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Issue: Vol. 5849 No. 4: 15 Jul. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-07-15
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5849.4.1
Page range: 451-476
Abstract views: 194
PDF downloaded: 20

Four new species of larval Neotrombidium (Acariformes: Neotrombidiidae) from the subelytral space of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and remarkable synhospitality

Queensland Museum; Biodiversity and Geosciences; PO Box 3300; South Brisbane; Qld; 4101; Australia
Griffith University; GH103 170 Kessels Rd; Nathan; 4111; Qld; Australia
Acari taxonomy co-parasitism synhospitality protelean parasites diagnostic key chaetotaxy terrestrial Parasitengona resource tracking aridification

Abstract

Four new species of Australian Neotrombidium (Acariformes: Neotrombidiidae) are described from larvae removed from beneath the elytra of pinned darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Neotrombidium prunus sp. nov. was collected from the piedish beetle Pterohelaeus walkeri (Brême) (Tenebrionidae: Heleini) and is most obviously distinct from all other species by having bulbous seta 2b, and is most similar to Neotrombidium folium Shaw, which has a strong spur-like seta 2b. The other three species are more like each other: N. turdus sp. nov. and N. occultus sp. nov. were collected from Pt. walkeri and, on one beetle, were synhospitalic with N. prunus sp. nov.; and N. ubiquitus sp. nov. was found on Kaszaba coerulescens (Haag-Rutenberg) (Tenebrionidae: Cnodalonini) and Promethis nigra (Blessig) (Tenebrionidae: Cnodalonini) from several localities in New South Wales and Queensland. Larvae of N. barringunense Hirst were also collected from beneath the elytra of Dimorphochilus pascoei (Macleay) (Tenebrionidae: Alleculini), the first recorded host of this widespread mite species. Diagnostic keys to larvae are provided to the genera of Neotrombidiidae and to species of Neotrombidium. The unusual subelytral habitat and reasons for synhospitality are discussed.

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How to Cite

Seeman, O.D. & Jackson, E.R. (2026) Four new species of larval Neotrombidium (Acariformes: Neotrombidiidae) from the subelytral space of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and remarkable synhospitality. Zootaxa, 5849 (4), 451–476. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5849.4.1