Two new species of Tarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from Bahia, Brazil

Authors: SOUSA, A.S.G. - Universidade Estadual De Santa Cruz; REZENDE, J. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP); LOFEGO, ANTONIO - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP); Ochoa, Ronald - Ron; Bauchan, Gary; GULBRONSON, C. - Maryland Department Of Agriculture; OLIVEIRA, A. - Universidade Estadual De Santa Cruz

Submitted to: Systematic and Applied Acarology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2020
Publication Date: 6/2/2020
Citation: Sousa, A., Rezende, J.M., Lofego, A., Ochoa, R., Bauchan, G.R., Gulbronson, C., Oliveira, A.R. 2020. Two new species of Tarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from Bahia, Brazil. Systematic and Applied Acarology. 25(6):986-1012.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11158/saa.25.6.4

Interpretive Summary: Little is known about the mites that exist in the tropical rain forests of Brazil especially in the understory where in cocoa and jack fruit trees are grown. Two new species of mites are described using several modern microscopy techniques including light, confocal and scanning electron microscopy. These new species maybe sources of spreading fungal and bacterial diseases among these tropical crops. Modern microscopy techniques have greatly enhanced the ability to identify new characteristics useful for taxonomic identification of these new species. These results are important to tropical fruit tree producers, breeders, growers, plant protection officers, entomologists, pathologists, biologists and agriculture scientists in the government, at universities, and at private universities who are interested in how plant diseases spread.

Technical Abstract: The Tarsonemidae (Acari; Prostigmata) exhibit high diversity of feeding habits and morphological structures, which allow them to live on different habitats. Tarsonemus is the largest genus, with more than 280 described species from three subgenera; Tarsonemus sensu stricto, Chaetotarsonemus and Schaarschmidtia. Nine species of the genus have been reported from Brazil. Tarsonemus cacao sp.nov. from Theobroma cacao L. (Malvaceae) branches, and Tarsonemus bahiensis sp.nov. from Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) and Etlingera elatior Jack (Zingiberaceae) leaves are described and illustrated from a cabruca agroforest, a traditional cacao cultivation system in the southern coast region of Bahia state. Pharyngeal and gnathosomal structures of the new species are described in relation to other Tarsonemus species.