Gammaphytoptus ficus, Wang, Guoquan, Wei, Suigai & Yang, Ding, 2009

Wang, Guoquan, Wei, Suigai & Yang, Ding, 2009, Six new eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) associated with Ficus spp. (Moraceae) from China, Zootaxa 2201, pp. 49-62 : 54-55

Gammaphytoptus ficus sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Description. Female (n = 5). Body fusiform, yellowish, 133 (119–150), 57 (55–58) wide, 49 (48–52) thick. Gnathosoma— Curved obliquely downward, 33 (28–35); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 5 (4–5), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 2 (2–3), cheliceral stylets 30 (27–32). Prodorsal shield— Frontal lobe present, 50 (48–52), 51 (50–53) wide, median and admedian lines complete, submedian incomplete, three transverse lines connecting longitudinal lines forming networks. Scapular tubercles set on rear shield margin, 28 (27–29) apart, scapular setae (sc) 8 (7–9), directed backward and divergently. Coxae— Sternal line present, coxal area sculptured with lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 5 (5–6), 12 (11–13) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 10 (9–11), 8 (8–9) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (2a) 28 (25–30), 23 (22–24) apart. Coxi-genital annuli 4. Legs— Segments normal. Legs І 35 (34–38), femur 12 (12–13), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 8 (7– 9); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual setae (l'') 35 (30–40); tibia 7 (6–7), paraxial tibial setae (l ʹ) located at center, 9 (8–10); tarsus 10 (10–11), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 25 (22–28), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 25 (23–28), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (4–5); tarsal empodium 6 (6–7), 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (6– 8), tapered. Legs І 31 (29–34), femur 11 (10–11), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 17 (15–19); genu 3 (3–4), antaxial genual setae (l'') 8 (7–10); tibia 6 (5–7); tarsus 9 (9–10), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 10 (9–12), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 21 (18–23), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 3 (3–4); tarsal empodium 5 (5–6), 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (7–9), tapered. Opisthosoma— Dorsum evenly round, dorsal annuli undulate, 46 (45–48), with rounded microtubercles; ventral annuli 56 (54–57), with rounded microtubercles; setae c2 18 (15–20), on ventral annulus 11th; setae d 75 (67–90), 34 (33–35) apart, on ventral annulus 23rd; setae e 7 (6–8), 22 (21–23) apart, on ventral annulus 37th; setae f 22 (20–25), 20 (19–21) apart, on 7th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 absent, setae h2 55 (50–60). Female genitalia— Coverflap with longitudinal ridges, 16 (15–17), 24 (23–25) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (3a) 8 (7–8), 15 (15–16) apart.

Male (n = 6). Body fusiform, 135–163, 40–50 wide. Prodorsal shield with frontal lobe. Male genitalia 15 (15–16) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (3a) 10 (10–11), 13 (12–13) apart.

Type material. Holotype, female, Bawangling National Nature Reserve (19°33´N, 109°53´E), Changjiang County, Hainan Province, China, 15-Sept.-2008, from F. variegata Bl. var. chlorocarpa (Benth.) King (Moraceae) , collected by Guoquan Wang. Paratypes, 5 females and 6 males, mounted on individual slide, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of the leaves, no visible damage seen.

Etymology. The specific designation is derived from the generic name of the type host plant.

Remarks. This new species occurred with Colopodacus variegatae sp. nov. The new species is similar to G. camphorae Keifer, 1939 , but they are separated as follows: in G. ficus , prodorsal shield with median and admedian lines complete, empodium 5-rayed; in G. camphorae , prodorsal shield with median and admedian lines incomplete, empodium 6-rayed ( Keifer 1939).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Gammaphytoptus ficus sp. nov. AD — Antero-dorsal view of female; CGF — coxigenital area of female; E — empodium; IG — internal genitalia; GM — male genitalia; L 1 — Legs І; L 2 — Legs І (Scale bar: AD — 51; CGF — 41; E — 10; GM — 27; L 1, L 2 — 26).