Unguicheylidae fam. nov., a new fossil family of prostigmatic mites (Acari: Prostigmata) from the Cretaceous Taimyr amber

Abstract

A new monotypic fossil family Unguicheylidae fam. nov. with type genus and species Unguicheylus quadriocellatus gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from the early-Cretaceous (Albian–lower Cenomanian) amber of northern Siberia (Taimyr amber, Baikura locality). The new family is provisionally placed in the superfamily Anystoidea and most similar to the family Pseudocheylidae, but differs mainly in having apomorphically adnate cheliceral bases (free, mobile bases in Pseudocheylidae), and the tarsi of all legs lacking annulated pretarsal stalks bearing reduced claws (present, apomorphic to Pseudocheylidae).