Endoparasitic Gall Mites: Two New Novophytoptus Species (Eriophyoidea, Phytoptidae) from Southern African Sedges (Cyperaceae, Carex) and New Hypotheses on the Phylogeny of Novophytoptines

Eriophyoid mites (Acariformes, Eriophyoidea) are microscopic chelicerates morphologically greatly preadapted to endoparasitism on plants. Members of at least six phylogenetically distant eriophyoid genera from two families homoplastically transitioned and acquired the ability penetrate under plant epidermis feed parenchymatous cells, usually causing necrosis. Theoretically, endoparasites expected show patterns codivergence with hosts more than ectoparasites. Novophytoptus Roivainen 1947 is only genus comprising exclusively endoparasitic species living in subepidermal tissues herbaceous monocots three order Poales: Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, Poaceae. Here, we described new species, N. limpopoensis n. sp. zuluensis sp., southern African sedges Carex spicatopaniculata Boeckeler ex C.B.Clarke C. C.B.Clarke, respectively, investigated Cox1 phylogeny Novophytoptus. Contrary expectations, molecular phylogenetics did not recover host-specific mite clades associated Cyperaceae but revealed geographical groups Africa Eurasia. Our results provide a substantial basis for future coevolutionary studies novophytoptines, which will be possible when sequences geographically remote regions diverse representing all major Poales become available analyses.