Dewuacarus

Fuente, María Carolina Silva-De La, Casanueva, María Eugenia, Salas, Lucila Moreno & González-Acuña, Daniel, 2016, A new genus and species of chigger mite (Trombidiformes: Trombiculidae) from Loxodontomys pikumche (Rodentia: Cricetidae) in Chile, Zootaxa 4092 (3), pp. 426-430 : 427

Genus Dewuacarus Silva-de la Fuente, gen. nov.

Type species. Dewuacarus lemuensis Silva-de la Fuente sp. nov.

Diagnosis. LARVA. GNATHOSOMA. Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap; galeala nude; palpal tarsus 7B.S; palpal claw 3 pronged. SCUTUM. Wider than long, with convex posterior margin, anterior margin concave, 7 scutal setae; sensillae flagelliform, slightly branched. Eyes 2/2 on ocular plate. 1 pair humeral setae (2H). LEGS. Coxae unisetose; all with 7 segments, ending in 2 claws without empodium, onychotriches absent; with 1 genuala I, genuala II and III present; tibiala I and II present, tibiala III present, with mastitibiala; tarsala I and II, microtarsala I and II, pretarsala I and II, subterminala and parasubterminala I, 2 mastitarsalae, other setae branched.

Differential diagnosis (larva). Dewuacarus is similar to Hoffmannina and Kaaia in the number of scutal setae (7), shape of the scutum which is wider than long, with convex posterior margin and concave anterior margin. Dewuacarus and Hoffmannina are identical in the chaetome of palpal tarsus (7B.S). However, Dewuacarus differs from Hoffmannina by the following characters: palpal claw trifurcated; only 1 pair humeral seta; legs ending in two claws without empodium, with 1 genuala I, leg III with mastitibiala and 2 mastitarsalae. Larval Hoffmannina have palpal claw one-, bi- or trifurcated; legs ending in 2 claws with empodium, 2 or 3 pairs of humeral setae; 2 or 3 genualae I; without mastitibiala on leg III and with 1 mastitarsala III. Kaaia differs from Dewuacarus by the following characters: palpal claw simple; palpal tarsus 6B.S; at least 2 pairs of humerals; legs ending in 2 claws with empodium, with 2 genualae I, without mastitibiala and mastitarsala on leg III.

Hosts. Loxodontomys pikumche (Spotorno et al.) ( Rodentia : Cricetidae ).

Type material. HOLOTYPE larva (MZUC 43399) and 4 paratypes (MZUC 43400; CDCP 120–122) collected from Loxodontomys pikumche (Spotorno et al.) ( Rodentia : Cricetidae ), CHILE: Maule Región, Altos de Lircay National Reserve, Talca, 35° 36' 07'' S; 70° 56' 49'' W, August 2015, Coll. Silva–de la Fuente, Moreno and González–Acuña.

Etymology. The genus name Dewuacarus refers to fieldmouse (Dewü) in Mapudungun. The specific name lemuensis refers to forest (Lemu) in Mapudungun. Mapudungun is the language of the Mapuche, one of the original peoples of Chile.