Linotetranus astragalusi, Khanjani, Mohammad, Fayaz, Bahman Asali & Khanjani, Masoumeh, 2011

Khanjani, Mohammad, Fayaz, Bahman Asali & Khanjani, Masoumeh, 2011, Two new species of Linotetranus (Parasitiformes: Tetranychoidea: Linotetranidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 2834, pp. 47-56 : 52-55

Linotetranus astragalusi sp. nov.

( Figs. 9–17 )

Material examined. Holotype ♀, Hamedan (34º 45′ N, 48º 31′ E and altitude 2015 m a.s.l), Hamedan Province, Iran, 22.viii.2010, Masoumeh Khanjani, from soil under gum bushes, Astragalus gossypinus Fisch. (Fabaceae) . Paratype. 1 ♀ 11.ix.2010, (34º 45′ N, 48º 31′ E and 2015 m a.s.l), Hamedan Province, Iran, 22.viii.2010, Masoumeh Khanjani, from soil under gum bushes, Astragalus gossypinus . The holotype is deposited in the mite collection of the Acarology Laboratory of the Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran; the paratype is deposited in the mite collection of ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.

Diagnosis. Palp genu nude; opisthosoma without transverse striae; setae d1 not extending to base of d2.

Female (n = 2).

Dorsum ( Figs. 9, 10 ). Body measurements: total body length 422 [423] (excluding gnathosoma 326 [335]) and width 149 [142]. Distances between setae: sc2-sc2 121 [115]; c3-c3 130 [130]; c4-c4 106 [105]; d3-d3 85 [80]; v1- v1 4 [3]; v1-v2 32 [35]; v2-v2 35 [35]; v2 -sc 1 30–34 [30]; sc1-sc1 82 [75]; sc1-sc 2 24–25 [24]; sc1-c1 82 [80]; c1- c1 51 [50]; c1-c 2 22–24 [22]; c2- c2 98 [96]; c2- c 3 19–23[19]; c3-c4 28 [29]; c1-d1 70–77 [70]; d1-d 1 17–20 [17]; d1-d2 28 [27]; d2-d2 65–74 [65]; d2-d3 11 [11]; d2-d3 10 [10]; e1-d1 50 [49]; e1- e1 21 [20]; e1- e2 22 [21]; e2- e2 58–64 [58]; e2- e3 11 [9]; e3- e3 70–75 [70]; e3- e4 11 [11]; e3-d3 42 [39]; e3- e 4 8–10 [10]; e1-f 1 26–32 [26]; f1-f1 29 [29]; f1-f 2 10–13 [10]; f2-f2 43–46 [43]; f2-f3 6 [6]; f3-f3 54–55 [55]; f1-h 1 27–29 [27]; h1-h1 10 [10]; h1-h2 4- 6 [4]; h2-h 2 16–18 [18]; h2-h3 4–6 [4]; h3-h 3 23–24 [23]; h3-h4 8–9 [8]; h4-h4 36–37 [37]. Dorsum with reticulate-areolate cuticle ( Fig. 9 ). Dorsal idiosoma bearing 22 pairs of setae. Prodorsal shield with four pairs of setae (v1, v2, sc1, sc2); hysterosomal shield with 18 pairs of setae. Dorsal setae serrated ( Fig. 10 ). Setae h2 are the longest and e1 the shortest. Length of dorsal setae as follows: v 1 18–20 [18]; v2 32 –34 [34]; sc1 71–70 [71]; sc2 83– 84 [83]; c 1 16–17 [17]; c2 33–35 [34]; c3 71–79 [71]; c4 76–81 [76]; d 1 14–16 [14]; d 2 27–29 [27]; d3 67–69 [67]; e 1 9 –10 [9]; e 2 27 –30 [27]; e3 54 –58 [58]; e 4 27 –29 [29]; f 1 14–16 [16]; f 2 23–24 [24]; f3 115–127 [115]; h1 30 [30]; h2 152–153 [152]; h3 65 [65]; h4 32–33 [33].

Venter ( Fig. 13 ). Ventral cuticle reticulate-areolate. Setae 1a 86 [86], 2a 58 [61], 3a 27 [26] and 4a 30 [30]; two pairs of aggenital setae ag1 23 [23], ag 2 16–17 [16]; genital valves with three pairs of genital setae g1 14 [14]; g2 7 [7]; g3 10 [11]; anal shields with three pairs of pseudanal setae ps1 12 [11]; ps2 14 [14]; ps3 14 [12]. Distances between ventral setae: 1a -1a 20 [20]; 1a -2a 31 [31]; 2a -2a 68 [65]; 2a -3a 79 [78]; 3a -3a 50–52 [50]; 3a -4a 104 [101]; 4a -4a 25 [24]; ag1-ag1 22 [27]; ag1-ag2 29 [31]; ag2-ag2 45–64 [45]; g1-g1 9 [10]; g1-g2 9 [10]; g2-g2 17 [17]; g3-g3 10 [10]; g2-g3 3 [3]; ps3-ps2 3–6 [3].

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 11, 12 ). Palp five segmented; palp coxa longer than other segments; setal formula fe-ta 1, 0, 2, 4(1e + 1s). Setal measurements: tarsus eupathidium 5 [5], solenidion 4 [4]; tibia 7 [7], 6 [5]; tibial claw 6 [5]; femur 7 [8]; supracoxal setae 3 [3] ( Fig. 12 ). Adoral setae or1 6 [6], or2 7 [7], subcapitular seta m 17–18 [18] and m -m 12 [12], or2-m 17 [17]. Segmental measurements: fe 11–15 [11], ge. 7–8 [7], ti. 6 [6], ta. 4 [5]. Chelicerae 98 [100]; stylophore 60–62 [60] ( Fig. 11 ).

Legs ( Figs. 14–17 ). Setal formula for legs I–IV (excluding sensory setae) as follows: coxae 2-1-1-1; trochanters 1-1-1-0; femora 5-3-2-1; genua 5-2-1-0; tibiae 5(1φ)-4-3-4; tarsi 11(2ω) - 7(1ω)-4-4; solenidia on tarsus I-II and tibia I spindle-shaped (ta I 7 [7] and 4–5 [5] ta II 5–6 [6] ti I 2–3 [2]) ( Figs. 14, 15 ). Coxa I with one pair of supracoxal setae 3 [3] ( Fig. 14 ). Measurements of length as follows (base of coxa to distal tip of tarsus, including pretarsus): leg I 133–140 [140]; leg II 90 [90]; leg III 78 –80 [78]; leg IV 80 –81 [80].

Colour. Cream when alive.

Male and immature stages. Not known.

Distribution. Hamedan, Hamedan Province, Iran.

Remarks. The new species resembles Linotetranus anatolicus Doġan & Dönel, 2010 by having the same leg setal formula and pattern of idiosomal striation, however L. astragalusi sp. nov. differs from L. anatolicus by: setae h2 is the longest dorsal setae in the former whereas setae h 3 the longest in L. anatolicus ; dorsal setae c1 as long as distance c1-c2 vs c1 longer than distance between the bases in the latter; setae c4 longer than distance to d2 vs c4 shorter than distance to d 2 in the latter; posterior part of dorsal idiosoma without fossettes vs several pairs of fossettes in L. anatolicus ; pattern on ventral cuticle between setae 2a -3a with regular rectangular reticulations arranged in transverse rows vs transverse linear pattern in L. anatolicus ; dorsal setae e2 longer than distance between setae e1-e 2 in the new species vs e2 shorter than e1-e 2 in L. anatolicus ; palp tarsus with four simple setae + one eupathidium + one solenidion in the former vs two simple setae and four eupathidia in L. anatolicus ; ventral cuticle between 4a -ag1 reticulate vs smooth in L. anatolicus ; and differences in the length of dorsal setae: c2 35 [34] vs 67 [68]; e3 56 [58] vs 82 [85]; e4 28 [29] vs 52 [53]; h2 153 [152] vs 57 [53], h3 65 [65] vs 154 [138].

Linotetranus astragalusi sp. nov. also appears morphologically similar to L. annae Meyer & Ueckermann, 1997 , sharing the same leg setal formulae and general body appearance, however L. astragalusi differs from L. annae by: setae h2 are the longest dorsal setae in the former but f3 are the longest in the latter; length of setae c1 about one half of c 2 in the new species but about the third of c 2 in L. annae ; dorsal setae v 1 in the former more serrate than that of the latter; cells of ventral reticulation in new species longer than that of L. annae ; ventral setae 1a extending to base of palp genu; ag2 about two thirds the length of ag1; g2 shorter than g 1 in L. astragalusi vs 1a extending to base of palp femur; ag1-2 and g1-3 subequal in length; palp tarsus with one eupathidium and one solenidion in the former vs palp tarsus with two eupathidia and without solenidia in L. annae ; dorsal setae c1, c2, d1, e1, f1-3 serrate in the new species but same setae smooth in the latter; setae ag2 located on smooth cuticle in L astragalusi whereas ag2 is situated on areolate cuticle in L. annae ; palp tibial claw in apex not curved in L astragalusi opposed to palp tibial claw in apex curved on L. annae ; palp femur seta short and not to reach to base of palp tibia, smooth vs shorter than base of palp tibia, serrate; the longest seta of tarsus I about 1.5 times length of tarsus in L. astragalusi vs three times length of tarsus in L. annae ; length of dorsal setae c2 34 [34] vs 54–66; h3 65 [65] vs 91–139.

Etymology. This species is named after the gum plant, Astragalus gossypinus Fisch. , with which it is associated.

Figures

FIGURES 9 – 13. Linotetranus astragalusi sp. nov., adult female: 9. dorsal idiosoma; 10. detail prodorsal seta v 1; 11. detail chelicerae; 12. detail ventral infracapitulum; 13. ventral idiosoma.

FIGURES 14 – 15. Linotetranus astragalusi sp. nov., adult female: 14. leg I; 15. leg II.

FIGURES 16 – 17. Linotetranus astragalusi sp. nov., adult female: 16. leg III; 17. leg IV.