Date of Graduation

7-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Entomology (MS)

Degree Level

Graduate

Department

Entomology

Advisor/Mentor

Ashley Dowling

Committee Member

Robert Wiedenmann

Second Committee Member

Jeremy Beaulieu

Keywords

Acari, Arthropods, Chelicerata, Mites, Systematics, Velvet mites

Abstract

Velvet mites of the genus Podothrombium Berlese, 1910 are found worldwide with only two described species known from North America, both occurring on the west coast. The present study describes five new species occurring in the east, from both larval and post-larval stages. Species hypotheses are supported with morphology and analysis of mitochondrial (barcoding region of COI) and nuclear genes (D2-3 expansion regions of 28S rDNA). Specimens are incorporated from the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), allowing our dataset to span most of North America. Therefore, we were able to raise the number of Podothrombium in North America from two species to seven. The first comprehensive taxonomic key to larval and post-larval Podothrombium of the world and the first eastern North American taxonomic key are included. A comprehensive literature review is also included.

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