Obdulia neotamaricis, Kamran & Khan & Alatawi, 2022

Kamran, Muhammad, Khan, Eid Muhammad & Alatawi, Fahad Jaber, 2022, Genus Obdulia Pritchard and Baker (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) from Saudi Arabia; a new species and re-description of O. daadi Al-Gboory, Journal of Natural History 56 (41 - 44), pp. 1609-1625 : 1611-1617

Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov.

( Figures 1–6 )

Diagnosis (Based on adult female). Propodosoma medially with coarse oblique longitudinal striations; hysterosoma medially with transverse irregular coarse striations; dorsal body setae finely serrate and setiform; ventral area medially from the setae 1a to 3a and 4a to ag with transverse striations; area between 3a and 4a with longitudinal striations; female genital plate punctate with two pairs of genital setae.

Description

Female (n = 14). Colour in life reddish, idiosoma oval, 328 (320–343) long, 207 (200–230) wide at setal row c, body including gnathosoma 367 (360–381) long.

Dorsum ( Figure 1 ). Propodosoma anterior to setae v 2 with transverse coarse striations, medially with oblique transverse and laterally with coarse longitudinal striations. Area of sejugal suture with coarse transverse striations. Hysterosoma medially with transverse irregular coarse striations, laterally with longitudinal irregular coarse striations. Propodosomal setae three pairs: v 2 27 (25–34), sc 1 35 (36–38), sc 2 51 (53–55); prodorsal setae v 2 two-thirds as long as distance between their bases. hysterosomal setae 11 pairs: c 1 25 (26 _ 29), c 2 37 (36 _ 40), c 3 36 (38–43), d 1 33 (32–35), d 2 36 (38–42), d 3 42 (43–45), e 1 26 (27–30), e 3 42 (40–44), f 3 52 (52 _ 56), h 2 56 (55–60), h 1 42 (40–45), setae f 3 longest, setae e 2 and f 2 absent, setae e 3 not marginal in position. Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 43 (40– 45), v 2 –sc 1 36 (37–40), sc 1 –sc 2 35 (33–38), sc 1 –sc 1 87 (86–91), sc 2 –sc 2 158 (55–165), c 1 –c 1 94 (91–97), c 1 –c 2 41 (43–49), c 2 –c 3 27 (25–32), c 2 –c 2 163 (165–170), c 3 –c 3 119 (115–125), c 3 –d 3 84 (81–89), c 2 –d 2 65 (67–71), c 1 –d 1 50 (53–60), d 1 –d 1 65 (66–71), d 2 –d 2 149 (150–155), d 3 –d 3 173 (175–180), d 1 – e 1 47 (49–55), d 3 – e 3 43 (44–49), d 2 – e 3 53 (55–59), e 1 –e 1 63 (61–66), e 3 –e 3 132 (135–140), e 3 –f 3 26 (28–34), e 3 –h 2 52 (53–57), f 3 –h 2 27 (28–30), h 2 –h 1 19 (19–21), f 3 –f 3 121 (120–125), h 2 –h 2 75 (77–83), h 1 –h 1 42 (40–44), e 1 –h 1 66 (68–75). Dorsal setae finely serrated and setiform.

Venter ( Figure 2 ). Inter-coxal area anterior to ventral setae 1a and coxal area punctate, without striations; ventral area medially from setae 1a–3a and 4a–ag with transverse striations; cuticle between 3a–4a with longitudinal to oblique striations; length of ventral setae: 1a 58 (55–61), 3a 71 (70–76), 4a 37 (38–43), 1b 21 (20–22), 1c 16 (17–19), 2 b 15 (16– 17), 2c 14 (16–17), 3b 16 (14–16), 4b 15 (16–17); one pair of aggenital setae ag 15 (16–18), ag–ag 22 (22–25); genital plate punctate, two pairs of genital setae g 1 14 (13–16), g 2 15 (16–17), g 1 –g 1 13 (14–15), g 1 –g 2 11 (12–13), g 2 –g 2 36 (38–42). Anal plates not distinct, weakly developed, two pairs of anal setae, ps 1 12 (13–14), ps 2 13 (14–15). All anterior and posterior ventral setae are simple, setiform and without serration.

Gnathosoma ( Figure 2 ). Rostrum triangular, reaching proximal part of tibia I; palp single segmented, bearing one long dorsal seta, a eupathidium and solenidion distally; ventral infracapitulum with setae m 11 (13–14), m–m 14 (15–16).

Legs ( Figure 3 ). Legs I–IV measuring (excluding coxae) 94 (92–97), 85 (83–87), 85 (87– 92), 88 (90–95), respectively. Setae and solenidia on leg segments: coxae 2–2–1–1; trochanters 1–1–2–1; femora 3–3–2–1; genua 1–1–1–0; tibiae 4–4–3–3; tarsi 8 + ω– 8 + ω–5–5.

Male (n = 3)

Idiosoma oval, 236–238 long, 150–155 wide at setal row c, body including gnathosoma 293–296 long.

Dorsum ( Figure 4 ). Propodosomal and hysterosomal striations, shape and number of dorsal body setae same as in female. Prodorsal setae v 2 half as long as distance between their bases. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 15–17, sc 1 13–16, sc 2 26–28, c 1 16–17, c 2 15–18, c 3 23–25, d 1 13 12–14, d 2 20–22, d 3 21–24, e 1 16 –17, e 3 26 –27, f 3 26–28, h 1 15–17, h 2 23–25; distances between dorsal setae: v 2 –v 2 31–32, v 2 –sc 1 27–29, sc 1 –sc 1 65–68, sc 2 –sc 2 120–124, sc 1 –sc 2 31–32, c 1 –c 1 58–60, c 1 –c 2 30–32, c 2 –c 3 16–18, c 2 –c 2 120–125, c 3 –c 3 119–123, c 1 –d 1 43–45, c 2 –d 2 51–53, c 3 _ d 3 58–60, d 1 –d 1 47–49, d 1 –d 2 93–96, d 2 –d 3 17–19, d 2 –d 2 94–96, d 3 –d 3 120–124, d 1 – e 1 32–35, e 1 – e 1 43–48, e 1 – e 3 21–25, e 3 –e 3 85–88, f 3 –f 3 135–139, f 3 –h 2 18– 20, h 1 –h 1 23–25, h 1 –h 2 9–9, h 2 –h 2 41–42, e 1 –h 1 55–58.

Venter ( Figure 5 ). Venter entirely with transverse striations except intercoxal area between 3 a and 4a where striations are inverted cone shaped. Length of ventral setae 1a 32–33, 1b 12–13, 1c 11–13, 2b 10–13, 2c 12–14, 3a 34–35, 3b 11–13, 4a 34–35, 4b 11–12, ag 16–16; three pairs of genito-anal setae, g 1 14–15, g 2 13–15, ps 2 12–14; all ventral setae setiform and smooth. Aedeagus long tube like and bulbous distally as shown in Figure 5 .

Gnathosoma. Rostrum extending to distal part of genu I; palptarsus with same setae and solenidion as in female. Subcapitulum with setae m 11–11, m–m 12–13.

Legs. Legs I _ IV measuring (excluding coxae) 76–79, 69–71, 69–71, 75–76. Setae and solenidia on leg segments I–IV same as in female. Tarsal claws and empodium also same as in female.

Type material

One holotype and seven paratype females, Al-Waseel , Riyadh, 24.857°N, 46.526°E, 11 January 2011. coll. J. Basihih; six paratype females and one male, Al-Hayer , Riyadh, 24.540°N, 46.974°E, 3 March 2015, coll. M. Kamran and J. H. Mirza; Three paratype females and one male, 26.813°N, 38. 044°E, elevation 675 m, 3 November 2016, coll. E. M. Khan and M. Kamran. All specimens were collected from Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst .

Etymology

The specific name neotamaricis was derived from the closely related species Obdulia tamaricis .

Ecological notes

All specimens of Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. were collected from galls on twigs of T. aphylla ( Figure 6 ) along with predatory mites Paragigagnathus sp. (Phytoseiidae) and Molothrognarhus sp. (Calligonellidae).

Remarks

Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. closely resembles O. tamaricis Pritchard and Baker 1958 by having similar shape of dorsal body setae, dorsal striation pattern and leg chaetotaxy. However, the new species differs from O. tamaricis by genital plate covered with punctations vs genital plate smooth, without punctations; intercoxal area between leg III and IV having longitudinal striation pattern vs transverse medially and diagonal laterally; dorsal setae v 2 about 2/3 as long as the distance between their bases vs 1/2 as long; aggential setae distinctly short, not reaching to the genital setae vs much longer, reaching to genital setae; idiosoma distinctly longer (360–381) than wide (200–230) vs idiosoma slightly longer (231) than wide (215) in O. tamaricis .

Figures

Figure 1. Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. (female), dorsum.

Figure 2. Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. (female): 2a. venter; 2b. gnathosoma.

Figure 3. Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. (female): 3a. Leg I, 3b. Leg II, 3c. Leg III, 3d. Leg IV.

Figure 4. Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. (male), dorsum.

Figure 5. Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. (male), venter.

Figure 6. Gall formation by Obdulia neotamaricis sp. nov. on Tamarix aphylla twigs.