Neoseiulus melinis Lofego & Moraes, 2003

Ferragut, Francisco & Navia, Denise, 2022, The genus Neoseiulus Hughes (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) in the Espinhaço Range, a great reservoir of biodiversity in Brazil, Zootaxa 5120 (4), pp. 523-542 : 536

Neoseiulus melinis Lofego & Moraes, 2003

Neoseiulus melinis Lofego & Moraes, 2003: 113

Specimens examined. Two females on unidentified Asteraceae ; rupestrian grassland, road Andarai-Mucugê, Chapada Diamantina, 12º58’14”S, 41º20’04”W, 1103 m asl; 10 January 2011.

Geographical distribution. It is only known from Brazil. Previously reported from the states of São Paulo and Goiás.

Additional description (two females). Dorsal shield smooth except for several weak anterolateral striae; 365 (362–367) long, 203 wide. Setae j1 22 (20–24), j3 37 (36–37), j4 34 (33–34), j5 12, j6 25 (24–25), J2 19 (17–21), J5 10 (9–10), z2 35 (33–37), z4 53 (51–54), z5 32 (31–33), Z1 49 (47–50), Z4 56 (54–57), Z5 68 (67–70), s4 68 (67–68), S2 51 (50–52), S4 30 (29–30), S5 25 (24–25). Sublateral setae r3 48, R1 30. Four pairs of small, punctiform solenostomes, gd1, gd2, gd4 and gd6. Peritremes extending at level of setae j1; 204 (203–205) long; internal groove with four lines of microvilli. One of the females presents the distal part of the peritremal groove clearly narrower than the rest of the structure ( Figure 14D ). Sternal shield broader than long, 57 (54–60) long, 87 (85–89) wide; posterior margin concave. Distance st1–st3 67 (66–67); st2–st2 75. Setae st4 on piriform metasternal plates located near the posterior margin of sternal shield. Epigynal shield 140 long, 74 (70–78) wide; distance st5–st5 69 (67–70). Ventrianal shield wider than epigynal; anterior part transversally straited, posterior part smooth. Shield length 126 (123–128), width at level of setae ZV2 107 (106–107), at level of anus 91 (90–91). Pre-anal pores punctiform, posterior to setae JV2, well distant to each other, 54 (51–56). Postanal seta 33 (32–33 µm). Setae JV5 42 (40–43) long. Cheliceral fixed digit with six teeth; movable digit bidentate. Genu II with nine setae (2 2/1, 2/1 1), genu III with seven setae (1 2/1, 2/0 1). Macrosetae on genu IV 35 (34–35), on tibia IV 26 (25–27), on basitarsus IV 40 (39–40).

Remarks. Morphologically, the females collected matches with the original description of the species. Only the macroseta on tarsus IV was pretty shorter than that reported in the original description (67–70).

The most remarkable features of the species are: (1) the shortness of j5 compared to neighboring j4, z5 and j6; (2) the chaetotaxy of genu II with nine setae by the addition of av and pv to the most common pattern of seven setae in the genus Neoseiulus ; (3) the absence of solenostome gd9, which is almost universal in the known species of the genus; and (4) the long postanal seta (32–33 µm), longer than the remaining setae on the ventrianal shield.

Figures

FIGURE 14. A. Neoseiulus benjamini, ornamentation of female epigynal shield. B–C. Neoseiulus diamantinus sp. nov. female; B. anterior part of the peritreme; C. posterior projections of sternal shield and metasternal plates. D. Neoseiulus melinis, anterior part of the peritremes.