

Interpretive Summary: Soil mites are important in agricultural and environmental conservancy. This paper describes a new genus and new species of a mite associated with soil from Ohio. Notes on the ecology and behavior of soil mites are included. This study will be important to and used by scientists in biology, ecology and systematics.

Technical Abstract: Osperalycus tenerphagus, a new genus and species of Nematalycidae (Acari: Endeostigmata), is described from Ohio, USA, using light microscopy and low temperature scanning electron microscopy. Specimens were extracted from two different loam soils. This genus can be readily distinguished from the other genera of Nematalycidae by the simple setae that line the opisthosoma. The mouthparts are especially distinct in possessing 3-segmented palps, an unusual vessel-shaped structure, and rutella that overlap at the midline. The discovery of rutella in this genus and in two other genera indicates that the Nematalycidae can be more confidently assigned to the Endeostigmata (Sarcoptiformes).