Tequisistlana oaxacensis Hoffmann and Sánchez

Paredes-León, Ricardo, Klompen, Hans & Pérez, Tila M., 2012, Systematic revision of the genera Geckobiella Hirst, 1917 and Hirstiella Berlese, 1920 (Acari: Prostigmata: Pterygosomatidae) with description of a new genus for American species parasites on geckos formerly placed in Hirstiella, Zootaxa 3510, pp. 1-40 : 27

Tequisistlana oaxacensis Hoffmann and Sánchez

Tequisistlana oaxacensis Hoffmann and Sánchez, 1980: 99

Diagnosis. Same as for genus.

Type. Female HOLOTYPE ( CNAC 000262), 5 female PARATYPES ( CNAC 000263–67).

Type locality. Magdalena Tequisistlán, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Type host. Lepidophyma smithii Bocourt.

Material examined. Female HOLOTYPE, 1 female PARATYPE ex Lepidophyma smithii , MEXICO, Oaxaca, Tequisistlán, March 1972, coll. W. López-Forment and O. Sánchez ( CNAC 000262–63). 3 females ex Lepidophyma smithii , same data as type series ( CNAC 007082–84); 1 female, 1 male, 1 deutonymph, 1 larva ex Lepidophyma smithii , MEXICO, Oaxaca, Mpio. San Miguel Chimalapa, Cerro atravesado, 16.67704° N, - 94.53239° W, 1190 m asl, 16 April 2003, coll. J. A. Campbell ( CNAC 007085–88). 5 females ex Lepidophyma smithii , Oaxaca, Mpio. Asunción Ixtaltepec, Nizanda, Agua Tibia, 16.65817° N, - 95.01057° W, 99 m asl, 15 September 2009, coll. R. Paredes, C. Santibañez and A. Valdez ( CNAC 007089–93).

Remarks. This species appears to be a specific ectoparasite of lizards of the genus Lepidophyma (Xantusiidae) . Hoffmann and Sánchez (1980) suggested that Hirstiella otophila and H. tenuipes should be transferred to Tequisistlana based on the shape of seta v on the palpal tibia (with nude stalk ending in a thick brushlike structure). However, according to our analysis H. otophila and H. tenuipes belong to Bertrandiella gen. nov. (Bremer support and jackknife values 2 and 73%) instead of Tequisistlana (see remarks for these species above).

The monotypic genus Tequisistlana is the sister taxon of the clade comprising Pimeliaphilus and Bertrandiella gen. nov.