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Issue: Vol. 4402 No. 2: 28 Mar. 2018
Type: Article
Published: 2018-03-28
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.2.4
Page range: 303–322
Abstract views: 71
PDF downloaded: 3

A new species of cave dwelling Neocarus (Acari: Opilioacaridae) from Bahia state, Brazil, with remarks on taxonomic characters

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Cristóvão Colombo 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
Laboratório de Estudos Subterrâneos, Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Via Washington Luís, km 235, Caixa Postal 676, CEP 13565-905, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Bldg. 012, 5th St., BARC-West, Beltsville, MD20705, USA.
Systematic Entomology Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Bldg. 005, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD20705, USA.
Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Cristóvão Colombo 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
Acari Opilioacarida hypogean free-living soil Neotropical

Abstract

Neocarus coronatus n. sp., is described from caves and the surrounding epigean habitats from a karst area of São Desidério county, Bahia state, Brazil. A dissection procedure is presented for the better use of scarce Opilioacaridae material, especially to analyze gut contents. Sexual dimorphism is presented, mainly differences in the density of setae on the dorsal shield in the prominent triangular anterior region. Females have an ovipositor with 3 pairs of smooth digitiform projections and 6–8 eugenital setae. Adults have a palpal tibiotarsus with 4 d setae. Using Low-Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LT-SEM), evaluation of the chaetotaxy (especially setal shape) and morphology are greatly improved over standard light microscopy techniques enhancing the interpretation of characters for species differentiation. Also, we discuss the fragility of microinvertebrates in cave habitats.

 

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