A new species of Amblyomma(Acari: Ixodidae) associated with monkeys and passerines of the Atlantic rainforest biome, Southeastern Brazil

Recent studies have reported several larvae of an unidentified Amblyommaspecies on passerine birds in Atlantic rainforest fragments in southeastern Brazil. These larvae yielded a unique 16S rRNA haplotype designated as Amblyommasp. haplotype Nazaré, which showed nucleotide identity levels of 91% to Amblyomma parkeriFonseca & Aragão, 1952 and 88% to Amblyomma longirostre(Koch, 1844). Herein, we describe Amblyommasp. haplotype Nazaré as a new species, Amblyomma romarioin. sp. Martins, Luz & Labruna, through a formal description of the male and female adult stages. Amblyomma romarioiis morphologically and genetically most closely related to A. parkeri, A. longirostreand Amblyomma geayiNeumann, 1899. Among males, the rectangular basis capituli and rounded coxa I spurs separates A. romarioifrom A. parkeri, A. longirostre,and A. geayi,which have basis capituli triangular or slightly hexagonal, and pointed coxa I spurs. Among females, the V-shaped genital aperture and coxa I rounded spurs of A. romarioicontrasts to the U-shaped genital aperture and coxa I pointed spurs in A. parkeri, A. longirostre,and A. geayi.Larvae of A. romarioihave been collected on 24 species of passerines. The few records of nymphs and adults were on the black-fronted titi monkey Callicebus nigrifrons(Spix, 1823). The current distribution of A. romarioiis restricted to the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest, southeastern Brazil, in areas with altitude between 363 and 1600 m, within the distribution of C. nigrifrons. We discuss ecological features of Amblyomma romarioi,comparatively to A. parkeri, A. longirostreand A. geayi.The present study increases the Brazilian tick fauna to 74 species.