Caribeacarus Vázquez & Klompen

Vázquez, Magdalena & Klompen, Hans, 2009, New species of New World Opilioacaridae (Acari: Parasitiformes) with the description of a new genus from the Caribbean region., Zootaxa 2061, pp. 23-44 : 34-36

Caribeacarus Vázquez & Klompen n. gen.

Diagnosis:

1. With 2 pairs of eyes and With's organ membranous and discoid (3 pairs of eyes and With's organ biramous and setiform in Paracarus and Siamacarus ).

2. Main opisthosomal segments in adults without setae (with numerous setae in Panchaetes , Salfacarus , and Vanderhammenacarus )

3. Penultimate segment of idiosoma with 3 setae (shared with Neocarus ; either 0 or 5 or more in all other genera)

4. Palp tarsus with 7–12 foliate setae ( Figs. 44–45 ) (shared with Phalangiacarus and Siamacarus ) 5. Tarsus I sensillum with "crown-like" tip distant from main group of sensory sensilla ( Figs. 54–55 ) (in main group in Neocarus ( Fig. 56 )). Condition unknown in C. panamensis .

Additional characters. Basal segment of chelicera in male usually with more than 1 setae ( Fig. 34 ) (shared with Siamacarus dalgeri Leclerc (2–5 setae) and Indiacarus (2 setae)); male C. panamensi s n. sp. with 1 seta. Palp trochanter in the adult with 5–8 setae (5 or less in Neocarus ). Sternitogenital region between the sternal and genital verrucae with relatively few setae, including 3–4 pairs of stout ribbed setae (usually 4–8 pairs of stout, ribbed setae in Neocarus ). N.B. our current understanding of variation in this group is poor, so these characters need to be re-examined when more material becomes available.

Species included:

Caribeacarus armasi n. sp. Type species

C. vanderhammeni ( Juvara-Bals & Baltac 1977) , new status

C. panamensis n. sp.

Note. The combination in the adults of 3 setae on the penultimate segment of the idiosoma, large numbers of foliate setae on the palp tarsus, and the terminal position of the "crown-like" tip sensillum of tarsi I, appears to provide good support for monophyly of Caribeacarus .

Figures

FIGURES 42 – 45. Palp tarsus. 42 – 44, Caribeacarus armasi n. sp.; 45, C. panamensis n. sp. 42, Protonymph (OSAL 8084); 43, Tritonymph (OSAL 0008093); 44, Male (OSAL 0007932); 45, Male (OSAL 0007885)

FIGURES 54 – 56. Tarsus leg I. 54, Caribeacarus armasi n. sp., protonymph (OSAL 0008084); 55, C. armasi female (OSAL 0008102); 56, Neocarus siankaanensis, female (OSAL 000565). Arrows in 55 – 56: sensillum with " crown-like " tip.

FIGURES 34 – 37. Caribeacarus armasi n. sp., gnathosoma. 34, Chelicera male, axial view (OSAL 0007930); 35 – 37, Subcapitulum, ventral view. 35, Protonymph (OSAL 8084); 36, Tritonymph (OSAL 0 0 0 8091); 37, Female (OSAL 0008101). Arrow: canal in lateral lips.