Description of the female of Diplothyrus schubarti Lehtinen, 1999 (Holothyrida: Neothyridae) and new species occurrences in Brazil

Abstract

The order Holothyrida includes one of the rarest groups of mites. For the moment, 28 species are known, but only one occurs in Brazil. This work aimed to describe the female of Diplothyrus schubarti, along with presenting the first occurrence of organisms of this order in caves. A total of 54 specimens were collected, in 17 caves in three municipal districts in the state of Pará, northern Brazil. The differences that stand out in the female of D. schubarti, in relation to the other species of the genus, are the absence of the membranous process in the palpus and the absence of the distinct cuticular strip running postero-ventral towards the edge of the dorsal shield.