Redescription of Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor, 1932) (Acari, Iolinidae), description of two new species and redescription of two additional species with a review of and key to all Pronematus species

Abstract

Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor) is redescribed based on specimens collected at the type locality. Additionally, in a survey for natural enemies of Aculops lycopersici (Tryon), P. ubiquitus was found in most European countries where samples were gathered as well as in Morocco. Together with specimens available from museum collections and originating from Brazil, South Africa and Türkiye, the newly collected specimens were measured and morphologically compared with those from the type locality. Additionally, single female expansion lines were set-up with specimens from California (USA), Belgium, France, Italy, The Netherlands and Morocco, and molecular analysis were performed in order to construct a phylogenetic tree. The tree showed differences between origins, but this was assigned to intraspecific variation. A PCA analysis on morphological characters separated the Brazilian specimens from those of all other geographical origins. The Californian (USA) specimens grouped together, as did the Moroccan and all European specimens, but with overlap between the groups. The Brazilian specimens were described as a new species, P. brasiliensis n. sp. All other specimens were considered as P. ubiquitus. Furthermore, we searched for types of early described Pronematus species and studied P. rykei, P. karrooi and P. tenuisetosus types; the first two species were confirmed morphologically as a distinct Pronematus species while the latter belongs to the genus Pseudopronematulus. The morphological characteristics of specimens that were used for a recent redescription of P. rykei did not coincide with our redescription of the type. We transferred those specimens to the new species, P. juglandi sp. nov.