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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305024
Title: A Study of the Species of Tenuipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) Deposited in the Smithsonian USNM Insect & Mite Collection

Author
item REZENDE, J. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)
item Ochoa, Ronald - Ron
item FERES, R. - Sao Paulo State University (UNESP)
item BAUCHAN, G. - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2014
Publication Date: 7/13/2014
Citation: Rezende, J.M., Ochoa, R., Feres, R.J., Bauchan, G.R. 2014. A Study of the Species of Tenuipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) Deposited in the Smithsonian USNM Insect & Mite Collection. Meeting Abstract. 13.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Tenuipalpus Donnadieu is the speciose genus of the family Tenuipalpidae, with over 300 described species. The descriptions of many of these species are not complete, and important information necessary for a correct identification is missing. The objective of this study was to re-describe species of Tenuipalpus, with a standard morphological format that facilitates their identification and cladistic analysis. The specimens studied are deposited mainly at the Smithsonian USNM Insect & Mite Collection, and included species described from different regions of the world. Phase Contrast, Differential Interference Contrast and Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LT-SEM) techniques were used to analyze and identify new morphological characters of the mites. We verified that Tenuipalpus caudatus Dugès, the type species of the genus, and a group of other described species share similar features (e.g. presence of projections anterior to the sce setae and posterior to c3 setae and opisthosoma with two crests, one transversal and one longitudinal). Based on these characters Tenuipalpus sensu stricto can be defined. In addition, the type specimens of Tenuipalpus matthyssei (Pritchard & Baker), the type species of the genus Colopalpus Pritchard & Baker (1958), a synonym of Tenuipalpus was studied. This species has intermediate characteristics with the genera Tenuipalpus and Brevipalpus. The elongate-ovate body shape, the male without a narrow hysterosoma, and the femora, gena and tibiae with d setae inserted in dorsal position are more similar to Brevipalpus, and the presence of long flagellate hysterosomal setae h2 is shared with Tenuipalpus.