Diaguitacarus, Stekolnikov, Alexandr A. & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2015

Stekolnikov, Alexandr A. & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2015, A review of Chilean chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae), with the description of a new genus and ten new species, Zootaxa 3964 (1), pp. 1-43 : 21-22

Diaguitacarus gen. nov.

Type species: Diaguitacarus choapensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. SIF = 6B-N-3-2111.0000; fsp = 7.7.7; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fPp = B/B/BNB. Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap; galeal seta nude; palpal claw with 3 prongs; palpal femoral seta branched; palpal genual seta branched; dorsal and ventral palpal tibial setae branched, lateral palpal tibial seta nude; palpal tarsus with 6 branched setae and basal tarsala. Scutum small, nearly pentagonal, with angulated posterior margin, sparsely covered with puncta, bearing 1 anteromedian, 2 anterolateral and 2 posterolateral scutal setae; sensilla clavate, sensillary bases anterior to level of PLs; eyes 2 + 2. Legs 7-segmented, with 1 pair of claws and claw-like empodium; microtarsalae I and II situated proximal of tarsalae; mastitarsala III absent.

Hosts. Iguanid lizards of the genus Liolaemus Wiegmann.

Distribution. Chile, Coquimbo Region, Choapa Province.

Etymology. The name of the new genus is combined from the ethnonym Diaguita belonging to a group of South American indigenous peoples living in the type locality of the new genus and the new Latin word acarus meaning “mite”.

Remarks. Using the key in Brennan and Goff (1977) Diaguitacarus is keyed as Eusaperium Brennan, 1970 , but differs from it in a pentagonal scutum (vs. trapezoidal, with pronounced anterior angles and broadly rounded or concave posterior margin in Eusaperium ); 1 pair of humeral setae vs. 2–3 pairs; sensilla clavate vs. capitate; 2 genuala I situated at about the same level vs. situated in tandem; fPp = B/B/BNB vs. B/B/BBB.

FIGURE 12. Whartonacarus chaetosus . A, dorsal idiosomal setae of 1st row; B, preanal ventral idiosomal seta; C, scutum and eyes; D, arrangement of dorsal idiosomal setae; E, arrangement of ventral idiosomal setae. Scale bars: 20 Μm (A, B), 50 Μm (C), 100 Μm (D, E).