Litaculus tremae, Li & Wang & Wei, 2010

Li, De-Wei, Wang, Guo-Quan & Wei, Sui-Gai, 2010, Description of a new genus and four new species of Acaricalini (Acari, Eriophyidae, Phyllocoptinae) from South China, Zoosystema 32 (2), pp. 233-245 : 239-241

Litaculus tremae n. sp.

( Fig. 3 )

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: Jinzhong MT., 37 km SW of Longlin County (24°8’N, 105°34’E), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, 1.XII.2004, from Trema angustifolia (Planch.) Blume (Ulmaceae) , coll. Sui-Gai Wei, De-Wei Li and Guo-Quan Wang, ♀ ( CAGU).

Paratypes: same data as holotype, 14 ♀♀, 1 ơ ( CAGU) ; 1 ♀, 1 ơ ( MNHN) .

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet is derived from the generic name of the host plant, Trema Lour.

RELATION TO HOST. — The mites are vagrants on the lower surface of the leaves, no visible damage.

DESCRIPTION

Female (n = 6)

Body ( Fig. 3A, B ) spindleform, light yellow, 127 (120-136) long, 69 (65-72) wide, 37 (35-40) thick.

Gnathosoma 20 (19-21), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 2 (2-3); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) bifurcate, 12 (11-14); oryal stylets 19 (18-21).

Prodorsal shield semi-round, with frontal lobe and lower than dorsal opisthosoma, 47 (45-50) long, 66 (62-70) wide; middle shield flat with some irregular sulci, median, admedian and submedian lines absent; lateral sides of shield with granules, bent down, lateral margins reaching coxal area. Scapular tubercles small, ahead of rear margin, 13 (13-14) apart, scapular setae (sc) 2 (2), directed up.

Coxae ( Fig. 3C ) with a sternal line, coxal area smooth, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 5 (5-6), apart 14 (14-15); proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 10 (10-11), apart 13 (13-14); proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 15 (14-16), apart 29 (29-31).

Leg ( Fig. 3G, H ) segments normal. Leg I 29 (28-30), femur 11 (10-11), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 6 (6-7); genu 3 (3-4), antaxial genual setae (l’’) 20 (18-23); tibia 6 (6-7), paraxial tibial setae (l’) 2 (2), at dorsal middle tibia; tarsus 6 (6-7), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’) 18 (16- 24), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’’) 16 (15-19), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u’) 4 (3-4); tarsal empodium, 4 (4-6), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 5 (5-6), knobbed. Leg II 27 (26- 29), femur 10 (10-11), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 7 (7-8); genu 3 (3-4), antaxial genual setae (l’’) absent; tibia 5 (5-6); tarsus 5 (5-6), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’) 19 (16-24), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’’) 5 (5-7), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u’) 4 (3-4); tarsal empodium, 4 (4-5), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 4 (4-5), knobbed.

Opisthosoma ( Fig. 3A, B ): dorsal opisthosoma annuli arc-like, smooth, 16 (16-17) annuli; ventrally with 44 (43-45) annuli, with filamentous microtubercles; setae c2 15 (15-16) on ventral annulus 13 (13-14), apart 48 (47-53); setae d 18 (17-19), on ventral annulus 21 (20-22), apart 34 (33-37); setae e 35 (34-37), on ventral annulus 32 (31-33), apart 13 (13-14); setae f 15 (14-16), on 6th ventral annulus from rear, apart 22 (22-24); setae h1 absent; setae h2 17 (15-19).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 3C ) 19 (18-20) long, 22 (22-24) wide, coverflap with three distinct and many faint longitudinal lines, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 9 (9-10), apart 15 (15-17).

Male (n = 2)

Body spindleform, light yellow, 135 (130) long, 72 (72) wide.

Gnathosoma 20 (19), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 2 (2); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) bifurcate 13 (12); oryal stylets 20 (19).

Prodorsal shield semi-round, with frontal lobe and lower than dorsal opisthosoma, 48 (46) long, 67 (65) wide; middle shield flat with some irregular sulci, median, admedian and submedian lines absent; lateral sides of shield with granules, bent down, lateral margins reaching coxal area. Scapular tubercles small, ahead of rear margin, 14 (13) apart, scapular setae (sc) 2 (2), directed up.

Coxae with a sternal line, coxal area smooth, anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 5 (5), apart 15 (14); proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 10 (10), apart 13 (12); proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 16 (15), apart 30 (28).

Leg segments normal. Leg I 29 (28), femur 11 (10), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 6 (6); genu 3 (3), antaxial genual setae (l’’) 21 (19); tibia 6 (6), paraxial tibial setae (l’) 2 (2), at dorsal middle tibia; tarsus 6 (6), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’) 22 (19), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’’) 17 (15), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u’) 4 (3); tarsal empodium, 5 (4), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 5 (5), knobbed. Leg II 27 (26), femur 10 (9), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 7 (7); genu 3 (3), antaxial genual setae (l’’) absent; tibia 5 (5); tarsus 5 (5), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’) 20 (18), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft’’) 5 (5), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u’) 4 (3); tarsal empodium, 4 (4), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 4 (4), knobbed.

Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma annuli arclike, smooth, 17 (16) annuli; ventrally with 44 (43) annuli, with filamentous microtubercles; setae c2 15 (14) on ventral annulus 13 (13), apart 49 (47); setae d 19 (18), on ventral annulus 21 (20), apart 36 (34); setae e 35 (34), on ventral annulus 33 (31), apart 13 (12); setae f 15 (14), on 6th ventral annulus from rear, apart 22 (21); setae h1 absent; setae h2 17 (15).

Male genitalia 17 (17) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 5 (5); apart 15 (15) ( Fig. 3D ).

REMARKS

This species is similar to Litaculus pennigerus Manson, 1986 , but can be differentiated by prodorsal shield semi-round, median, admedian and submedian lines absent, lateral sides of shield with granules; ventrally annuli with filamentous microtubercles; tarsal empodium each branch 5-rayed (prodorsal shield with incomplete admedian line; ventrally annuli with rounded microtubercles and tarsal empodium with each branch 4-rayed in Litaculus pennigerus ; see Manson 1986).

Figures

FIG. 3. — Litaculus tremae n. sp.: A, dorsal view of female; B, lateral view of female; C, coxal-genital region,female; D, genital region, male; E, empodium; F, lateral opisthosoma; G, leg I; H, leg II. Scale bar: A, B, 40 μm; C, D, 45 μm; G, H, 34 μm.