Biscutulumnemus gen. nov.

Diagnosis

This new genus shares characters with the genera of tribe Tarsonemini of subfamily Tarsoneminae, but differs from any other genus of this group by having a combination of character states as listed below.

Male and female with gnathosoma beaklike. Male bearing two small triangular shields anterolaterally to prodorsal shield, a large and rounded flange on posterolateral surface of leg IV, and without sejugal apodeme. Female with apodeme I very reduced and not fused to prosternal apodeme; middle third of sejugal apodeme weakened; apodeme poststernal reduced, distinct just on region of fusion of apodemes IV; stigmata placed posterolateral and very close to base of setae v1.

Remarks

This new genus resembles members of genus Dendroptus by having a beaklike gnathosomal capsule, a round flange on leg IV of males and the stigmata situated closely posterolaterad of setae v1 on females. However, Biscutulumnemus differs from this genus by the presence of femoral seta l'' and tibial solenidion 1, absence of the sejugal apodeme on male, and presence of a vestigial apodeme I on the female. Biscutulumnemus also resembles some members of Tarsonemus by having four setae on femora I, solenidion 1 and 2 on tibia I, and spinelike tarsal seta pl'' on leg II. Biscutulumnemus still closely resembles the Tarsonemus waitei group by the structure of ventral apodemes, but differs from all members of Tarsonemus by having a beaklike gnathosomal capsule and the stigmata very close to vertical setae v1 on the female. In addition, this new genus differs from the T. waitei group by having a round flange on leg IV of the male and by the absence of prodorsal apodeme on the female. The males of Biscutulumnemus can also be distinguished from Dendroptus and Tarsonemus by the absence of the sejugal apodeme and by having a pair of small triangular shields placed anterolaterally to the prodorsal shield. This pair of shields on the male is the most diagnostic character of Biscutulumnemus. However, the male is unknown in some species of tarsonemid mites, mainly in genus Tarsonemus. Therefore, we cannot be sure that that character is really unique. However, the combination of diagnostic characters of females is unique and differs strongly of any other genus of Tarsonemidae, making impossible to fit females of Biscutulumnemus in any other genus already erected.

Type species

Biscutulumnemus neotropicus sp. nov.