Neocarus
Chamberlin & Mulaik, 1942
Species Guides
1Neocarus is a of rare, relatively large mites in the Opilioacaridae, characterized by primitive traits including six pairs of and abdominal segmentation. in this genus are primarily associated with subterranean in Brazil, including caves and ferruginous geosystems. Multiple new species have been described from Minas Gerais state, where they occur in both epigean and hypogean environments.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Neocarus: /ˈne.oˌka.rus/
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Identification
Neocarus are distinguished from the related Caribeacarus by palp setae : Neocarus possesses 4–9 foliate d-type setae on the palp with a stout and rounded lobe, whereas Caribeacarus has 8–12 foliate d-type setae with a fine and pointed lobe. Species-level identification relies on detailed characters including number and type of palp setae (ch-type vs. d-type), female pregenital sternitogenital region setation (nude or hairless in some species), ovipositor shape and setation, and male genital and pregenital setae morphology (smooth and tapering, barbed and tapering, or stout and ribbed).
Images
Habitat
Subterranean environments including caves (hypogean) and ferruginous geosystems. occur in both strictly cave-dwelling and surface-exposed (epigean) ferruginous formations. Multiple species are known from limestone caves of the Bambuí Group and iron-rich geosystems in southeast Brazil.
Distribution
Southeast Brazil, primarily Minas Gerais state. Documented from Peruaçu Caves National Park and ferruginous geosystems in the region.
Similar Taxa
- CaribeacarusBoth belong to Opilioacaridae and share foliate d-type setae on the palp. Distinguished by seta number and lobe : Neocarus has 4–9 setae with stout, rounded lobes; Caribeacarus has 8–12 setae with fine, pointed lobes.
More Details
Taxonomic note
Neocarus is one of approximately 13 in Opilioacaridae. The genus occupies a transitional morphological position between Caribeacarus and other opilioacarid genera, with some showing intermediate character states in palp setation.
Research activity
Recent taxonomic work has described multiple new from Brazilian caves, including N. spelaion, N. chimera, N. peruassu, and N. simmonsi, indicating high diversity in the and ongoing discovery.
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- A new species of Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from a Brazilian ferruginous geosystem and notes on natural history
- Figure 8 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 5 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Two new sympatric species of cave-dwelling Neocarus (Acari: Opilioacaridae) from the Bambuí limestone group, Brazil
- Figure 2 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 3 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 11 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 10 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 6 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 1 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 9 from: Bernardi LFO, Borges-Filho EL (2018) Neocarus spelaion sp. n. (Parasitiformes, Opilioacaridae), a new species of cave dwelling Neocarus from Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Subterranean Biology 27: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.27.25777
- Figure 13 from: Bernardi LFO, Zampaulo RA, Oliveira MPA (2020) A new species of Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from a Brazilian ferruginous geosystem and notes on natural history. Subterranean Biology 36: 11-33. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.36.54034
- Figure 11 from: Bernardi LFO, Zampaulo RA, Oliveira MPA (2020) A new species of Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from a Brazilian ferruginous geosystem and notes on natural history. Subterranean Biology 36: 11-33. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.36.54034
- Figure 1 from: Bernardi LFO, Zampaulo RA, Oliveira MPA (2020) A new species of Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from a Brazilian ferruginous geosystem and notes on natural history. Subterranean Biology 36: 11-33. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.36.54034
- Figure 9 from: Bernardi LFO, Zampaulo RA, Oliveira MPA (2020) A new species of Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from a Brazilian ferruginous geosystem and notes on natural history. Subterranean Biology 36: 11-33. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.36.54034