Diptacus persicae sp. nov. (Fig. 3)

Description

FEMALE (n = 16). Body fusiform, 245 (240–251) long, 90 (85–92) wide, 80 (78–82) thick; light yellow in color. Gnathosoma 68 (67–70) long, projecting downwards. Prodorsal shield 35 (33–36) long, 60 (57–62) wide; median line discontinuous, median and admedian lines connected at basal 1/3 and 2/3, admedian and submedian lines connected and form network . Dorsal tubercles ahead of rear margin, 26 (24–28) apart, scapular setae (sc) 5 (4–5) long, projecting centered. Sternal line absent. Coxal area I with granules, coxal area II smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 20 (17–22) long, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 28 (25–32) long, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 48 (40–53) long. Legs I 47 (45–48) long, femur 12 (11–13) long, basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 8 (7–8) long, antaxial genual setae (l’’) 35 (32–38) long; tibia 15 (14–15) long, paraxial tibial setae (l’) 9 (7–10) long, setae located 2/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 8 (8–9) long; tarsal empodium divided, each 3 rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Legs II 42 (40–43) long, femur 11 (11–12) long, basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 6 (5–6) long, antaxial genual setae (l’’) 14 (13–16) long; tibia 13 (12–13) long; tarsus 8 (8–9) long; tarsal empodium divided, each 3­rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Dorsal opisthosoma with 58 (56–60) annuli, with spiny microtubercles on rear annular margines, ventrally with 91 (88–94) microtuberculate annuli. Setae c2 46 (41–52) long, on ventral annulus 21 (20–23); setae d 34 (30–37) long, on ventral annulus 38 (35–38); setae e 52 (48–57) long, on ventral annulus 56 (54–59); setae f 47 (44–51) long, on 13th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 2 (2–3) long. Female genitalia 19 (18–20) long, 36 (34–38) wide, coverflap with granules at base, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 12 (10–13) long.

MALE (n = 1). 210 long, 82 wide; genitalia 8 long, 25 wide, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 11 long.

Types

Holotype, female, northwestern China: Shaanxi Province, Zhouzhi county, Louguantai, 34°03.54’ N, 108°19.22’E. August 21, 2004, from Prunus persica (L.) Batsch ( Rosaceae), coll. Xue, Xiao­Feng & Song, Zi­Wei. Paratypes, 15 females and 1 male, China: Shaanxi Province, Zhouzhi county, Louguantai, 34°03.54’ N, 108°19.22’E, and Gansu Province, Dangchang county, Guanergou, 33°57.39’ N, 104°19.45’E, August 21, 2004 and September 11, 2005, from Prunus persica (L.) Batsch ( Rosaceae) and P. davidiana (Carrière .) Franch . (Rosaceae) , respectively.

Relation to host Vagrant on leaf surface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology Derived from the specific epithet of the type host plant, persica .

Remarks

This species is similar to Diptacus gigantorhynchus (Nalepa, 1892), but can be differentiated by coxal area I with granules (smooth in D. gigantorhynchus), tarsal empodium divided, each 3­rayed (5­rayed in D. gigantorhynchus), median line discontinuous and dorsal annuli with spiny microtubercles.