Neoseiulus mungeri ( McGregor, 1954 )

Beaulieu, Frédéric & Beard, Jennifer J., 2018, Acarine biocontrol agents Neoseiulus californicus sensu Athias-Henriot (1977) and N. barkeri Hughes (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) redescribed, their synonymies assessed, and the identity of N. californicus (McGregor) clarified based on examination of types, Zootaxa 4500 (4), pp. 451-507 : 468

Neoseiulus mungeri ( McGregor, 1954)

( Figs 9a–b , 11a–b , 16a ; Table 2)

Typhlodromus mungeri McGregor, 1954: 92 .

Material examined. Two females, lectotype and paralectotype; see Figs 1b , 2b–c , Table 1.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 9a ). Suboval shield, 381–382 long x 201–220 wide, lateral margin smoothly concave at level of setae R 1; shield length / width ratio 1.74–1.90. Shield essentially smooth (as suspected, based on original illustration), except for light lineation in the marginal region of the shield anterolaterally. Number and position of setae are essentially the same as in other Neoseiulus species ( Chant & McMurtry, 2003); 17 pairs of setae on shield, r3 and R 1 on soft cuticle (see Table 2 for setal lengths). The few dorsal setae (j1, j3, j4, J5, z5, S4–5, r3, R 1) remaining on either of the two females moderately short, and the only Z5 seta present (on lectotype) elongate (60), with no apparent barbs (although mounting media not clear). Distance between j1 setae 0.76–0.91 x length of j1 setae; seta Z5 0.16 x length of dorsal shield. Four pairs of gland openings visible (gd1, gd4, gd6, gd9), in same positions as in N. californicus ; gd4 small and circular, more or less directly posterior to seta s4; gd9 as in N. californicus : conspicuous, and closely anteromesal to S5. Peritreme extending to j1.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 9b ). Sternal shield essentially smooth (as in original illustration), except for lineae in anterior and lateral marginal regions; bearing st1–3. Epigynal shield essentially smooth, although micropunctation discernible. Ventrianal shield reticulate, with three pairs of pre-anal setae; all pre-anal setae ( JV1–2 , ZV2) broken or missing, except one ZV2 seta apparently intact (26 µm) on one female (lectotype). Gland opening gv3 small, almost punctiform, slightly crescent-shaped, moderately close to each other (separated by 21–26), slightly posterior (7–9 µm) to level of JV2; gv3–gv3 distance / JV2–JV2 distance = 0.37–0.44. Soft opisthogastric cuticle with four pairs of setae (ZV1, ZV3, JV4–5) .

Spermatheca ( Fig. 11a–b ). Calyx elongate, narrowly subconical (typically viewed in longitudinal crosssection as narrowly cuneiform, or resembling a champagne flute), 18–20 long, 8–10 wide distally; orientation of calyx’s main axis varies both within and between females, from straight to strongly curved. Atrium 4.8–5.6 long, 4.0–4.2 wide, deeply forked at junction with major duct, thick-walled. Major duct as broad as or broader than atrium.

Chelicera ( Fig. 16a ). Cheliceral movable digit with a small, retrorse tooth, 7–8 µm from apex; fixed digit with two subapical (offset) teeth, followed by 2–3 proximal teeth (these 2–3 proximal teeth were overlooked by McGregor, because they are not aligned with the two subapical teeth (being inserted paraxially)).

Legs. A single macroseta (pd3), on basitarsus of leg IV (63–66). Chaetotaxy of genu II–III as for N. californicus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs of the slides of key specimens studied: (a) Holotype of Typhlodromus californicus (male) (verbatim transcription of left label: “Garman says this is prob. a new sp.”, “TYPE”; see Table 1, slide lot #1 for info from the right label); (b) Syntypes of T. mungeri (2 females; verbatim transcription of right label: “Garman says this is a n. sp.”, “TYPE”; Table 1, lot #2); (c–g) Other specimens from lemon, in southern California (1952–1958) identified by authors as N. barkeri ((c) has a male and female; (d–g) have single females), corresponding to slide lots #3–6, respectively (see Table 1 for label details); (h) A female syntype of N. barkeri Hughes (slide lot #7, Table 1). [n.b. (h) is herein designated as lectotype of N. barkeri (verbatim transcription of left label: “Laelaptidae n. gen.”, “Neoseiulus”, “type”, “barkeri”, “sprouting barley”, “Barker”, “11.5.45”). Slides in (a, b, e–g) were labelled by E.A. McGregor, based on comparison with labels on slides of species that he originally collected and/or described (including types). Slides in (c, d) were most probably labelled by Francis Munger (USDA, Whittier, California), based on comparison with other labels on slides of specimens he collected.]

FIGURE 2. Photographs of the type specimens examined: (a) Typhlodromus californicus holotype (male) (slide lot #1, Table 1); (b, c) T. mungeri lectotype and paratype (females), respectively (slide lot #2); (d, e) Neoseiulus barkeri lectotype (female) and paralectotype (male), respectively (slide lot #7); (f) T. chilenensis paralectotype (female) (slide lot #43).

FIGURE 9. Females: dorsal and ventral idiosoma of (a, b) Neoseiulus mungeri lectotype, and of (c, d) N. barkeri, based on a specimen from California with similar collection data to that of N. mungeri type (slide lot #3, Table 1).

FIGURE 16. Neoseiulus barkeri (including jun. syn. of N. barkeri). Female chelicerae: (a) Neoseiulus mungeri lectotype; (b) N. barkeri lectotype; N. barkeri females from (c–e) California (c–d: slide lot #3; e: lot #6, Table 1); (f) New Jersey (N. picketti holotype; lot #10); and (g) South Korea (lot #17). [n.b. (c, d) are from the same individual, (a, b, c, f) are in paraxial view, (d, e) in antiaxial view, (g) in dorsal view. Legend: MDt—movable digit tooth; MD L—movable digit length; pr—proximal (paraxial) teeth of fixed digit; pdb—base of pilus dentilis; su—subapical (antiaxial) teeth of fixed digit].

FIGURES 10–11. Females: 10. Dorsal and ventral idiosoma of Neoseiulus barkeri lectotype. 11. Spermathecae of N. mungeri lectotypes (a) and paralectotype (b), and of N. barkeri lectotype (c). [n.b. Several setae on 10b appear shorter than they are because they are bent in the Z-axis; arrow on 11c indicates thickened calyx wall]