Neocypholaelaps ceylonicus Narita & Moraes, 2011

da Silva, Renan V., Narita, João Paulo Z., Vichitbandha, Patchanee, Chandrapatya, Angsumarn, Konvipasruang, Ploychompoo, Kongchuensin, Manita & de Moraes, Gilberto J., 2013, Prospection for predatory mites to control coconut pest mites in Thailand, with taxonomic descriptions of collected Mesostigmata (Acari), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 48 (11 - 12), pp. 699-719 : 714-716

Neocypholaelaps ceylonicus Narita & Moraes

Neocypholaelaps ceylonicus Narita and Moraes , in Narita et al. 2011: 60.

Adult male (three specimens measured) ( Figure 5 )

Gnathosoma ( Figure 5A ). Fixed cheliceral digit 25 long, with two large basal teeth and a small subapical tooth, and with an inflated structure tapered distally; movable cheliceral digit 23 long, edentate. Spermatodactyl 50 long, slightly curved, of about uniform diameter and with a sharp distal process. Lengths of hypostomal and palp–coxal setae: h1 23, h2 20, h3 25, sc 20.

Dorsum of idiosoma ( Figure 5B ). Holodorsal shield 395 long and 240 wide at level of s6, reticulate laterally and smooth centrally, between j3 and J4. Podonotal region of dorsal shield with 19 pairs of setae (j1–j6, z2, z4–z6, s1, s2, s4–s6, r2–r5), with four pairs of lyrifissures and four pairs of pores. Opisthonotal region of dorsal shield with 10 pairs of setae (J2, J4, Z1, Z2, Z4, Z5, S2–S5), with nine pairs of lyrifissures and three pairs of pores. Lengths of dorsal setae: j1 32 (30–35), j2 18 (15–25), j3 17 (15– 20), j4 15, j5 13, j6 15, J2 49 (40–63), J4 13 (10–15), z2 17 (15–20), z4 17 (15–20), z5 17 (15–18), z6 17 (15–18), Z1 18 (15–20), Z2 37 (30–48), Z4 34 (25–45), Z5 35 (30– 40), s1 23 (20–30), s2 23 (20–30), s4 37 (30–50), s5 37 (30–50), s6 37 (30–50), S2 40 (30–50), S3 44 (35–58), S4 45 (35–60), S5 47 (40–60), r2 42 (35–55), r3 38 (30–50), r4 40 (30–55), r5 43 (30–60). Setae j1 leaf-shaped and barbed; setae J2 stout and barbed; setae Z2, Z4, Z5, s4–s6, S2-S5, r2–r5 stout, barbed and broader distally; other dorsal setae setiform and smooth. In five of nine males of N. ceylonicus examined in this study seta J4 was inserted posterolaterad of seta J2, as in the illustration; in the remaining, J4 was inserted anterior of J2. Stridulating organ on unsclerotized cuticle at level between s6 and S3, with a large anterior lobe followed by a series of small lobes.

Venter of idiosoma ( Figure 5C ). Base of tritosternum 7 long and 14 wide; laciniae fused along about a third of their total length (60 long). Sternogenital shield 193 (185–200) long and 87 (85–90) wide at level of st3, bearing five pairs of setae and three pairs of lyrifissures, with two pairs of rounded metapodal plates. Anal shield oval, smooth, 105 (100–110) long at midline and 125 (120–140) wide at widest level, unsclerotized cuticle around anal shield with six pairs of setae (Jv1-Jv5, Zv2). Lengths of ventral setae: st1 22 (20–25), st2 22 (20–25), st3 21 (20–22), st4 19 (17–20), st5 22 (18–27), Jv1 18 (15–20), Jv2 17 (15–18), Jv3 15, Jv4 40 (35–50), Jv5 52 (45–65), Zv2 17 (15–20). Setae Jv4 and Jv5 stout and barbed; other ventral setae setiform and smooth. Endopodal plate represented by an arched platelet at level between coxae II and III, and an elongate platelet at level between coxae III and IV.

Peritreme and peritrematic shield ( Figure 5C, D ). Peritrematic shield fused to dorsal shield at level between j2 and j3, and to exopodal shield immediately behind stigma; with a large pore at level between coxa III and IV (gd3 of Athias-Henriot 1975; gp2 of Lindquist and Moraza 2009); peritreme reaching the level of j1.

Legs ( Figure 5D ). Pretarsi of legs I–IV consisting of elongate stalk, a pair of claws and pulvillus with three rounded lobes. Lengths of the legs: I 350, II 300, III 305 (300–310), IV 390 (370–410). Chaetotaxy of legs I–IV: coxa 2, 2, 2, 1; trochanter 6 (1- 0/2, 1/1-1), 5 (1-1/2, 0/1-1), 5 (1-1/2, 0/1-0), 5 (1-0/2, 1/1-0); femur 12 (2-3/1-2/2-2), 10 (2-2/1,2/2-1), 6 (1-2/1, 1/0-1), 6 (1-2/1, 1/0-1); genua 12 (2-3/2, 2/1-2), 11 (2-3/1, 2/1-2), 9 (2-2/1, 2/1-1), 9 (2-2/1, 3/0-1); tibiae 12 (2-3/2, 2/1-2), 10 (2-2/1, 2/1-2), 8 (2-1/1, 2/1-1), 9 (2-2/1, 2/1-1); tarsi not counted, 17, 17, 17. With one to four lobe-like structures on the dorsal surface of femur, genu and tibia IV. Each of femur and genu IV with a posterodistal spur probably used to rub stridulating organ.

Remarks

A detailed account of the morphology of the female was presented in the original description of this species; hence, this sex is not re-described in this paper. Narita et al. (2011) distinguished N. ceylonicus from N. stridulans ( Evans 1955) based on the sternal shield, wider than long in N. ceylonicus . Other characteristics that separate the females of these species are the presence of a tooth near the apex of the fixed cheliceral digit of N. ceylonicus (absent in N. stridulans ) and tritosternal base wider than long in N. ceylonicus (longer than wide in N. stridulans ).

Figures

Figure 5. Neocypholaelaps ceylonicus Narita and Moraes male. (A) Chelicera and spermatodactyl. (B) Dorsum of idiosoma. (C) Venter of idiosoma. (D) Stridulating organ region (a: dorsal shield; b: lobes; c: leg IV).