Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Tenuipalpus sensu stricto (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), including the updating of the world family catalogue

• Grant number: 16/01193-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Reinaldo José Fazzio Feres
• Grantee: Elizeu Barbosa de Castro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/12258-9 - Study of the Tenuipalpidae mites (Acari: Prostigmata) deposited in the Queensland Museum Mite Collection, Queensland, Australia, BE.EP.PD 17/00458-8 - Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Tenuipalpus sensu stricto (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) deposited in the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), and use of LT-SEM technique for a better interpretation of the morphological characters, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The family Tenuipalpidae (Acari: Prostigmata) is comprised of more than 1,100 species belonging to 40 genera. Tenuipalpus Donnadieu is the largest genus of Tenuipalpidae, with over 300 described species. Recently, this genus was divided into two groups: sensu stricto and sensu lato. The monophyletic group sensu stricto is supported by the presence of a pair of lateral projections associated with the setae c3. The definition of this group allowed a better understanding about of the systematic of the genus, but the relationships among its species are still not well understood. Regarding the World Catalogue of Tenuipalpidae, six new genera and more than 250 new species have been described since the publication of the first version in 2009, becoming necessary the updating of this work. Thus, the main objectives of this project are: a) conduct a taxonomic review and propose a phylogeny for Tenuipalpus sensu stricto based on an analysis of morphological characters by the studying of types specimens deposited in collections and new species; b) conduct an update of World Catalogue of Tenuipalpidae, and make the information available on an online database. In addition, micrographs of morphological characters useful for this study will be taken using a low-temperature scanning electron microscope (LT-SEM) and a study of the development of leg chaetotaxy in species of this group of tenuipalpids is proposed. The candidate will also perform an internship in the United States for at least six months, to study the type specimens deposited at the Smithsonian Institution and collaborate with the Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit (ECMU-USDA) in imaging various morphological characters of the mites used in the study. (AU)

Scientific publications

(10)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; RAMOS, FELIPE A. M.; FERES, REINALDO J. F.; OCHOA, RONALD; BAUCHAN, GARY R.. Redescription of Tenuipalpus heveae Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) and description of a new species from rubber trees in Brazil. ACAROLOGIA, v. 57, n. 2, p. 421-458, 2017. (16/01193-5)

CASTRO, E. B.; ZANARDI, O. C.; GARLET, J.; OCHOA, R.; FERES, R. J. F.. Notes on the Occurrence of Oligonychus milleri (McGregor) and Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Brazil. Neotropical Entomology, v. 47, n. 3, p. 429-432, JUN 2018. (16/01193-5, 17/00458-8)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; BEARD, JENNIFER J.; OCHOA, RONALD; BAUCHAN, GARY R.; FERES, REINALDO J. F.. Two new species of Tenuipalpus sensu stricto (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Brazil, with a discussion on the ontogeny of leg setae. Zootaxa, v. 4540, n. 1, p. 178-210, DEC 28 2018. (11/19890-0, 16/01193-5, 17/00458-8)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; MESA, NORA C.; FERES, REINALDO J. F.; DE MORAES, GILBERTO J.; OCHOA, RONALD; BEARD, JENNIFER J.; DEMITE, PETERSON R.. A newly available database of an important family of phytophagous mites: Tenuipalpidae Database. Zootaxa, v. 4868, n. 4, p. 577-583, OCT 29 2020. (16/01193-5)

SOUZA, KAELEM S.; CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; TASSI, ALINE D.; NAVIA, DENISE; OLIVEIRA, ANIBAL R.. A new species of Tenuipalpus Donnadieu (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae), from Bahia, Brazil, with ontogeny of chaetotaxy. SYSTEMATIC AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY, v. 24, n. 4, p. 544-559, APR 2019. (14/08458-9, 16/01193-5)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; BEARD, JENNIFER J.; OCHOA, RONALD; FERES, REINALDO J. F.. Redescription of Tenuipalpus palosapis Corpuz-Raros (Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) from the Philippines, with comparison to related species. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. 44, n. 2-3, p. 80-89, 2018. (17/00458-8, 16/01193-5)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; TASSI, ALINE D.; BARROSO, GEOVANNY; FERES, REINALDO J. F.; OCHOA, RONALD. Redescription of Tenuipalpus coyacus De Leon (Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae), with a discussion on the ontogeny of leg setae. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACAROLOGY, v. 45, n. 5, JUN 2019. (16/01193-5, 17/00458-8)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; NUVOLONI, FELIPE M.; FERES, REINALDO J. F.. Population dynamics of the main phytophagous and predatory mites associated with rubber tree plantations in the State of Bahia, Brazil. SYSTEMATIC AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY, v. 23, n. 8, p. 1578-1591, AUG 2018. (16/01193-5)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; OCHOA, RONALD; FERES, REINALDO J. F.. A new species of Terminalichus (Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae) from Thailand, with a key to the known species. SYSTEMATIC AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY, v. 22, n. 9, p. 1431-1443, SEP 2017. (16/01193-5)

CASTRO, ELIZEU B.; BEARD, JENNIFER J.; OCHOA, RONALD; FERES, REINALDO J. F.. Two species of Acaricis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from New Zealand, moved from the genus Tenuipalpus, with a key to the known species. ACAROLOGIA, v. 58, n. 4, p. 855-867, 2018. (16/01193-5, 17/00458-8)