Abacarus jiuhuaensis, Wang, Zhen & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008

Wang, Zhen & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008, Four new eriophyoid mite species in the tribe Anthocoptini (Acari: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae) from China, Zootaxa 1893, pp. 38-48 : 42-43

Abacarus jiuhuaensis sp. nov.

(Fig. 2)

Description. FEMALE: (n = 14) Body fusiform, 212 (193–219), 62 (60–63) wide, 51 (49–52) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 18 (16–19), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 3 (2–3), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 12 (11–13), chelicerae 17 (16–18). Prodorsal shield 55 (54–56), 60 (58–61) wide; frontal lobe present and slightly emarginate anteriorly; prodorsal shield design with complete admedian lines, incomplete median and submedian lines, median line and admedian lines connected at center by transverse lines. Scapular tubercles on rear margin, 45 (44–46) apart, scapular setae (sc) 4 (4–5) projecting postero–laterally. Coxal area with short lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 4 (4–5), proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 16 (14–19), proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 26 (24–27). Prosternal apodeme absent. Legs: Leg I 31 (29–33), femur 7 (7–8), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 9 (8–10); genu 6 (6–7), antaxial genual seta (l'') 29 (26–31); tibia 5 (5–6), paraxial tibial seta (l') 4 (3–4), seta located at center from dorsal base; tarsus 7 (7–8), tarsal empodium simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 28 (27–31), femur 9 (8–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 16 (15–17); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 6 (6–7); tibia 4 (4–5); tarsus 6 (6–7), tarsal empodium simple, 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 42 (40–45) smooth annuli, dorsal opisthosoma with three ridges, middorsal ridge shorter than subdorsal ridges and ending in a dorsal furrow; ventrally with 60 (57–64) annuli, with round microtubercles on rear annular margin. Setae c2 26 (23–28) on ventral annulus 11 (9–13); setae d 37 (35–40) on ventral annulus 23 (21–25); setae e 7 (6–9) on ventral annulus 37 (35–39); setae f 12 (11–14) on 5th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 3 (3–4). Female genitalia 10 (10–11), 19 (18–20) wide, coverflap with 16 longitudinal ridges and two cross lines at base, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 16 (15–17).

MALE: Unknown.

Types. Holotype, female, from Spodiopogon sibiricus Trin. (Gramineae) , Jiuhua Mountain, Anhui Province, China, 30°28'N, 117°48'E, October 3, 2007, coll. by Zi-Wei Song and Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 7 females, with the same data as holotype; 6 females, from Spodiopogon sibiricus Trin. (Gramineae) , Wanluo Mountain, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, China, 30°39'N, 117°31'E, October 4, 2007, coll. by Zi-Wei Song and Zhen Wang.

Relation to host. Mites are vagrant on the undersurface of leaves, causing no apparent damage.

Etymology. The specific designation jiuhuaensis is from the locality where the host plant and the new species were collected, Jiuhua Mountain.

Remarks. This species is similar to A. spodiopogoni Sukhareva, 1985 , but can be differentiated by tarsal empodium 5-rayed (tarsal empodium 7 to 8-rayed in A. spodiopogoni ); prosternal apodeme absent (prosternal apodeme present in A. spodiopogoni ); female genital coverflap with two cross lines at base (female genital coverflap smooth at base in A. spodiopogoni ).

FIGURE. 2 Abacarus jiuhuaensis sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female mite; CG, coxal-genital region of female; L1, leg I; L2, leg II; em, tarsal empodium; LM, lateral view of female mite.