Antennoseius orientalis, Bhattacharyya, A. K., Sanyal, A. K. & Bhattacharya, T., 2003

Bhattacharyya, A. K., Sanyal, A. K. & Bhattacharya, T., 2003, A new species of the genus Antennoseius (Ascidae: Mesostigmata) from India, Zootaxa 295, pp. 1-7 : 2-6

Antennoseius orientalis sp. n. ( Figs. 1–7)

Female: Body dorsally covered by two shields, both shields with distinct pattern of reticulation; anterior dorsal shield 396–404µm long, 320–329µm wide, with 19 pairs (j1–j6, z1– z6, s1–s6 and r4) of setae; setae j1 and z1 subequal in length (14–16µm); setae j3 spur­like, 11µm long; j6 longest (41–44µm) of all setae on anterior region; posterior dorsal shield (329–337µm long, 311–319µm wide), with 15 pairs of setae, all setae simple; setae Z5 longest (70–73µm) of all setae on posterior region; lateral membrane with 12 pairs of short, simple setae, 4 pairs (r2–r3 and r5–r6) on anterior region and 8 pairs R and UR setae on posterior region ( Fig. 1).

Tritosternum bipartite, lacinae sparsely pilose. Sternal shield (176–179µm long along midline and 179–183µm wide between two anterolateral corners at level of coxae II), with three pairs of sternal setae, reticulation of sternal shield not obviously discernible; anteromedian portion of sternal shield convex; anterior margin with two sclerotized strips; posterolateral corners with a notchilke depression giving posteromedian region a conspicuous shape ( Fig. 2 ); metasternal setae without platelets, freely placed on ventral membrane; genital shield smooth, posteriorly rounded, with paired genital setae; first sternal setae longest (31–32µm); second sternal setae and genital setae subequal in length (28µm); genital pore present on ventral membrane, one on each side of genital shield; anal shield longer (151–155µm) than wide (125–129µm), without any reticulation and granulation; para­ and post­anal setae of equal length (11–13µm); cribrum present posteriorly; 24 pairs of simple setae on ventral membrane; two pairs of sclerotized, metapodal platelets present, one pair broad and of irregular shape, another pair linear, lying horizontally along posterior end of peritrematal shield. Endopodal shield present between coxae III and IV, anterior end wide, gradually narrowing posteriorly terminating into a pointed end; peritrematal shield free posteriorly, peritreme extending to level of setae z1; stigma distinct, placed at level of coxae IV; ventral membrane around genital shield striated.

Margin of tectum irregularly denticulate, with numerous smalll spinules ( Fig. 3 ); ventrally gnathosoma with 4 pairs of hypostomatic setae, anterior hypostomatic setae longest. Pedipalps with 5 segments; apotele two­tined; capitular groove wide, 7 rows of deuosternal denticles present, 8–13 denticles in each row; internal malae finely fringed extending beyond tips of corniculi. Chelicera chelate­dentate; fixed digit with a large and several small teeth on its anterior half; movable digit tridentate ( Fig. 4 ).

Leg I longer (780–789µm) than collective length of dorsal shield, with pretarsus and claws; legs II­III­IV with pulvilli and claws, lengths (excluding ambulacra) of legs II­III­ IV are 535–539µ, 489–495µm and 611–616µm respectively; tarsus I with several macrosetae, both terminally and laterally ( Fig. 5 ), longest one being 154µm; coxae II with spurlike setae ( Fig. 6 ); in addition to simple setae, trochanter, femur and genu of leg I possess peglike, faintly serrated and club­shaped setae ( Fig. 7 ); setation of genu and tibia of legs I­ IV observed as, 13­11­9­9 and 13­10­8­10 respectively.

Male: Unknown.

Types: Holotype female, Keibul Lanjo National Park, Keibul, Churachandpur District, Manipur; ex. soil under decomposed leaves; 2 April 1992; A.K. Sanyal coll. Paratypes: 2 females (damaged), collection details same as that of holotype.

Distribution: INDIA: Manipur.

Remarks: The new species, Antennoseius orientalis can be mistaken as Antennoseius garurensis , described by Bhattacharyya (1994) from Uttaranchal, in having paired spurlike setae and in the nature of the remaining setae. However, A. orientalis can be distinguished easily by a number of dissimilarities such as the presence of only 19 pairs of setae on anterior dorsal shield (vs 20), the shape of tectum, sternal and genital shields, presence of endopodal shields, comparatively longer peritrematal length and hypertrichous nature of ventral membrane.

Figures

FIGURE 2: Antennoseius orientalis sp. n., female. 2. Ventral view.

FIGURES 3 – 7: Antennoseius orientalis sp. n., female. 3. Tectum, 4. Chelicera, 5. Tarsus I, 6. leg II (partial view), 7. Leg I (partial view).