A new genus and species of Acaridae (Acari) phoretic onThectochlora alaris(Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini) from South America

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Abstract
A new genus and species of mite, Thectochloracarus neotropicalis gen. and sp. nov. (Acari: Acaridae), is described and figured from the deutonymphal stage (= hypopus). The mite is phoretic on the augochlorine bee, Thectochlora alaris (Vachal) (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini), collected in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana and Paraguay. The mites were found in a well developed acarinarium present on the anterior lower third of the first metasomal tergum of female bees. The modification of the bee's morphology for the transport of phoretic instars indicates an association between the mites and the bees which is probably mutualistic.

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