Balaustium yousifi, Kamran, Muhammad & Alatawi, Fahad J., 2014

Kamran, Muhammad & Alatawi, Fahad J., 2014, Erythraeid mites (Prostigmata, Erythraeidae) from Saudi Arabia, description of three new species and a new record, ZooKeys 445, pp. 77-95 : 83-86

Taxon classification Animalia Prostigmata Erythraeidae

Balaustium yousifi sp. n. Figs 24-29

Diagnosis

(n=7). Scutum present, three pairs of scutalae present off the scutum, fnTr 3 –3– 2, fnBfe 4 –4– 3, fnTi 11 –11– 11, PSE 66-75, IP 1294-1363, ISD 65-69, fV 60 and fD 74.

Description of holotype larva.

Dorsum: Idiosoma oval in shape, scutum elongate, 92 (88-95) long, 23 (21-25) wide, carries two pairs of sensilla (ASE & PSE), ASE located on anterior while PSE on posterior part of scutum, both sensilla finely barbed on their entire lengths. Crista present on scutum. Three pairs of scutalae (AL, ML, PL) present on the lateral sides of scutum, no scutalae located on scutum. AL located slightly posterior to the bases of ASE, ML lies slightly anterior to the middle of scutum and PL slightly posterior to the middle of scutum. One pair of eyes present on postero-lateral side of scutum at the level of PSE on the idiosoma, cornea of each eye 14 (13-14) in diameter. Dorsal setae on idiosoma 37 pairs, all barbed. fD = 74 (Fig. 24).

Venter: Idiosoma ventrally with one pair of sternalae 1a between coxae I, 56 (52-57) long, one pair of setae 2a between coxae II, 42 (41-47) long, 26 setae present in the area between coxae II & III, 60 (59-60) setae present between and behind the coxae III (fV = 86 (84-86). All ventral setae barbed (Fig. 25).

Gnathosoma: Gnathosoma with one pair of hypostomalae (Hy) 16 (15-17) and one pair of galealae (Ga) 10 (9-10), both barbed, supracoxalae present, very small, peg- like. Chelicerae 52-55 long, cheliceral blade 9 (9-10). Palp trochanter and palpfemur each with one barbed setae, palpgenu with two barbed setae (Fig. 26); palptibia withthree setae, palptarsus with four nude setae, one eupathidium and one solenidion(Fig. 26A). Palptibial claw entire with a median tooth (Fig. 26B). Eupathidium 7 (7), solenidion 16 (14-16). (Fig. 26). Palp setal formula: fPp: B-B-BB-BBN-NNNNωζ.

Legs: Legs seven segmented with divided femora, tarsi I–III terminated with two claws and claw-like empodium, empodium with pilose (pulvilliform) structure. Leg setal formula: leg I: Ta- ω, 2ζ, 1 Cp, 22B; Ti- 2φ,1κ, 11B; Ge- 1σ,1κ, 9B; Tfe- 5B; Bfe- 4B; Tr- 3B; Cx- 1B (Fig. 27). Leg II: Ta- ω, 1ζ, 20B; Ti- 2φ, 11B; Ge- 1κ, 8B; Tfe- 5B; Bfe- 4B; Tr- 3B; Cx- 1B (Fig. 28). Leg III: Ta- 20B; Ti- 1φ, 11B; Ge- 8B; Tfe- 5B; Bfe- 3B; Tr- 2B; Cx- 1B (Fig. 29).

Etymology.

The new species is named on the name of Professor Dr. Yousif Al-Duraihim.

Type.

Holotype larva was collected from 5 Km Taif road, Baha, Saudi Arabia, 20°7.918'N, 41°24.69'E, 24 April, 2013 (Coll. M. Kamran), from foxtail grass, Setaria viridis L. Paratypes six larvae, collection data same. Holotype and 6 paratypes (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6) are deposited in the King Saud University Museum of Arthropods (KSMA) and Acarology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University. One paratype (P1- accession no. Acy: 14/45) has been deposited at the Agriculture Research Council, Plant Protection Research Institute, Biosystematics Division, Pretoria (ARC-PPRI), South Africa.

Remarks.

Balaustium yousifi sp. n. closely resembles with Balaustium florale Grandjean. However it differes from Balaustium florale . by length of PSE (66-75 vs. 40-48); IP (1294-1363 vs. 850-988); ISD (64-69 vs. 42-48); fD (74 vs. 82). The new species can be distinguished from Balaustium bisculatae Mayoral & Barranco by shorter ISD (65-69 vs. 56), fD (74 vs. 95), longer AL (28-32 vs. 24), longer TiIII (89-97 vs. 72-75), longer IP 1294-1348 vs. 1014-1042.