Two new species of Daidalotarsonemus (Acari: Prostigmata: Tarsonemidae) from Brazil

Two new tarsonemid species, Daidalotarsonemus esalqi sp. n. and Daidalotarsonemus savanicus sp. n., found on both native and crop plants in Brazil are described herein, based on adult females. Biological aspects of these species are briefly discussed. Individuals of Daidalotarsonemus savanicus sp. n. have been misidentified as Daidalotarsonemus tessellatus De Leon in previous reports of this species from Brazil. A key is provided to distinguish females of the Daidalotarsonemus species known to occur in Brazil.


INTRODUCTION
The genus Daidalotarsonemus De Leon (1956) (Prostigmata: Tarsonemidae) currently consists of 37 described species. It has been registered on all continents, except Antarctica, and is considered a plant inhabiting group with apparent preference for humid places, with an abundance of algae, lichen and fungi (Lindquist 1986;Lin and Zhang 2002;Lofego et al. 2005;Sousa et al. 2014;Rezende et al. 2015a;b).
Three species, Daidalotarsonemus folisetae Lofego & Ochoa, D. annonae Sousa, Lofego & Gondim Jr. and D. oliveirai Rezende, Lofego & Ochoa, have been described from Brazil Sousa et al. 2014;Rezende et al. 2015a). In addition, Daidalotarsonemus fossae De Leon was reported in the State of Pernambuco (Sousa et al. 2015). Based on an examination of specimens deposited in museum collections, two new Brazilian species of the genus, Daidalotarsonemus esalqi n. sp. and Daidalotarsonemus savanicus n. sp., found in rubber tree crops and Cerrado sensu stricto habitats, respectively, are described and illustrated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens were examined from the mite collections of Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agrícola, Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ/USP), Piracicaba; and Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica (DZSJRP), Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, both from State of São Paulo, Brazil. They were analyzed by two techniques: phase contrast microscopy (PC) and differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC). The specimens were examined, drawn and photographed using an optical microscope Leica ® DFC 500.
The terminology used herein mainly follows Lindquist (1986), except for gnathosomal setae dgs and vgs (Magowski et al. 1998;Suski 1967). For each structure, the mean measurements are provided in micrometers (µm), followed in parentheses by the range of the specimens measured (when available), including the holotype. For the diagnoses, comparisons with previously described species were based on the study of the types. The following abbreviations are used for institutions where the types are deposited: DZSJRP, ESALQ/USP and USNM (United States National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, at National Insect and Mite Collection at USDA, SEL, Beltsville, Maryland, USA).

Key to the species of Daidalotarsonemus from
Brazil (based only on females) Adult female (three specimens measured).
Type material -Holotype and two paratypes. Holotype and paratypes from Hevea brasiliensis L. Etymology -the name esalqi is in honor of the university where this species was first registered. ESALQ is the acronym for Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz".

Daidalotarsonemus savanicus n. sp. (Figures 5-8)
Diagnosis -Females of this new species are most similar to Daidalotarsonemus tessellatus De Leon (1956) and Daidalotarsonemus ethiopicus Mahunka (1981) for the ornamentation pattern on tergite C and shape of anterior setae v1, sc2, c1 and c2. They differ from the others by the ornamentation pattern on tergite D, with reticulation all over it including a rhomboid reticulum on the center of the plate; shape of posterior setae d, e, f and h; and shape of the setae pl" on tarsus II, which are stout and serrate.
Adult male and larva -Unknown.
Type material -Holotype and eleven paratypes.
Holotype Etymology -the name savanicus refers to the Cerrado, a savannah biome in which this species is commonly found.
Remarks -Following an examination of voucher specimens, we conclude that individuals of this new species have been recorded as Daidalotarsonemus tessellatus De Leon in previous papers (Buosi et al. 2006, Demite et al. 2009, Feres et al. 2005and Sousa et al. 2015. The observations made by Lofego et al. (2005) regarding the habits for Daidalotarsonemus tessellatus, for which phytophagy was observed, should be conferred to Daidalotarsonemus savanicus.

DISCUSSION
Although Daidalotarsonemus has almost always been found in sites having a humid environment, the record of D. savanicus in the Cerrado reinforces that this genus is not exclusively from such places. The Cerrado biome is very dry weather for at least half of the year (Ribeiro and Walter 1998). Another species, Daidalotarsonemus ethiopicus Mahunka (1981), is also described from a region with similar dry conditions. Such a range of distribution may represent an extraordinary adaptation of this genus to different levels of humidity, which partially explains the worldwide distribution of the taxon. Also, the diversity of host plants for D. savanicus suggests that there is not a host preference for this species; instead, environmental factors might be more important for its occurrence in the Cerrado biome.
The finding of a new species inhabiting rubber trees, a well studied crop around the world, , demonstrates how poor our knowledge of the mite fauna of many areas remains. A large number of mite species have already been recorded in association with Hevea brasiliensis in Brazil (Hernandes and Feres 2006;Demite and Feres 2007;Bellini et al. 2008;Daud and Feres 2013;Nuvoloni et al. 2014;. The added record of D. esalqi highlights the importance for a better understanding of host plant inhabiting tarsonemid associations, and their ecological role in natural environments and cultivated areas.