Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod, 2020

Tajaddod, Sadegh, Lotfollahi, Parisa, de, Enrico & Lillo, 2020, A contribution to the knowledge of the eriophyoid mites (Trombidiformes: Eriophyidae) associated to Lythraceae with description of a new species from Iran, Persian Journal of Acarology 9 (4), pp. 327-339 : 328-336

Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 )

Description

FEMALE (measured specimens n = 7) – Body vermiform, 167 (167–195, excluding gnathosoma), 54* (52–55) thick, 52 (50–52) wide. Gnathosoma projecting obliquely downwards, chelicerae 19* (19–20), palp 22* (21–23), palp coxal setae ep 2 (2–3), dorsal palp genual setae d 6 (6–8), unbranched. Prodorsal shield 25 (25–27) including frontal lobe, 37 (37–40) wide, subcircular; with a short, flexible distally rounded frontal lobe, 6 (no variation), over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern distinct, consisting of complete median, admedian and inner submedian lines, short outer submedian lines extended at anterior half of prodorsal shield and many short lines and dashes between submedian lines at the base and on the shield lateral sides. Tubercles of scapular setae sc on rear shield margin, 19 (19–22) apart, setae sc 47 (43–47), directed posterior divergently. Legs with all usual segments and setae. Leg I 41 (40–44), trochanter 6 (5–6), femur 8 (8–10), genu 5 (5– 6), tibia 6 (6–8), tarsus 6 (6–10), tarsal solenidion  9 (9–10) distally enlarged and tapered, empodium simple, 6 (6–8), 6-rayed; femoral setae bv 13 (13–15), genual setae l" 25 (25–30), paraxial tibial setae l' 10 (10–11), located in basal 1/3 of tibia, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft ' 21 (19–21), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft" 38 (28–38), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 4 (no variation). Leg II 27 (27–37), trochanter 4 (4–5), femur 7 (7–10), genu 5 (no variation), tibia 6 (6– 7), tarsus 7 (7–10), tarsal solenidion  11 (10–11) distally rounded, empodium simple, 7 (7–8), 6- rayed; femoral setae bv 12 (12–15), genual setae l" 10 (10–14), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft' 11 (9–11), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft " 32 (32–33), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 5 (no variation). Coxisternal region. Prosternal apodeme 6 (5–6), anterior setae on coxisternum I 1b 5 (5–6), 9 (8–9) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I 1a 16 (16–27), 7 (7–8) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II 2a 45 (45–57), 19 (17–19) apart; 7 (7–8) microtuberculate semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap plus 1–2 transversal rows of lined granules at the base of the coverflap. Coxae with lined dashes. External genitalia 12 (12–13), 22 (20–22) wide, coverflap with 14 (14– 17) longitudinal ridges; setae 3a 20 (20–24), 14 (12–14) apart. Internal genitalia: spermathecae ovoid, oriented posterolaterad; spermathecal tubes relatively short; transverse genital apodeme trapezoidal, distally folded. Opisthosoma dorsally arched, with 73 (73–86) dorsal semiannuli, 64 (64–90) ventral semiannuli. Microtubercles: oval, on posterior part of dorsal semiannuli up to 1/3 of the body; rounded on posterior margin from 1/3 third of the body up to forth semiannuli from the anal lobes; spiny on the rear margin of the last 4 dorsal semiannuli; circular on posterior part of ventral semiannuli, elongated and linear on last 6 ventral semiannuli. Setae c2 29 (21–29) on ventral semiannulus 8 (8–12), setae d 70 (63–75) on ventral semiannulus 20 (20–31); setae e 26 (16–27) on ventral semiannulus 34 (34–54); setae f 25 (22–25) on ventral semiannulus 59 (59–84); 5 (5–6) annuli posterior to setae f. Setae h2 79 (65–105) apically very fine, h1 6 (5–7).

MALE ( Fig. 1 - GM; measured specimen n = 1) – Similar in shape and prodorsal shield arrangement to female. Body smaller than female, 129 (excluding gnathosoma), 45 wide; palp genual setae d 4; prodorsal shield 25, 32 wide; setae sc 40, 18 apart. Opisthosoma with 63 dorsal semiannuli and 65 ventral semiannuli; 5 semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, with microtubercles similar to that of female. Setae: 1b 10, 1a 20, 2a 43, c2 22, d 37, e 18, f 19, h1 5, h2 70). Male genitalia 30 wide, setae 3a 15, 14 apart; empodium 5-rayed.

NYMPH (measured specimen n = 1) – Body vermiform, 120 (excluding gnathosoma), 46 thick; palp genual setae d 3. Prodorsal shield 34 including frontal lobe. Setae sc 22, directed posterior. Opisthosoma with 50 dorsal semiannuli with round microtubercles set on rear margin of semiannuli, 51 ventral semiannuli with oval microtubercles, elongated on the posterior semiannuli. Setae: 1b 3, 1a 18, 2a 50, c2 19, d 35, e 16, f 22, h2 31, h1 3. Setae 3a 12; empodium 5-rayed.

Type host plant

Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) , purple loosestrife, purple lythrum, rainbow weed, salicaire, spiked loosestrife, Bouquet-violet.

Type locality

Sowmaeh village , Ajabshir region, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran (37° 29' 12.9'' N, 45° 59' 57.2'' E), 1412 m above sea level, coll. S. Tajaddod, early June 2016 .

Type material

Holotype: single female on a microscope slide (LS-IEA-SH16T-1). Paratypes: 6 females, 1 male and 1 nymph mounted singly on separate microscope slides (LS-IEA-SH16T-2–9).

Other material

Mites preserved in a vial (LS-IEA-SH16 T) of Oudemans' fluid ( Walter and Krantz 2009) as extracted from the same sample as the type specimens .

Relation to the host plant

This new species was vagrant on the host plant and no apparent damage was observed due to the very low density of mites on the host plant.

Etymology

The specific epithet is coming from the species name salicaria of the type host plant, in the genitive case.

Differential diagnosis

Until now 16 eriophyoid mites have been collected and described from Lythraceae plants (Table 2), including four Aceria : Aceria lagerstroemiae Kuang & Yang, 1994 from Lagerstroemia indica L. in China, A. granati ( Canestrini & Massalongo, 1894) from Punica granatum L. in Italy and several other countries, A. jovanovici Petanović, 1993 from Lythrum salicaria L. in Serbia and A. punicae Ranjbar-Varandi, Haddad Irani-Nejad & Lotfollahi, 2020 from Punica granatum L. in Iran. Among them, A. granati and A. punicae were reported in Iran.

There are many differences between A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. and A. lagerstroemiae especially in prodorsal shield pattern. Therefore, A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. was compared with A. jovanovici and A. granati ( Table 1).

Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. shows similarities with A. jovanovici in the number of the empodium rays, ornamentation of the female genital coverflap, number of dorsal and ventral semiannuli, length of setae e and f. Differences regard the length of setae sc, c2, d and 3a, and number of semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap ( Table 1). Based on the narrative description, the prodorsal shield of A. jovanovici is provided with a curved and broken median line, admedian lines on the anterior ⅔ of the shield and two pairs of submedian lines on the posterior half of the shield. The prodorsal shield of A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. consists of complete median and admedian lines, whereas the inner pair of submedian lines is on the ⅔ of the shield and the outer pair of the submedian lines is extended only on the anterior half. In addition, many short lines and dashes are between the submedian lines at the base and on the shield lateral sides. A short, flexible distally rounded frontal lobe is of the prodorsal shield of A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov., but is lacking in A. jovanovici .

Some similarities are observed between A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. and A. granati in the length of the prodorsal shield, number of the ventral semiannuli and annuli before the anal lobe, length of setae sc, c2, and f, distance between the tubercles of sc setae, length and width as well as ornamentation of the genital coverflap. Differences regard the number of the dorsal semiannuli and of the semiannuli between coxae and coverflap, as well as the presence of rows of lined granules at the base of the coverflap, the number of empodium rays and the length of setae d, e, h1 and 3a ( Table 1). In addition, A. granati has an anteriorly faint median line which ends with a dart-shaped mark posteriorly ( Mohanasundaram 1990; Baker et al. 1996), while median line of A. salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. is distinctly complete and without any further mark.

Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. shows similarities with A. punicae in the frontal lobe length, tubercles of sc setae distance, setae 1b, 1a, c2 and h1 length, genitalia length and width and setae 3a distance. They differ in the length of prodorsal shield, setae sc, 2a, d, e, f and 3a and number of dorsal, ventral semiannuli and semiannuli between coxae and coverflap, rows of lined granules at the base of the coverflap annuli before the anal lobe, empodium rays and longitudinal striae on the female genital coverflap ( Table 1). Differences are in the prodorsal shield ornamentation regarding the length of the median line (short broken median line on posterior half of the shield in A. punicae ) and shape and length of the submedian lines (complete outer submedian lines posteriorly curved and relatively short inner submedian lines in A. punicae ).

Key to the species associated with the plants of family Lythraceae

A key of the eriophyoid mite species collected on Lythraceae worldwide is proposed on the base of the most detailed published descriptions.

Note – The genus Punica was formerly assigned to the family Punicaceae . Currently this genus is in the family Lythraceae , subfamily Punicoideae ( The Plant List 2013).

1. Gnathosoma large in comparison to the body; chelicerae abruptly curved and bent down near their base; dorsal opisthosoma with a weak central ridge; empodium divided ………………..… ………………. Diptilomiopidae Keifer ……..…… Diptilomiopinae Keifer …………..…..… 2

– Gnathosoma small in comparison to the body; chelicerae straight or slightly curved down; opisthosoma variable; empodium entire or divided ………..... Eriophyidae Nalepa ……..…... 4

2. Prodorsal shield pattern composed of cells; tubercles and scapular setae sc absent; setae c2 absent; femoral (bv), genual (l") and tibial (l’) setae absent on both legs, as well as tubercles and setae 1b …………... Diptilomiopus lagerstroemae Chakrabarti, Pandit & Mondal, 2008

Remarks – It was described only based on females collected once in May. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The drawings are quite essential and some details might have been lost (e.g., lateral lobes of the opisthosoma are not visible). The plant species was originally listed as L. thorelli instead of L. thorelii , and the family as Lthraceae instead of Lythraceae . The mite-plant relationships are unknown.

– Prodorsal shield pattern without cells; tubercles and scapular setae sc present; setae c2 present; femoral (bv) and tibial (l') setae absent on both legs ……………………………....………...… 3

3. Microtubercles in scattered clusters on the opisthosoma; genital coverflap with spines ……..…. ………………………………..…...… Duabangus chiangmai Chandrapatya & Boczek, 2000

– Microtubercles not in scattered clusters on the opisthosoma; genital coverflap without spines … ………………………………….…...… Diptacus duabangiphagus Das & Chakrabarti, 1993

Remarks – The female description is quite complete even though the measurements regard a range of the studied population. The drawings are quite essential and some details might have been lost (i.e., longitudinal ridges of the opisthosoma are not visible). The paraxial tibial setae on the legs are lacking and the assignment of this species to Diptacus should be revised after checking the description and improving the drawings.

4. Prodorsal shield with median line, admedian lines and two transverse lines, coxae I fused without sternal line and seta 1b absent; tibiae fused with tarsi; tibial setae (l ′) absent; empodium 3-rayed ……..….... Nothopodinae Keifer ................. Cosella speciosae Huang & Cheng, 2005

Remarks – It was described only on four females collected once in late summer. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The female description is quite complete but it seems to regard only one specimen. The drawings are quite essential and incomplete (anterior part of the body, gnathosoma and internal genitalia were not drawn).

– Tibiae always distinct from tarsi; combination of other characters not as above ..…................. 5

5. Body vermiform; scapular setae sc present; tubercles of sc setae situated slightly ahead of rear shield margin; female genital apodeme bent up and shortened, usually appearing as a heavy transverse line in ventral view; female coverflap appressed to coxae II; seta 1a present; coxae I usually narrowly connate with a short sternal line; empodium entire …………………………… ……………….….….. Colomerus Newkirk & Keifer ( Cecidophyinae Keifer ) …….........….... 6

– Body variable; scapular setae sc and their tubercles variable; female genital apodeme extending moderate distance forward and not appearing as a heavy transverse bar in ventral view; female coverflap well far from coxae II, sternal line usually evident; empodium variable .................... 7

6. Prodorsal shield with a median line on the posterior third of the shield ending in a dart-shaped mark, admedian lines on the posterior half converging anteriorly, submedian lines arranged in curved lines, whorls, and dash marks; setae sc 10, e 42 and f 9 ……...............................…..…… …………….…….........................................................… Colomerus neopiperis ( Wilson, 1970)

Remarks – It was originally found on Piper jaliscanum Wats , a plant species belonging to Piperaceae ( Wilson, 1970) . Later, Ghosh et al. (1983) reported it on Lagerstroemia parviflora Roxb. (Lythraceae) . Only the female was described by Wilson (1970) without information on males and juveniles. The description missed some details and the range values of each trait are not reported. This species was not illustrated by drawings and only light micrographs were published.

– Prodorsal shield with a median line broken in three points, complete admedian and submedian lines and many short lateral lines; setae sc 18–21, e 18–22 and f 19–23 …………..................…. .................................................................. Colomerus woodfordis Ghosh & Chakrabarti, 1989

Remarks – It was described only on females collected once in January. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The female description is quite complete even though the measurements regard a range of the studied population.

7. Body usually fusiform; prodorsal shield usually with a broad-based and rigid frontal lobe over the gnathosomal base; opisthosoma usually with broad dorsal semiannuli and narrow ventral ones; if frontal lobe is absent or only a slight one is present, then the annuli differ dorsoventrally, at least in broader dorsal ones ……….….… Phyllocoptinae Nalepa .....……...……. 8

– Body vermiform, opisthosoma transversely arched, with annuli subequal dorso-ventrally; prodorsal shield lacking a frontal lobe, if a frontal lobe is present, then it is narrow, basally flexible and combined with narrow annuli; tubercles of scapular setae sc on the rear shield margin and setae directed to rear ………….. Aceria Keifer ( Eriophyinae Nalepa ) ………..... 13

8. Tubercles of scapular setae sc usually well formed, often plicate and placed ahead of the rear margin of the prodorsal shield; setae sc directed forward, up or centrad; if tubercles sc are near the rear margin of the prodorsal shield, then tubercles are subcylindrical and bent forward or the alignment of their bases is longitudinal or diagonal to the body .... Phyllocoptini Nalepa ... 9

– Tubercles of scapular setae sc on or very near the rear margin of the prodorsal shield; setae sc directed backward, usually divergently; tubercles sc subcylindrical or their bases are aligned transversally to the body ……………...... Anthocoptini Amrine & Stasny ………...…......… 10

9. Middorsal ridge on the opisthosoma ending in a broad furrow before the posterior end of the lateral opisthosomal ridges; empodium 5-rayed; setae c2 7–8; setae f 15–18; setae h1 absent …. ………………..……………………….. Calepitrimerus woodfordis Das & Chakrabarti, 1985

– Middorsal ridge on the opisthosoma fading simultaneously with the lateral opisthosoma ridges; empodium 4-rayed; setae c2 25; setae f 30; setae h1 present ………………………………...….. …………………………………………………………....... Epitrimerus lythri Petanović, 1995

Remarks – The female description is quite complete even though the measurements regard a range of the studied population. The shape of dorsal palp genual setae d, the ornamentation of coxae and the number of semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap are not mentioned. The drawings are essential and some details regarding female internal genitalia have been lost.

10. Frontal lobe acuminate, never ending with spinules; empodium 4-rayed; dorsal opisthosoma evenly rounded, without any ridge ……...………………...…. Aculops longiformis Joshi, 1990

Remarks – This species has been described in a Ph.D. thesis and never published in a Journal. It was described only on females collected once in March. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The female description is quite complete and the range values of each trait are not reported. The drawings are essential and many details have been lost.

– Frontal lobe strong; opisthosoma with 3 longitudinal ridges, middorsal stronger than lateral ridges fading caudally ……..………………..… Tegolophus Keifer …………………...……. 11

11. Median line absent, admedian lines on 2/3 of the prodorsal shield and joined to their posterior end, submedian lines present and posteriorly joined by a curved and transversal line; empodium 3-rayed, dorsal semiannuli with spiny microtubercles only on the median and submedian ridges …………………………………….…………………..… Tegolophus dirotuadus Huang, 2001

Remarks – The female description is quite complete even though the measurements regard a range of the studied population and no detailed data are available for the legs. The drawings are quite essential and incomplete (lateral view of the anterior body region, gnathosoma, female internal genitalia and male genitalia were not drawn).

– Median line present ………………………...……………………………………...……...….. 12

12. Median line present on anterior ¼ of prodorsal shield, admedian lines discontinuous; empodium 3-rayed ……...…….…… Tegolophus lagerstroemiae Tan, Mo, Lu & Wang, 2016

Remarks – The narrative description of the prodorsal shield pattern is not completely consistent with its drawing (e.g. for the median line).

– Median line on the posterior 1/5 and admedian lines on the posterior ¾ of the prodorsal shield; empodium 4-rayed ………………..….... Tegolophus parviflorii Pandit & Chakrabarti, 2007

Remarks – It was described only on females collected once in October. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The drawings are quite essential and some details might have been lost (e.g., lateral side of the palps, ornamentation on the legs, tibial seta on the leg I).

13. Prodorsal shield pattern composed of many largely broken lines whose arrangement is almost unusual making median, admedian and submedian lines poorly distinguishable; scapular setae sc shorter than the prodorsal shield length ……... Aceria lagerstroemiae Kuang & Yang, 1994

Remarks – It was described only on few females collected once in June. The male and the juvenile instars are unknown. The drawings are quite essential and some details might have been lost (e.g., lateral side of the palps, ornamentation on the legs, palp details, etc.). The description is in Chinese with a very short summary in English. A more standard description should be provided.

– Prodorsal shield with an usual arrangement of lines; scapular setae sc at least as long as the prodorsal shield length …………………….…….……………………………………...…..... 14

14. Median line on the posterior half of the prodorsal shield, admedian lines complete; empodium 4-rayed ………………..……………………………………………………………….……… 15

– Median and admedian lines variable; empodium 6-rayed …………………………………..... 16

15. With inner and outer submedian lines joined anteriorly; one pair of curved lateral lines connected anteriorly to inner and outer submedian lines, and lines of granules on lateral sides of the shield; scapular setae sc 28–33, h2 65–94 and h1 4–5 long; 52–58 ventral semiannuli …….. …………………………………..……….......… Aceria punicae Ranjbar-Varandi et al., 2020

– With inner and outer submedian lines joined posteriorly, and small broken lines on lateral sides of the shield; scapular setae sc 42, h2 60 and h1 2 long; 65 ventral semiannuli ………...………. ………………………..………………...…. Aceria granati ( Canestrini & Massalongo, 1894)

16. Curved and broken median line, admedian lines on the posterior 2/3; scapular seta sc as long as the prodorsal shield length ….………………….....……….. Aceria jovanovici Petanović, 1993

Remarks – The female description is quite complete even though the measurements regard a range of the studied population. The drawings are quite complete except for the female internal genitalia.

– Median, admedian and inner submedian lines complete, continuous and not connected to each other; scapular seta sc almost the double of the prodorsal shield length ( Fig. 1 ) …………...…… …………………………….………...…….. Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 1. Schematic drawings of Aceria salicariae Lotfollahi & Tajaddod sp. nov. – AD. Prodorsal shield; AL. Lateral view of anterior body region; CG. Female coxigenital region; em. Empodium; GM. Male genital region; IG. Internal female genitalia; LO. Lateral view of annuli; L1. Leg I; PM. Lateral view of posterior opisthosoma. Scale bar: 10 µm for AD, AL, CG, GM, IG, PM; 5 µm for LO, L1; 2.5 µm for em.