Pseudoleptus iranensis, Khanjani, Masoumeh, Khanjani, Mohammad, Saboori, Alireza & Seeman, Owen D., 2012

Khanjani, Masoumeh, Khanjani, Mohammad, Saboori, Alireza & Seeman, Owen D., 2012, Three new false spider mites of the genus Pseudoleptus Bruyant (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 3297, pp. 41-56 : 46-48

Pseudoleptus iranensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 10–18 )

Diagnosis. Hysterosoma with 13 pairs of setae (f2 present). Prodorsal projections extending just past coxa I. Seta h2 subequal to h1. Ventral idiosoma with sections of fine, broad striae. Ventral plate obvious, with coarse transverse striae; genital plate with transverse striae. Anal setae arranged in a triangular pattern. Palp 5-segmented; femur bearing dorsal seta; palp tibia with 2 setae; palp tarsus with 1 solenidion and 2 eupathidia; palp solenidion short, about 1/3 length of eupathidia; palp tarsal phaneres rayed. Trochanter III with 2 setae; genu III with seta l ΄.

Description

FEMALE (holotype). Color in life red. Idiosoma elliptical. Measurements (measurements of 9 paratypes in parentheses): length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 295 (270–296); (including gnathosoma) 331 (294–340); width 139 (132–142); length of leg I 110 (101–113); leg II 97 (90–100); leg III 86 (80–88); leg IV 87 (79–92).

Dorsum ( Figs. 10, 14 ). Prodorsal projections acutely pointed prongs ( Fig. 14 ). Medial prodorsum with coarse longitudinal striae, lateral prodorsum with oblique to transverse coarse striae, area surrounding sejugal suture with transverse striae; opisthosoma with coarse transverse striae anteriorly and oblique to longitudinal striae posteriorly; pores absent ( Fig. 10 ). Propodosomal setae sc1 as long as v2 and sc2; dorsal setae rather slender, serrate; v2 half the distance between v2-v2, lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 18 (14–19), sc1 18 (16–20), sc2 15 (13–16), c1 13 (11–16), c 2 14 (12–15), c 3 12 (11–15), d1 10 (7–9), d2 9 (8–10), d3 11 (9–13), e1 10 (7–11), e2 10 (8–10), e3 12 (11–15), f2 10 (8–11), f3 17 (14–17), h1 16 (13–17), h2 17 (14–19); distances between dorsal setae; v 2 -v 2 38 (35–39), v 2 -sc1 35 (31–37), sc1- sc1 83 (80–92), sc2-sc2 102 (99–112), sc1-sc2 26 (24–28), c1-c1 34 (28–34), c1-c2 31 (29–40), c2-c3 14 (11–17), c2-c2 96 (91–105), c3-c3 119 (109–133), c1-d1 36 (33–38), c2-d2 47 (44–62), d1-d1 22 (20–23), d1-d2 29 (27–35), d2-d3 20 (18–23), d2-d2 79 (76–86), d3-d3 101 (94–108), d1- e 1 54 (35–53), e1- e 1 27 (23–32), e1- e 2 26 (26–32), e2- e 2 80 (70–93), e2- e 3 28 (23–29), e3- e 3 98 (91–109), e3-f2 14 (11–16), f2-f2 71 (66–81), f2-f3 18 (13–17), f3-f3 89 (82–101), f3-h2 18 (14–21), h1-h1 29 (34–50), e3-f3 18 (14–22), h1-h2 20 (13–22), h2-h2 66 (61–82), e1-h1 59 (48–66), sc1-c2 50 (47–54), sc2-c3 50 (46–55), f2-h2 30 (24–27), d2- e 2 43 (36–46), d3- e 3 53 (41–51).

Venter ( Fig. 11 ). Intercoxal area between coxae I–II smooth and III–IV with broken coarse longitudinal striae; area between setae la to 3a and posteriad of 4a with broad, fine, transverse striae ( Fig. 11 ); length of setae la 60 (51–72), 1b 18 (17–21), 1c 14 (12–16), 2b 15 (14–18), 2c 20 (17–22), 3a 17 (14–18), 3b 14 (13–16), 4a 15 (13–17), and 4b 14 (11–15). Ventral seta whip - like, setae 1a long and about three - four times longer than 3a, 4a, 1b, 2b and aggenital setae (ag) 18 (13–18). Ventral and genital shields with transverse striae ( Fig. 11 ); aggenital (ag) setae almost as long as genital setae (g1-2); inner pair (g1) in line with outer pair (g2); anal setae (ps1-3) about as long as genital setae, arranged in a trianglar pattern, setae g1 24 (17–25), g2 20 (16–23), ps1 15 (15–18), ps 2 13 (10–15), ps3 16 (13–19). Distances between genital area setae: ag-ag 25 (21–29), g1-g1 26 (23–31), g2-g2 42 (38–44), g1-g2 9 (4–9). Spermatheca as in figure 11.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 11–13 ). Rostrum extending to distal part of femur I ( Fig. 11 ); palp 5-segmented, palp tarsus with 1 solenidion and 2 eupathidia, palp solenidion about 1/3 length of shortest eupathidium, palp tarsal phaneres rayed; palp tibia with 2 setae, palp genu bare, palp femur with 1 dorsal seta ( Fig. 12 ). Subcapitulum with seta n 6 (4 – 8), distance n - n 17 (14–18). Chelicerae as in Fig. 13 .

Legs ( Figs. 15–18 ). Legs rather short, about one third length of the idiosoma. Setal formulae of leg I–IV segments (numbers of solenidia in parentheses): coxae 2 - 2 - 1 - 1; trochanters 1 - 1 - 2 - 1; femora 4 - 4 - 2 - 1; genua 3 - 3 - 1 - 0; tibiae 4 - 4 - 3 - 3; tarsi 9(1) - 9(1) - 5 - 5. Dorsal setae distinctly serrated ( Figs. 15 - 18 ). Tarsus III and IV without solenidion ω ( Figs. 15 - 18 ). Tarsal claws pad-like.

Male. Unknown

Deutonymph (n = 1) ( Figs. 19–26 ). Color in life red. Idiosoma elliptical. Measurements: length of body (excluding gnathosoma) 238; (including gnathosoma) 291; width 152; length of leg I 97, leg II 91, leg III 79, leg IV 80.

Dorsum ( Fig. 19 ). Anterior margin of prodorsal shield smooth. Medial prodorsum with coarse broken striae, lateral prodorsum with oblique to transverse striae; area surrounding sejugal suture with transverse, spiculate striae; opisthosoma with transverse broad striae anteriorly and oblique to longitudinal coarse striae posteriorly; pores absent. Dorsal setae rather slender, serrate; v2 about one third distance v2 - v2; lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 17, sc1 17, sc2 15, c1 12, c 2 12, c 3 13, d1 9, d2 10, d3 12, e1 8, e2 10, e3 14, f2 10, f3 17, h1 15, h2 20; distances between dorsal setae; v2 - v2 46, v2-sc1 32, sc1 - sc1 96, sc2-sc2 121, sc1-sc2 26, c1-c1 25, c1-c2 28, c2-c3 17, c2 -c2 103, c3 -c3 138, c1-d1 45, c2-d2 50, d1-d1 22, d1-d2 25, d2 -d3 19, d2-d2 72, d3-d3 91, d1- e 1 47, e1- e 1 22, e1- e 2 24, e2- e 2 69, e2 - e 3 26, e3- e 3 87, e3-f2 14, f2 - f2 61, f2 - f3 13, f3-f3 78, f3-h2 17, h1-h1 26, e3-f2 14, h1-h2 16, h2-h2 56, e1- h1 53.

Venter ( Fig. 20 ). Intercoxal area between coxae I - II longitudinally striate, between III - IV with broken coarse longitudinal striae. Intercoxal area between 1a to 3a posteriad 4a with broad transverse striae; length of setae la 53, 1 b 14, 1 c 12, 2 b 11, 2 c 15, 3 a 15, 3 b 13, 4 a 12, and 4b 10. Ventral setae whip-like, setae 1a four times longer than 4a, 2b, 3a and aggenital setae (ag) 15 (13). Ventral and genital shields with transverse striae ( Fig. 20 ); aggenital (ag) setae almost smooth and as long as genital setae (g); anal setae (ps1-3) shorter than genitals (g), setae g 15, ps1 15, ps2 9, ps3 10. Distances between genital area setae: ag-ag 25, g-g 22.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 21-22 ). Rostrum extends to middle of femur I ( Fig. 20 ); palp 5-segmented, palp tarsus with 1 solenidion and 2 eupathidia; palp tibia with 2 setae, palp femur with 1 dorsal seta ( Fig. 21 ). Chelicerae as in Fig. 22 .

Legs ( Figs. 23–26 ). Legs rather short, about one third length of the idiosoma. Setal formulae of leg I-IV segments as follows (numbers of solenidia in parentheses): coxae 2 - 2 - 1 - 1; trochanters 1 - 1 - 2 - 0; femora 3 - 3 - 2 - 1; genua 3 - 3 - 1 - 0; tibiae 4 - 4 - 3 - 3; tarsi 9(1) - 9(1) - 5 - 5. Tarsal claws pad - like with tenent hairs.

Material examined. Holotype female, 9 female and 1 deutonymph paratypes from Bromus danthoniae Elymus (Poaceae) , under spiny hawthorn trees, Crataegus aronia (L.) ( Rosaceae ), IRAN: Hamedan province, Hamedan, uphill of Alvand mountain, (34°39.8ʹ27ʹ N 48°23ʹ0.35ʹ E, alitude 2039 m. a. s. l.); 2 August, 2010, coll. M. Khanjani

Type depositions. Holotype female, 8 female paratypes—CALBS; 1 female and 1 deutonymph paratypes—QMA.

Etymology. This species is named after the country name where the holotype and paratypes were collected.

Remarks. This species is similar to species of the Aegyptobia macswaini group by having a distinct ventral shield. However, its triangular arrangement of anal setae, rayed palp tarsal phaneres, striate body, simple setae and association with grass all together suggest that this is a species of Pseudoleptus . This species is also close to P. graminosus in having a distinct ventral shield, but has two setae (instead of one) on trochanter III and different metapodosomal patterning.

The deutonymph of P. iranensis is unusual in lacking seta l ΄ on femur I–II. This seta is usually added in the deutonymph of other Tenuipalpidae ( Lindquist 1985; Seeman & Beard 2011; personal observation by ODS), with the exception of Dolichotetranychus , where the seta is also delayed to the adult ( Zhang & Fan 2004), and the unusual case of Cyperacarus , where the seta is delayed in the adult male only ( Beard & Ochoa 2011). This similarity to Dolichotetranychus is likely to represent a homoplasy, as Dolichotetranychus has at least two pairs (usually three, sometimes four) fewer dorsal setae (e1 and f1 are always absent), 3-segmented palps, and numerous other differences in leg chaetotaxy ( Zhang & Fan 2004).

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 14. Pseudoleptus iranensis sp. nov. (female): 10. Dorsum; 11. Venter; 12. Ventral gnathosoma; 13. Chelicerae; 14. Prodorsal projections.

FIGURES 15 – 18. Pseudoleptus iranensis sp. nov. (female): 15. Leg I, dorsal; 16. Leg II, dorsal (tarsus not labeled, same as tarsus I); 17. Leg III, lateral; 18. Leg IV, lateral.

FIGURES 19 – 22. Pseudoleptus iranensis sp. nov. (deutonymph): 19. Dorsum; 20. Venter; 21. Ventral gnathosoma; 22. Chelicerae.

FIGURES 23 – 26. Pseudoleptus iranensis sp. nov. (deutonymph): 23. Leg I, dorsal; 24. Leg II, dorsal; 25. Leg III, dorsal; 26. Leg IV, lateral. Tarsal chaetotaxy same as adult.