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A study of soil mites in the Brazilian Pantanal, southwestern Brazil, has shown the frequent occurrence of the genus Protogamasellus, especially in cultivated land. Three species were found in this study, Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot), Protogamasellus sigillophorus Mineiro, Lindquist & Moraes, and a new species, Protogamasellus pantanal n. sp., which is here described. A taxonomic key for the identification of species of the genus was prepared, based on the examination of the type specimens of the new species here described, of specimens of other species found in Brazil in this and previous studies, and on the information found in the literature for other species.

Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot, 1961) Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot, 1961: 488. Protogamasellus mica.��� Karg, 1977: 409; 1993: 341; 2007: 120; Evans, 1982: 306; Nasr et al., 1988a: 926; Halliday, 1998: 119; Halliday et al., 1998: 40; Gwiazdowicz, 2007: 118; Mineiro et al., 2009: 26. Protogamasellus (Protogamasellus) micus.��� Farrier & Hennessey, 1993: 47. Protogamasellus primitivus Karg, 1962: 54 (Synonymy by Evans, 1982: 306; Farrier & Hennessey, 1993: 47; Karg, 1993: 341; Halliday et al., 1998: 40). Protogamasellus primitivus.��� Lindquist & Evans, 1965: 61; Karg, 1971: 326; 1977: 409; 2007: 120. Protogamasellus primitivus primitivus.��� Genis et al., 1967: 339. Morphology (females, five specimens measured). Gnathosoma. Fixed cheliceral digit 20 (19���21) long, with five relatively large teeth followed by a series of about seven smaller teeth; with short, setiform pilus dentilis. Movable digit 23 (22���24), with two large teeth followed basally by a line of about six tiny teeth mediad of the line formed by the large teeth; with an antiaxial basal membrane covering the arthrodial area of the chelicera. Epistome anteriorly tripartite, with serrate margin. Deutosternum with a smooth transverse line, followed by seven transverse lines with 6���9 very small teeth each. Corniculi slender, sinuous and about subparallel to each other. Dorsal idiosoma. Idiosoma 245 (235���255) long and 102 (99���105) wide at level of r 3. Podonotal shield with lines forming an anterior trapezoidal ornamentation, whose margins continue behind to reach the lateral margin at level of s 3; with a transverse line at the level of z 6; with three scleronoduli immediately behind j 5; 124 (119���128) long and 96 (89���102) wide at level of s 3; with 17 pairs of setae, four pairs of poroids and a pair of solenostomes; setae j 2 well posteriad j 1. Unsclerotised lateral cuticle with five pairs of setae (s 2, r 2��� r 5). Opisthonotal shield with a transverse line at the level of J 1, interrupted between J 1 setae; 121 (116���126) long and 96 (90���102) wide at level of S 1; with 15 pairs of setae, six pairs of poroids and two pairs of solenostomes. Unsclerotised lateral cuticle with eight pairs of setae (R 1 ��� R 6 and two pairs of UR setae). Setal lengths: j 1 7 (6���8), j 2 9 (8���9), j 3 11 (10���12), j 4 11 (10���12), j 5 13 (12���13), j 6 12 (11���13), J 1 15 (13���16), J 2 19 (17���20), J 3 20 (18���21), J 4 20 (18���22), J 5 13 (11���14), z 1 7 (6���8), z 2 13 (12���14), z 3 13 (11���14), z 4 13(11���15), z 5 14 (12���15), z 6 14 (13���15), Z 1 22 (20���23), Z 2 21 (19���22), Z 3 20 (18��� 22), Z 4 18 (16���19), Z 5 13 (12���14), s 1 10 (9���10), s 2 10 (9���11), s 3 9 (8���11), s 4 15 (14���15), s 5 16 (14���17), s 6 17 (15���18), S 1 19 (17���21), S 2 21 (19���23), S 3 17 (15���18), S 4 17 (15���18), S 5 11 (9���13), r 2 8 (7���8), r 3 6 (5���7), r 4 6 (4���7), r 5 5 (4���6), R 1 7 (6���8), R 2 7 (6���7), R 3 8 (7���8), R 4 8 (6���9), R 5 10 (8���11); R 6 10 (9���11); UR 1 6 (5���6); UR 2 6 (5���7); setae aciculate and smooth. Ventral idiosoma. Base of tritosternum 18 (17���19) long and 8 (6���9) wide proximally; laciniae 27 (25���29), separated for about 60% of their total length, pilose. Pre-sternal area not punctate and pre-sternal platelets absent. Sternal shield smooth; 63 (61���65) long and 40 (38���42) wide at level of setae st 2; with three pairs of simple setae and three pairs of poroids; distances st 1��� st 3 50 (48���52), st 2��� st 2 30 (28���32). Metasternal plates indistinguishable, fourth pair of sternal setae (st 4) on unslcerotised cuticle. Genital shield with slightly convex posterior margin, st 5 off the shield; 65 (63���67) long and 23 (20���26) wide at widest level; distance st 5��� st 5 22 (20���23); poroids iv 5 on unsclerotised cuticle. Two pairs of metapodal platelets, the mediad ovoid and the laterad slender. Ventrianal shield smooth, with a longitudinal incision at level of setae Jv 1��� Zv 1 of each side; 91 (85���96) long and 79 (76���82) wide at widest level; with five pairs of setae in addition to the circumanals; Zv 1 (anterior most opisthogastric seta) on unsclerotised cuticle; para-anal inserted slightly behind level of anterior anal margin; anal opening 18 (16���19) long. Endopodal and exopodal platelets indistinct. Setal lengths: st 1 11 (9���12), st 2 11 (9���12), st 3 10 (9���11), st 4 10 (9���11), Jv 1 8 (6���9), Jv 2 9 (7���10), Jv 3 9 (7���11), Jv 4 12 (10���13), Jv 5 14 (12���15), Zv 1 9 (7���10), para-anal 9 (8���10), post-anal 8 (7���9); setae aciculate and smooth. Peritreme and peritrematic plate. Peritreme short, extending anteriorly to level of r 4; peritrematic plate reduced to short projection at the posterior end of the peritreme. Spermathecal apparatus. Indistinct. Legs. Lengths of legs (not including pretarsus): I: 180 (180���182); II: 133 (132���135); III: 117 (115���118); IV: 165 (165���167). Setation (legs I���IV): coxae: 2, 2, 2, 1; trochanters: 1 0/1, 1/2 1; 1 0/1, 0/2 1; 1 0/1, 0/2 1; 1 0/1, 0/2 1; femora: 2 3/1, 2/2 2; 2 3/1, 2/2, 1; 1 2/1, 1/0 1; 1 2/1, 1/0 1; genua: 2 3/2, 3/1 2; 2 3/1, 2/1 2; 2 2/1, 2/0 1; 2 2/1, 3/0 0; tibiae: 2 3/2, 3/1 2; 2 2/1, 2/1 2; 2 1/1, 2/1 1; 2 1/1, 3/1 1; tarsi: I: not counted, 18, 18, 18. All legs with pretarsus containing claws and pulvillus. Adult male. Not found. Materials examined. Three females from soil of natural vegetation of the Pantanal, on September 2018; five females from the same substrate, on December 2018; 24 females from soil of soybean field, on September 2018; 15 females from the same substrate, on December 2018; seven females from soil of soybean field, on September 2018; three females from the same substrate, on December 2018; one female from soil of corn field, on March 2019; one female from soil of sorghum field, on June 2019; 12 females from pasture soil, on September 2018. Remarks. In comparison with the original description and the redescription of this species provided by Evans (1982), the specimens collected have a distinct pair of solenostomes anterolaterad s 2, on the line behind to reach the lateral margin at level of s 3; a pair of poroids anteriad S 1. The dimensions of the podonotal, opisthonotal and ventrianal shields of the specimens collected are similar to those of the redescription provided by Evans (1982)., Published as part of Yamada, Mariana & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2020, A key to the species of Protogamasellus (Acari: Ascidae), with a new species from the Brazilian Pantanal, pp. 343-354 in Zootaxa 4801 (2) on pages 344-345, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4801.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/3900519, {"references":["Athias-Henriot, C. (1961) Mesostigmates (Urop. Excl.) edaphiques mediterraneens (Acaromorpha, Anactinotrichida) (collect. Prof. H. Franz et C. Athias-Henriot). Pemiere Serie. Acarologia, 3, 381 - 509.","Karg, W. (1977) Die Gattung Protogamasellus Karg, 1962 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Neue Folge, 24, 407 - 410. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / mmnd. 19770240414","Karg, W. (1993) Acari (Acarina), Milben Parasitiformes (Anactinochaeta) Cohors Gamasina Leach, Raubmilben. Teil. 2., uberarbeitete Auflage. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 59, 1 - 523.","Karg, W. (2007) New taxonomic knowledge of soil-inhabiting predatory mites (Acarina, Gamasina: Rhodacaroidea, Dermanys- soidea, Ascoidea). Abhandlungen und Berichte Naturkundemuseums Gorlitz, 78 (2), 113 - 139.","Evans, G. O. (1982) Observations of the genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari: Mesostigmata) with a description of a new species. Acarologia, 23, 303 - 313.","Nasr, A. K., Afifi, A. M. & Hassan, M. F. (1988 a) The genus Protogamasellus Karg in Egypt with description of two new species (Acarina: Mesostigmata: Ascidae). Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 39, 925 - 936.","Halliday, R. B., Walter, D. E. & Lindquist, E. E. (1998) Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 12, 1 - 54. https: // doi. org / 10.1071 / IT 96029","Gwiazdowicz, D. J. (2007) Ascid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Selected Forest Ecosystems and Microhabitats in Poland. Wydawnictwo Akademii Rolniczej Im. Augusta Cieszkowskiego, Poznan, 248 pp.","Mineiro, J. L. de C., Lindquist, E. E. & Moraes, G. J. (2009) Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species. Zootaxa, 2024, 1 - 32.","Farrier, M. H. & Hennessey, M. K. (1993) Soil-inhabiting and free-living Mesostigmata (Acari-Parasitiformes) from North America. An annotated checklist with bibliography and index. North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Technical Bulletin, 302, 1 - 408.","Karg, W. (1962) Zur Systematik und postembryonalen Entwicklung der Gamasiden (Acarina, Parasitiformes) landwirtschaftlich genutzter Boden. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 38, 23 - 119. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / mmnz. 4830380103","Lindquist, E. E. & Evans, G. O. (1965) Taxonomic concepts in the Ascidae, with a modified setal nomenclature for the idiosoma of the Gamasina (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 47, 1 - 65. https: // doi. org / 10.4039 / entm 9747 fv","Karg, W. (1971) Acari (Acarina), Milben, Unterordnung Anactinochaeta (Parasitiformes). Die freilebenden Gamasina (Gamasides), Raubmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 59, 1 - 475.","Genis, N. L., Loots, G. C. & Ryke, P. A. J. (1967) The genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari) with descriptions of new species and subspecies from the Ethiopian Region. Journal of Natural History, 1, 337 - 353. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222936700770311"]}

Protogamasellus mica (ATHIAS- HENRIOT, 1961) M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Five females, Iran, Guilan province, Sangar city, Eslamabad (Shaqaji) Village, 37°22´22´´N, 49°20´14´´E, July 2016, collected from Chicken manure. Collected by F. Karami. D i s t r i b u t i o n: Ethiopia, Tanzania, Australia, Europe, Poland, Brazil, Iran (GENIS et al. 1967; HURLBUTT 1971; HALLIDAY et al. 1998; KARG 2007; GWIAZDOWICZ 2007; MINEIRO et al. 2009; HAJIZADEH et al. 2009; KAVIANPOUR et al. 2011; SALARZEHI et al. 2011; BALOOCH- SHAHRYARI et al. 2012; KAZEMI & RAJAEI 2013; MAHJOORI & HAJIZADEH 2014)., Published as part of Karami, Fatemeh, Hajizadeh, Jalil, Ostovan, Hadi & I, Northern, 2017, Fauna of Ascoidea (except Ameroseiidae) in Guilan province, Iran with two new species record for Iran mites fauna, pp. 1309-1321 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (2) on page 1311, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5410570, {"references":["GENIS N. DE L., LOOTS G. C. & P. A. J. RYKE (1967): The genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari) with description of new species and subspecies from the Ethiopian region. - Journal of Natural History 1 (3): 337 - 353.","HURLBUTT H. W. (1971): Ascinae and Podocinae (Acarina: Mesostigmata) from Tanzania. - Acarologia 13 (2): 280 - 300.","HALLIDAY R. B., WALTER D. E. & E. E. LINDQUIST (1998): Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acari: Mesostigmata). - Invertebrate Taxonomy 12: 1 - 54.","KARG W. (2007): New taxonomic knowledge of soil inhabiting predatory mites (Acarina, Gamasina: Rhodacaroidea, Dermanyssoidea, Ascoidea). Abhandlungen und Berichte des Naturkundemuseums Gorlitz 78 (2): 113 - 139.","GWIAZDOWICZ D. J. (2007): Ascid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) from selected forest ecosystems and microhabitats in Poland. Wydawnictwo Akademii Rolniczej Im. Augusta Cieszkowskiego, Poznan, 248 pp.","MINEIRO J. L. DE C., LINDQUIST E. E. & G. J. DE. MORAES (2009): Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species. - Zootaxa 2024: 1 - 32.","HAJIZADEH J., FARAJI F. & M. RAFATI FARD (2009): Ascidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of Guilan Province, a new genus and four species records for the Iranian mite fauna and a key to the North of Iran Ascid species. - Journal of Plant Protection Science 40 (2): 35 - 50.","KAVIANPOUR M., NEMATI A., KOCHEILI F. & D. GWIAZDOWICZ (2011): Some edaphic mites of Mesostigmata (Acari) from Shahreza region. In: Kazemi, Sh. & Saboori, A. (Eds.) - Abstract and Proceeding Book of the First Persian Congress of Acarology, Kerman, Iran, p. 26.","SALARZEHI S., HAJIQANBAR H., FARAJI F., JOHARCHI O., NOEI J. & A. OLIYAI (2011): Fauna of some mesostigmatic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Kashmar region, Iran. - Abstract and proceeding book of The First Persian Congress of Acarology, 22 - 23 December, Iran p. 56.","BALOOCH SHAHRYARI N., HAJIZADEH J. & M. ASADI (2012): Fauna of edaphic mesostigmatic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Jiroft city. - Abstract Book of the 20 th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Shiraz, Iran, p. 518.","MAHJOORI M. & J. HAJIZADEH (2014): Fauna and identification key for mites of Superfamily Ascoidea (Acari: Mesostigmata) of olive orchards in Guilan province, Iran with a new species record for Iran mites fauna. - Journal of Plant Pests Research 4 (3): 61 - 72."]}

Protogamasellus mica was extracted from a sugarcane field in Australia and cultured on bacterial-feeding nematodes. Studies with various nematodes in laboratory arenas showed that one mite and its progeny reduced nematode numbers by between 26 and 50 nematodes/day. A bacterivore (Mesorhabditis sp.), a fungivore (Aphelenchus avenae), and two plant parasites (root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica and root-lesion nematode, Pratylenchus zeae) were all reduced at much the same rate despite the fact that the nematodes are quite different in size and motility and belong to different trophic groups. When sugarcane was grown in the greenhouse for 8 wk, stunt nematode (Tylenchorhynchus annulatus), a plant parasite that feeds ectoparasitically on roots, was almost eliminated from pots inoculated with the mite, and numbers of microbivores and root-lesion nematode were markedly reduced. Huge reductions in nematode populations were also observed when mites were added to microcosms containing small quantities of defaunated soil. These results show that P. mica multiplies rapidly when nematodes are available as a food source and has the capacity to play a role in regulating populations of both plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes. Future research should focus on understanding the crop and soil management practices required to enable this mite and other predatory species to thrive.

Protogamasellus mica (Athias - Henriot , 1961) Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot, 1961: 488. Protogamasellus mica.— Karg, 1977 b: 409; 1993: 341; 2007: 120; Evans, 1982: 306; Nasr et al., 1988 a: 926; Halliday, 1998: 119; Halliday et al., 1998: 40; Gwiazdowicz, 2007: 118; Mineiro et al., 2009: 26. Protogamasellus (Protogamasellus) micus.— Farrier & Hennessey, 1993: 47. Protogamasellus primitivus Karg, 1962: 54 (Synonymy by Evans, 1982: 306; Farrier & Hennessey, 1993: 47; Karg, 1993: 341; Halliday et al., 1998: 40). Protogamasellus primitivus.— Lindquist & Evans, 1965: 61; Karg, 1971 b: 326; 1977 b: 409; 2007: 120. Protogamasellus primitivus primitivus.— Genis et al., 1967: 339. TYPE DEPOSITORY: of P. mica: Laboratoire d’Acarologie, l’Ecole Pratique des Hautes Ètudes, Paris, France; of P. primitivus: Biologischen Zentralanstalt Berlin der Deutschen Akademie der Landwirtschaftswissenschaften, Berlin Germany; accession number 491. TYPE LOCALITY AND HABITAT: of P. mica: Oued Bouzaréah Valley, Alger, Algeria, from soil of Laurus nobilis [Plantae: Lauraceae] forest; of P. primitivus: Versuchsfeld der BZA (Biologischen Zentralanstalt Akademie), Teltow, Germany, in pasture soil. NOTE: Karg (2007: 116) considered P. primitivus to be distinct from P. mica. We adopted the interpretation of Evans (1982: 306) and Halliday et al (1998: 40), considering them to be conspecific., Published as part of De Moraes, Gilberto J., Britto, Erika P. J., Mineiro, Jefferson L. De C. & Halliday, Bruce, 2016, Catalogue of the mite families Ascidae Voigts & Oudemans, Blattisociidae Garman and Melicharidae Hirschmann (Acari: Mesostigmata), pp. 1-299 in Zootaxa 4112 (1) on page 125, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4112.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/399477, {"references":["Athias-Henriot, C. (1961) Mesostigmates (Urop. Excl.) edaphiques mediterraneens (Acaromorpha, Anactinotrichida) (collect. Prof. H. Franz et C. Athias-Henriot). Pemiere Serie. Acarologia, 3, 381 - 509.","Karg, W. (1977 b) Die Gattung Protogamasellus Karg, 1962 (Acarina, Parasitiformes). Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift, Neue Folge, 24, 407 - 410.","Evans, G. O. (1982) Observations of the genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari: Mesostigmata) with a description of a new species. Acarologia, 23, 303 - 313.","Nasr, A. K., Afifi, A. M. & Hassan, M. F. (1988 a) The genus Protogamasellus Karg in Egypt with description of two new species (Acarina: Mesostigmata: Ascidae). Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 39, 925 - 936.","Gwiazdowicz, D. J. (2007) Ascid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata) from Selected Forest Ecosystems and Microhabitats in Poland. Wydawnictwo Akademii Rolniczej Im. Augusta Cieszkowskiego, Poznan, 248 pp.","Mineiro, J. L. de C., Lindquist, E. E. & Moraes, G. J. de (2009) Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species. Zootaxa, 2024, 1 - 32.","Farrier, M. H. & Hennessey, M. K. (1993) Soil-inhabiting and free-living Mesostigmata (Acari-Parasitiformes) from North America. An annotated checklist with bibliography and index. North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, Technical Bulletin, 302, 1 - 408.","Karg, W. (1962) Zur Systematik und postembryonalen Entwicklung der Gamasiden (Acarina, Parasitiformes) landwirtschaftlich genutzter Boden. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 38, 23 - 119.","Karg, W. (1993) Acari (Acarina), Milben Parasitiformes (Anactinochaeta) Cohors Gamasina Leach, Raubmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und ihrer Lebensweise. 59. Teil. 2., uberarbeitete Auflage, Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena, Stuttgart, New York, 523 pp.","Lindquist, E. E. & Evans, G. O. (1965) Taxonomic concepts in the Ascidae, with a modified setal nomenclature for the idiosoma of the Gamasina (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 47, 1 - 65. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.4039 / entm 9747 fv","Karg, W. (1971 b) Acari (Acarina), Milben, Unterordnung Anactinochaeta (Parasitiformes). Die freilebenden Gamasina (Gamasides), Raubmilben. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 59, 1 - 475.","Genis, N. L., Loots, G. C. & Ryke, P. A. J. (1967) The genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari) with descriptions of new species and subspecies from the Ethiopian Region. Journal of Natural History, 1, 337 - 353. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222936700770311"]}

Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot) Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot, 1961: 488. Protogamasellus primitivus Karg, 1962: 54; Genis et al., 1967: 339. Protogamasellus mica.��� Lindquist & Evans, 1965: 44; Evans, 1982: 306; Karg, 1993: 341; Halliday et al., 1998: 40. Material examined: 142 females, 02.x.1998, 19 females, 28.vi. 1999, from soil of a corn field; 1 female, 02.vii. 1999, from litter of a patch of secondary forest. Previous records: Germany (Karg 1962, 1993); Algeria (Athias-Henriot 1961); South Africa (Genis et al. 1967); Ireland (Evans 1982); southeastern USA (Walter & Kaplan 1990); Australia and North America (Halliday et al. 1998). Diagnosis: Adults weakly sclerotized, small, idiosomal length 235���260 ��m. Anterior margin of tectum denticulate, sometimes weakly triramous. Movable digit of chelicera with two strong teeth on apical half and a row of 6 or 7 smaller closely-set teeth on proximal half, the latter apposing similar teeth proximally on fixed digit. Hypostome with 7 narrow transverse rows of deutosternal denticles, each with 6���10 denticles; corniculus slender, sinuous, pointed distally. Podonotal shield faintly lineate along antero-lateral margins, otherwise unornamented on most of surface except for an anteriorly-arched transverse line at bases of setae j 2, a transverse line at level of bases of setae j4, 3 sclerotized markings in medial hexagonal area between setae j 5 and z 5, and a transverse line at level of setal bases z 6 and s 6, behind which shield desclerotized; podonotal shield with 17 pairs of simple setae of similarly moderate length except vertical and paravertical pairs j 1 and z 1 shorter, setae j 2 posterior to transverse alignment with j 1 and z 1; setae s 2 and marginals r 2 -r 5 on lateral soft cuticle. Opisthonotal shield unornamented except for a transverse line running from margin on either side to bases of setae J 1, line usually interrupted between J 1; shield with 15 pairs of setae of similarly moderate length, generally nearly as long as longitudinal intervals between their bases, except clunal pair J 5 shorter; marginal setae R 1 -R 6 and two pairs of submarginal UR setae on lateral soft cuticle. Third pair of sternal poroids on weakly defined posterior edge of sternal shield; setae st 4 on weakly sclerotized metasternal platelets. Ventri-anal shield unornamented, with pair of U- or V- shaped notches on its anterior margin usually reaching to level of setae JV 1; shield with 5 pairs of opisthogastric setae and the 3 circum-anal setae, all simple; anal opening enlarged, post-anal seta and para-anal seta similarly short in length, para-anals inserted at level of anterior margin of anus; shield flanked anteriorly by pair of opisthogastric setae ZV 1 on soft cuticle. Peritremes extending anteriorly to level of marginal setae r 4 (posterior margins of coxae II). Remarks: The holotype of Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot was examined by one of us (EEL, unpublished, 1972), with conclusion in accord with a subsequent examination by Evans (1982) that this species is conspecific with, and a senior synonym of, Protogamasellus primitivus Karg, the type-species of the genus Protogamasellus Karg, 1962. The dorsal shields and ventri-anal shield of Brazilian specimens are slightly smaller than reported by Evans (1982). This species is thelytokous and has a cosmopolitan distribution in soil, fungal and subcortical habitats (Walter & Kaplan 1990; Halliday et al. 1998)., Published as part of De, Jeferson L., Lindquist, Evert E. & De, Gilberto J., 2009, Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of S��o Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species, pp. 1-32 in Zootaxa 2024 on page 26, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.186138, {"references":["Athias-Henriot, C. (1961) Mesostigmates (Urop. Excl.) edaphiques mediterraneens (Acaromorpha, Anactinotrichida). Acarologia, 3, 381 - 509.","Karg, W. (1962) Zur Systematic und postembryonalen Entwicklung der Gamasiden (Acarina, Parasitiformes) Landwirtschaftlich Genutzter Boden. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 38, 23 - 119.","Genis, N. De L., Loots, G. C. & Ryke, P. A. J. (1967) The genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari) with descriptions of new species and subspecies from the Ethiopian Region. Journal of Natural History, 1, 337 - 53.","Lindquist, E. E. & Evans, G. O. (1965) Taxonomic concepts in the Ascidae, with a modified setal nomenclature for the idiosoma of the Gamasina (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada, 47, 1 - 64.","Evans, G. O. (1982) Observations of the genus Protogamasellus Karg (Acari: Mesostigmata) with a description of a new species. Acarologia, 23, 303 - 313.","Karg, W. (1993) Acari (Acarina), Milben. Parasitiformes (Anactinochaeta). Cohors Gamasina Leach. Raubmilben. 2 nd edition. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands, 59, 1 - 523.","Halliday, R. B., Walter, D. E. & Lindquist, E. E. (1998) Revision of the Australian Ascidae (Acarina: Mesostigmata). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 12, 1 - 54.","Walter, D. E. & Kaplan, D. T. (1990) A guild of thelytokous mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with citrus roots in Florida. Environmental Entomology, 19, 1338 - 1343."]}