Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni, Rodrigues, Daniela F. S., Navia, Denise, Oliveira, Anibal R. & Ferragut, Francisco, 2016

Rodrigues, Daniela F. S., Navia, Denise, Oliveira, Anibal R. & Ferragut, Francisco, 2016, Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. n. sp. (Trombidiformes: Eriophyidae), a new eriophyoid mite from the cupuaçu tree, Theobroma grandiflorum, from northern Brazil, Zootaxa 4072 (4), pp. 465-476 : 471-474

Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. sp. Rodrigues, Navia & Oliveira

( Figs. 1–6 )

FEMALE (n=6). Body fusiform, yellow-orange, 128 (120–131), 41 (38–45) wide, which can be uniformly covered by wax plates. Gnathosoma projecting obliquely downwards; pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 2 (2); dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 4 (4–5), simple; subapical pedipalp tarsal seta (v) 2 (1–2); cheliceral stylets 10 (10–13). Prodorsum downcurved. Prodorsal shield reduced, around one tenth (1/10) of body length, 12 (9–12), 27 (23–28) wide, trapezoid; frontal lobe subtriangular, short 3 (3), narrow-based, apically rounded; ornamental pattern visible in some specimens, consisting of median lines curved basally and laterally extended, anterolateral areas punctuated by fine granules, ordered in diagonal rows; tubercles and scapular seta (sc) on posterolateral area, near rear shield margin, sc 15 (15–18), laterally displaced, tubercles 21 (21–22) apart; sc tubercles subcylindrical with perpendicular bases in relation to dorsal annuli, directing setae dorsally upwards or laterally; ocellar-like structures in laterad area, outer than sc tubercles. Legs, paraxial, unguinal, tarsal setae (u') not seen on legs. Leg I 17 (16–18); femur 5 (5–6), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 6 (4–6); genu 4 (3–4), antaxial genual seta (l") 16 (14–17); tibia 4 (3– 4), l' absent; tarsus 5 (4–5), antaxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft”) 11 (11–15), paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft’) 3 (3–4), u ′ apparently absent, tarsal solenidion (ω) 6 (6–7), thin, uniform thickness; empodium 4 (4–5), undivided, symmetrical, 5-rayed, each ray (except first) with sub-ray at extremity. Leg II 16 (15–16); femur 5 (5–6), bv 4 (4– 5); genu 3 (3), l" 9 (9–15); tibia 3 (3–4); tarsus 5 (4–5), ft" 14 (11–14), ft' 2 (2–3), u ′ apparently absent, ω 6 (6–7); empodium same as leg I, 4 (4–5), 5-rayed. Coxisternal region, mostly smooth (ornamentation not observed). Anterolateral seta on coxisternum I (1b) 8 (8), 8 (8–9) apart; proximal seta on coxisternum I (1a) 10 (9–10), 6 (6– 7) apart; proximal seta on coxisternum II (2a) 13 (13–16), 14 (14–20) apart; prosternal apodeme 6 (6); coxigenital region with 3 (3) semiannuli, not microtuberculated. External genitalia 8 (5–9), 15 (7–15) wide, genital coverflap subtriangular, smooth; proximal seta on coxisternum III (3a) 7 (5–7). Internal genitalia, anterior genital apodeme T-shaped, spermathecae spherical or slightly elongated and thus ovoid-like, long axis of spermathecae directed laterad (average angle of 90º between spermatheca and longitudinal bridge); spermathecal duct short, ~ 2 long, tube- or funnel-like; oblique apodeme distinct, forming flattened V-like figure; longitudinal bridge ~ 5 long, postspermathecal part of longitudinal bridge reduced. Opisthosoma with 4 (4–5) first dorsal annuli narrow, with elongated thin microtubercles, in lateral view perpendicular to prodorsal shield; 12 (12–13) broad dorsal annuli posterior to narrow annuli; first broad annulus expanded, at least three times longer than others, forming an opisthosomal plate, elevated in relation to prodorsal shield; 34 (30–40) ventral annuli; plus 8 (7–11) annuli on posterior opisthosoma, which is abruptly downcurved around level of setae f. Dorsal broad annuli smooth, ventral annuli with elongated microtubercles near rear annuli margin. Lateral seta c2 13 (12–14), on ventral annulus 5 (3– 6); ventral seta d 24 (22–26), on annulus 12 (9–14), 30 (25–32) apart; ventral seta e 15 (13–17), on annulus 22 (21– 28), 17 (17–20) apart; ventral seta f 11 (9–11), on 4th annulus (2–8) from caudal lobes, 8 (8–9) apart; caudal seta h2 20 (18–27); accessory seta h1 2 (2–3).

MALE (n=3). Most males smaller than female (one as long as a female), body 118–122, 37–38 wide. Gnathosoma, pedipalp ep 2, d 4, v 1–2, cheliceral stylets 10–14. Prodorsal shield as in female 12, 28 wide; sc 13– 15, 20 apart, frontal lobe 3. Coxisternal region. 1b 6–8, 7–8 apart; 1a 7–10, 6–7 apart; 2a 14–18, 14–19 apart, prosternal apodeme 6–7; coxigenital region with 3 semiannuli. Legs as in female. Leg I 17–20; femur 5–6, bv 4; genu 3–5, l" 15–16; tibia 4–5; tarsus 5, ft" 7–9, ft' 2, u’ apparently absent, ω 6; empodium 4–5, 5-rayed. Legs II 17– 18; femur 5, bv 3–4; genu 4, l" 7–9; tibia 3–5; tarsus 4–5, ft" 11–14, ft' 3, u ′ apparently absent, ω 6; empodium 4–5, 5-rayed. External genitalia. 6–8, 11–12 wide, area flanked by 3a and posterior to gonopore finely granulated; eugenital setae not observed; 3a 5. Opisthosoma as in female, with 4–5 narrow annuli between prodorsal shield rear margin and first broad opisthosomal annulus, followed by 12–13 broad dorsal annuli, with 36–42 ventral annuli; plus 7 annuli of posterior opisthosoma with minute microtubercles. c 2 9–10, on ventral annulus 1–3; d 21– 26, on annulus 7–11, 24–26 apart; e 14–17, on annulus 21–27, 16–18 apart. f 9–10, on annulus 2–5, 8–9 apart. h 2 24–26; h1 1–2.

NYMPH (n=2). Body slightly fusiform, 90–108, 27–36 wide. Gnathosoma chelicera 8–12. Prodorsal shield not remarkably reduced as in adults, subquadrangular, frontal lobe and ornamentation not seen; 10–11, 20 wide; sc tubercles and seta present, tubercles elongated (almost subcylindrical), on latero-posterior area, near rear shield margin, sc 6–7, tubercles 14–16 apart. Coxisternal region. 1b not seen; 1a 3, 4 apart; 2 a 8–11, 8 apart; 3a 2, on ventral semiannulus 7. Legs. Leg I 10; femur 3, bv 2; genu 2, l" 8; tibia 2, l' absent; tarsus 3, ft" 5, u' and ft' not seen, ω 5, as in adults; empodium 3, 5-rayed. Leg II 10; femur 3, bv 2–3; genu 2, l" 8; tibia 2; tarsus 3, ft" 5, u' and ft' not seen, ω 5; empodium 2–3, 5-rayed. Opisthosoma with dorso-ventral differentiation, except for telosoma annuli; dorsal annuli with small microtubercles on anterior margin, ventral annuli with slightly elongated microtubercles on rear margin; dorsal annuli at same level as prodorsal shield, evenly arched; 18 dorsal annuli, first four narrowest (probably corresponding to first narrow annulus in adults); other 14 dorsal annuli broader (probably corresponding to broad annuli in adults), 30–31 ventral annuli posterior to seta 3a; plus 7 annuli on posterior opisthosoma. All lateral and ventral setae present; c2 8, on annulus 1; d 14–16, on annulus 9–10, 17–19 apart; e 14– 15, on annulus 17–19, 12–14 apart; f 8–10, on annulus 3, 6–8 apart; h 2 12–15; h1 1; c1 absent.

Type material. Fourteen specimens collected from Theobroma grandiflorum (Malvaceae) leaves, municipality of Novo Airão, Amazonas, Brazil (02° 37' 17'' S, 60° 56' 39'' W), on 5 September 2013, coll. Denise Navia & Francisco Ferragut. Female holotype and 6 paratypes (3 females, 1 male and 2 nymphs) on one slide deposited in the Acarological collection of Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz ( UESC), Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil. Three paratypes (2 females and 1 male) in one slide deposited in the Acarological collection at Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia. Four paratypes (3 females and 1 male) on two slides deposited in the Acarological collection of the Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Escola Superior de Agricultura ‘Luiz de Queiroz’ ( ESALQ), Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.

Host plant. Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. Ex Spreng.) K. Schum. ( Malvaceae ).

Relation to host. A vagrant species found on young leaves, no symptoms observed.

Etymology. The new species exhibits an unusual and peculiar morphology among eriophyid mites. The authors would like to highlight this characteristic naming it in honor to Prof. Carlos Holger Wenzel Flechtmann, acarologist well-known by his overwhelming (strong) personality, for his contribution to the knowledge of Eriophyoidea, and formation of a new generation of mite taxonomists in Brazil. The specific name flechtmanni is derived from the last surname of the honored professor in the genitive possessive case.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp., female dorsal habitus. D 1. With wax; D 2. Without wax.

FIGURE 2. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp. V. Ventral habitus, female; GF. External genitalia, female; GM. External genitalia, male; IGF. Internal genitalia, female; E. Ventral view of empodium, female (enlarged).

FIGURE 3. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp., female. LR. Lateral right habitus; LL. Lateral left habitus; L 1. Leg I, antaxial view; L 2. Leg II, antaxial view.

FIGURE 4. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp., nymph. ND. Dorsal habitus; NV. Ventral habitus. Some setae from gnathosoma- pedipalp coxal seta (ep) and dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) - and from legs- paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft’) and anterolateral seta on coxisternum I (1 b) - could not be clearly visualized, probably due to its reduced size.

FIGURE 5. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp. A. Dorsal habitus, female; B. Lateral habitus, female; C. Lateral habitus, nymph.

FIGURE 6. Eriomacrotergum flechtmanni n. gen. et n. sp. A. Propodosoma, female, enlarged dorsal view; anterior idiosoma is wax covered, preventing observation of annuli. Notation: a—wax, b—anterior portion of prodorsal shield; B. Prodorsal shield, enlarged dorsal view; C. External genitalia, female; D. Internal genitalia, female.