Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese)

De, Gilberto J., Zannou, Ignace D. & Ueckermann, Eddie A., 2007, Phytoseiid mites of the tribes Afroseiulini, Kampimodromini and Phytoseiulini, and complementary notes on mites of the tribes Euseiini and Neoseiulini (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 1628, pp. 1-22 : 16-17

Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese)

( Fig. 5 )

Seius degenerans Berlese, 1889: 9 .

Iphiseius degenerans, Moraes et al., 2004: 92 ; Chant & McMurtry, 2005: 218. Iphiseius (Iphiseius) degenerans, Pritchard & Baker, 1962: 298 .

FEMALE. (Specimens measured. Benin: 1; Burundi: 1; Cameroon: 1; Ghana: 1; Kenya: 2; Malawi: 1; Rwanda: 1; Sierra Leone: 1; Uganda: 2; Zambia: 1).

Dorsum ( Fig. 5 A). Dorsal shield 373(363–387) long and 309(290–317) wide, smooth (with lateral striae between z4 and s 4 in 1 specimen from Uganda) and heavily sclerotized. Setae j1 24(14–32), j3 5(4–8), j4 4(3– 6), j5 4(3–5), j6 5(4–6), J2 6(4–7), J5 6(5–7), z2 5(4–8), z4 5(4–9), z5 4(3–5), Z1 6(5–8), Z4 7(5–9), Z5 14(11–20), s4 9 (7–12), S2 8 (6–9), S4 9 (6–11), S5 9 (7–11), r3 12(10–13), R1 9(7–10). All setae smooth.

Venter ( Fig. 5 B). Sternal shield mostly smooth, with few anterolateral striae; distances between ST1–ST3 49(42–52), ST2–ST2 71(67–73). Genital shield smooth; distance between ST5–ST5 96(91–103). Ventral shield 32(29–34) long and 65(58–73) wide at level of ZV2, smooth, preanal pores posterior to and almost in line with JV2; anal shield smooth, 65(58–73) long and 72(68–77) wide at level of anus. Caudoventral setae smooth and sharp-tipped.

Chelicera. Movable digit 31(27–35) long, with 1 – 2 teeth; fixed digit 26(24–27) long, with 6 – 8 teeth and a pilus dentilis.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 5 C). Calyx narrow, tubular, 27(25–28) long; atrium almost same diameter as calyx and major duct.

Legs ( Fig. 5 D). Macrosetae knobbed; Sge II 22 (17–30), Sge III 31 (25–42), Sti III 24 (20–27), Sge IV 43 (35–51), Sti IV 32 (26–40), St IV 29 (20–38). Chaetotaxy: genu II: 2-2/0,2/0-1; genu III: 1-2/1,2/0-1.

MALE (Specimens measured. Ghana: 1; Kenya: 1; Rwanda: 1; Sierra Leone: 1; Uganda: 1).

Dorsum. Dorsal shield pattern as in female, 318(283–356) long and 255(244–261) wide. Setae j1 20(11– 25), j3 5(4–5), j4 3(3–5), j5 3(3–4), j6 4(4–5), J2 4(3–4), J5 5(4–6), z2 4(3–5), z4 4(3–5), z5 3(3–4), Z1 5, Z4 5(4–5), Z5 13(9–16), s4 7 (6–9), S2 6 (5–7), S4 6 (5–8), S5 7 (5–10), r3 11(10–12), R1 7(6–9). All setae smooth.

Peritreme. Extending to level between j3 and z2.

Venter ( Figs 5 F, H, J). Ventral shield 72(65–85) long and 176(172–179) wide at anterior corners, reticulate, with 5 pairs of lyrifissures (3 anterior to JV1, 1 lateral and posterior to JV2, 1 lateral and well posterior to ZV2); preanal pores posterior to and almost in line with JV2; anal shield 50(48–53) long and 66(63–75) wide at level of anus, reticulate laterally.

Spermatodactyl ( Figs 5 E, G, I). L-shaped; shaft 29(22–45) long.

Legs. Macrosetae knobbed; Sge II 21 (18–24), Sge III 27 (21–32), Sti III 21 (20–24), Sge IV 36 (30–40), Sti IV 28 (27–30) and St IV 28 (26–32). Chaetotaxy of genua II and III same as in female.

Specimens examined: Two females, Benin: 14 km S Tamarou, Département de Borgou, on Daniella oliveri (Liliaceae) , 22-XI-1989, J.S. Yaninek. Five females, Burundi: Rumonge, Buriri Province, on Manihot esculenta (Euphorbiaceae) , 14-XII-1989, J.S. Yaninek. One female, Cameroon: 12 km S Obala, on Elaeis guineensis (Arecaceae) , 5-II-1991, L. Louis. Two females and 1 male, Ghana: Pokoase, Great Accra Region, on Annona sp. ( Annonaceae ), 7-XI-1989, G.J. Moraes. Seven females and 7 males, Kenya: 10 km E Kisii, on Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae) , 3-XII-1989 J.S. Yaninek; Kericho, Rift valley Province, on Brachychiton acerifolium (Sterculiaceae) , 4-XII-1989, J.S. Yaninek. Ten females, Malawi: Zomba, Southern Province, on Manihot esculenta , 12-VI-1984, I. Robertson; 10 km SSE Chiweta, Northern Province, Manihot esculenta , 06-V-2000, I.D. Zannou. Two females and 1 male, Rwanda: unknown location, on Musa sapientum (Musaceae) , 9-XII-1989, J.S. Yaninek. Two females and 1 male, Sierra-Leone: 5 km E Rokimbi, on Elaeis guineensis , 14-I-1992, A. Kebbie. Uganda: 22 km N Kagadi, Hoima, on Saccharum officinarum (Poaceae) , 10-X-1990, J.S. Yaninek; Kabarole, on Manihot esculenta , 8-X-1990, E. Karamura.

Remarks. The lengths of several dorsal shield setae of this species are markedly variable within and between specimens from the same or from different countries. The greatest variations were observed for j1, Z5 and s4. For each of those setae, the maximum length corresponded to ca. twice the minimum length. Those setae were shorter for specimens from Cameroon. The length of the spermatodactyl and the number of setae on the ventrianal shield of males were also variable. In Kenya, 3 males collected on Ricinus communis ca. 10 km E Kisii had spermatodactyl ca. 46 long and 4 pairs of preanal setae ( Figs. 5 I, 5J). Most other males collected in Kenya, as well as all males collected in other countries had spermatodactyl ca. 23 long and 3 pairs of preanal setae ( Figs. 5 E, 5F). Males from Tanzania reported by Evans (1954), from South Africa reported by van der Merwe (1968) as well as from Italy (our own unpublished observation), have the short type of spermatodactyl and 3 pairs of preanal setae. A single female was found associated with males that have 4 pairs of preanal setae and long type of spermathodactyl; that female fits very well the description of I. degenerans . The characteristics of the morphologically different males from Kenya suggested that those specimens could correspond to a new species, whose female was similar to I. degenerans . However, one male collected on Brachychiton acerifolium in Kericho, also in Kenya, had the short type of spermatodactyl and 4 pairs of preanal setae ( Figs. 5 G, 5H); the position of the extra preanal seta was not the same as in the 3 males collected near Kisii. This male could represent an intermediate between the specimens found near Kisii and other specimens. Thus, because of this variation in the morphology of males from different populations, it was decided for the time being to consider all of those specimens as I. degenerans .

World distribution. Algeria, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Madeira Island, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese): A. Female dorsal shield; B. Female ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Female leg IV; E. Short type spermatodactyl of a male (from Kericho, Kenya) with 3 pairs of preanal setae; F. Ventrianal shield a male (from Kericho, Kenya) with short type spermatodactyl; G. Short type spermatodactyl of a male (from Kericho, Kenya) with 4 pairs of preanal setae; H. Ventrianal shield of a male (from Kericho, Kenya) with short type spermathodactyl; I. Long type spermatodactyl of a male (from ca. 10 km E Kisii, Kenya) with 4 pairs of preanal setae; J. Ventrianal shield of a male (from ca. 10 km E Kisii, Kenya) with long type spermatodactyl.