Redescription of Homeopronematus anconai (Baker) (Acari, Iolinidae) and description of Quasihomeopronematus nordestinus n. gen. n. sp.

In a survey of natural enemies of Aculops lycopersici (Tryon, 1917), we collected specimens of Homepronematus anconai (Baker, 1943) in different European countries and redescribed the species based on specimens collected in Belgium. The newly collected specimens were measured and morphologically compared with USA specimens available from museum collections. We also measured collections' specimens previously identified as H. staercki from Hungary, and others, previously identified (but undescribed) as Homeopronematus cf. staercki sp. nov. from Serbia. Quasihomeopronematus n. gen., with its type species Quasihomeopronematus nordestinus n. gen. n. sp., are described based on specimens from Brazil. As the name suggests, this genus is similar to the genus Homepronematus. Single female expansion lines were set-up with H. anconai specimens from Belgium, France, Germany and Hungary, and Q. nordestinus specimens from Brazil. With specimens of these lines, molecular analysis was performed to construct a phylogenetic tree including the results of previous studies with Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor, 1932) and P. duffelensis De Vis and Ueckermann, 2024. The tree showed differences between origins of H. anconai, with one French line standing out. In a PCA analysis on morphological characters, the same French line separated from all other geographical origins albeit with some overlap. The molecular and morphological differences were assigned to intraspecific variation, and we consider all specimens studied as H. anconai. Homepronematus anconai is morphologically different from Q. nordestinus but the latter separated similarly as that one French line from all other H. anconai lines. We conclude that the CO1-gene is not sufficient to separate genera in the family of the pronematinae. The specimens previously identified as H. staercki or Homeopronematus cf. staercki sp. nov. overlap in the PCA analysis with the specimens of H. anconai. Therefore, we synonymise H. staercki with H. anconai. The results are discussed and additionally both species' distribution, habitat, and feeding habits are presented.