Two New Novophytoptus Species (Acariformes, Eriophyoidea) from Chile and a Novel Hypothesis on the Functioning of the Eriophyoid Digestive System.
- 1Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya Nab., 1, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
Abstract
Endoparasitism is a highly specialized form of symbiosis, prominently manifested among phytophagous eriophyoid mites in the genus Novophytoptus Roivainen 1947. These mites have been traditionally thought to be restricted to the subepidermal lacunae of herbaceous monocots of the order Poales, which they penetrate to feed and reproduce. Based on surveys in Chile, two new species of Novophytoptus are described: N. cyperin. sp. from Cyperus eragrostis (Cyperaceae) and N. eryngiin. sp. from Eryngium paniculatum (Apiaceae), with the latter representing the first record of Novophytoptus from a eudicot host. In accordance with the concept of "ecological fitting", this unexpected association can be explained by the morphological similarity of E. paniculatum leaves with sedges, suggesting that convergent host morphology may drive host-switching between phylogenetically distant plant taxa across Eriophyoidea. Beyond taxonomy, modeling of Novophytoptus revealed a high volumetric disproportion (211-fold) between the microcapillary oesophagus and the massive midgut, along with a high body surface-area-to-volume ratio (~0.134 µm⁻¹). Combined with structural constraints of musculature and intestine morphology, these findings challenge the traditional concept of mechanical pharyngeal pumping in Eriophyoidea. Alternatively, fluid ingestion is hypothesized to be driven by a synergy of an endodermal osmotic gradient and cuticular transpiration.
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BibTeX
@article{chetverikov2026novophytoptus,
title = {{Two New Novophytoptus Species (Acariformes, Eriophyoidea) from Chile and a Novel Hypothesis on the Functioning of the Eriophyoid Digestive System.}},
author = {Philipp E Chetverikov},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ani16193083},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883052},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Two New Novophytoptus Species (Acariformes, Eriophyoidea) from Chile and a Novel Hypothesis on the Functioning of the Eriophyoid Digestive System.
AU - Philipp E Chetverikov
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16193083
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883052
AB - Endoparasitism is a highly specialized form of symbiosis, prominently manifested among phytophagous eriophyoid mites in the genus Novophytoptus Roivainen 1947. These mites have been traditionally thought to be restricted to the subepidermal lacunae of herbaceous monocots of the order Poales, which they penetrate to feed and reproduce. Based on surveys in Chile, two new species of Novophytoptus are described: N. cyperin. sp. from Cyperus eragrostis (Cyperaceae) and N. eryngiin. sp. from Eryngium paniculatum (Apiaceae), with the latter representing the first record of Novophytoptus from a eudicot host. In accordance with the concept of "ecological fitting", this unexpected association can be explained by the morphological similarity of E. paniculatum leaves with sedges, suggesting that convergent host morphology may drive host-switching between phylogenetically distant plant taxa across Eriophyoidea. Beyond taxonomy, modeling of Novophytoptus revealed a high volumetric disproportion (211-fold) between the microcapillary oesophagus and the massive midgut, along with a high body surface-area-to-volume ratio (~0.134 µm⁻¹). Combined with structural constraints of musculature and intestine morphology, these findings challenge the traditional concept of mechanical pharyngeal pumping in Eriophyoidea. Alternatively, fluid ingestion is hypothesized to be driven by a synergy of an endodermal osmotic gradient and cuticular transpiration.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -