Neoseiulus californicus ( McGregor, 1954 ), 1977

Beaulieu, Frédéric & Beard, Jennifer J., 2018, Acarine biocontrol agents Neoseiulus californicus sensu Athias-Henriot (1977) and N. barkeri Hughes (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) redescribed, their synonymies assessed, and the identity of N. californicus (McGregor) clarified based on examination of types, Zootaxa 4500 (4), pp. 451-507 : 462-468

Neoseiulus californicus ( McGregor, 1954)

( Figs 3a, c , 4a ; Table 2)

Typhlodromus californicus McGregor, 1954: 89 .

Material examined. Male holotype, see Figs 1a , 2a ; Table 1.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 3a ). Oval shield, 281 long x 180 wide (shield not egg-shaped as illustrated, nor "somewhat narrowly ovate" as described, in McGregor (1954)); shield length / width ratio 1.56. Shield essentially smooth (as suspected, based on original illustration), except for light lineation-reticulation (discernible in part) near anterolateral shield margins. Number and position of setae are essentially the same as in females of Neoseiulus species ( Chant & McMurtry, 2003), with 19 pairs of setae on shield, including r3 and R 1 as is typical for males (see Table 2 for setal lengths). Contrary to McGregor’s (1954) illustration, setae r3 and S5 of N. californicus inserted on dorsal shield. Most dorsal setae moderately short, with Z4 (29–32), Z5 (36–39) moderately elongate; setae apparently smooth, except one or two weak barbs discernible on one Z4 (mounting media around Z5 not clear enough to determine whether barbs are present). Distance between j1 setae subequal to (0.95–0.99 x) length of j1 setae; setae Z5 0.13–0.14 x length of dorsal shield. Four pairs of gland openings (gd1, gd4, gd6, gd9); gd4 large and somewhat triangular-shaped, positioned almost directly posterior to seta s4, slightly mesad; gd9 conspicuous, and closely anteromesal to seta S5 (as in McGregor’s 1954 illustration). Peritreme extending to or almost to j1.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 3c ). Sternal shield essentially smooth (as in original illustration), except for lineae in lateral marginal regions; bearing st1–5. Ventrianal shield reticulate, with four pairs of elongate pre-anal setae (19– 23). Gland opening gv3 small, almost punctiform, slightly crescent-shaped, moderately close to each other (20 µm apart), slightly posterior (8 µm) to level of JV2; gv3–gv3 distance / JV2–JV2 distance = 0.45. Soft opisthogastric cuticle with one pair of setae ( JV 5). Contrary to McGregor’s (1954) illustration which shows a narrow poststigmatic region, the peritrematal shield is typically shaped, including a poststigmatic region that is relatively broad, narrowing moderately at the parapodal region.

Chelicera ( Fig. 4a ). Spermatodactyl T-shaped, with elongate foot and toe (18) slightly longer than heel (15– 16). Cheliceral movable digit with a small, retrorse tooth, 4.5–5 µm from apex. Fixed digit with one subapical (offset) tooth, followed by two teeth, at level of socket of pilus dentilis.

Legs. A single macroseta (pd3), on basitarsus of leg IV (50). Chaetotaxy of genu II: 2 2/0, 2/0 1; genu III: 1 2/ 1, 2/0 1 (see ‘ N. barkeri , Redescription’ for more details).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs of the slides of key specimens studied: (a) Holotype of Typhlodromus californicus (male) (verbatim transcription of left label: “Garman says this is prob. a new sp.”, “TYPE”; see Table 1, slide lot #1 for info from the right label); (b) Syntypes of T. mungeri (2 females; verbatim transcription of right label: “Garman says this is a n. sp.”, “TYPE”; Table 1, lot #2); (c–g) Other specimens from lemon, in southern California (1952–1958) identified by authors as N. barkeri ((c) has a male and female; (d–g) have single females), corresponding to slide lots #3–6, respectively (see Table 1 for label details); (h) A female syntype of N. barkeri Hughes (slide lot #7, Table 1). [n.b. (h) is herein designated as lectotype of N. barkeri (verbatim transcription of left label: “Laelaptidae n. gen.”, “Neoseiulus”, “type”, “barkeri”, “sprouting barley”, “Barker”, “11.5.45”). Slides in (a, b, e–g) were labelled by E.A. McGregor, based on comparison with labels on slides of species that he originally collected and/or described (including types). Slides in (c, d) were most probably labelled by Francis Munger (USDA, Whittier, California), based on comparison with other labels on slides of specimens he collected.]

FIGURE 2. Photographs of the type specimens examined: (a) Typhlodromus californicus holotype (male) (slide lot #1, Table 1); (b, c) T. mungeri lectotype and paratype (females), respectively (slide lot #2); (d, e) Neoseiulus barkeri lectotype (female) and paralectotype (male), respectively (slide lot #7); (f) T. chilenensis paralectotype (female) (slide lot #43).

FIGURE 3. Males: (a, c) dorsal shield and ventral idiosoma of Neoseiulus californicus holotype (male); (b, d) and of N. barkeri paralectotype (male).

FIGURES 4–8. Males: 4. Chelicerae and spermatodactyls of (a) Neoseiulus californicus holotype; (b) N. barkeri paralectotype (paraxial view); (c) other N. barkeri from Finland (slide lot #16, Table 1); (d) South Korea (dorsal view; slide lot #17). 5–6. Detail of N. barkeri male idiosoma (5) dorsum and (6) venter, based on a specimen from California with similar collection data to that of N. californicus type (slide lot #3, Table 1). 7. Detail of gland opening gv3 (between JV2 setae) on N. barkeri male ventrianal shield region (from slide lot # 15). 8. Detail of N. barkeri gland openings gd4 of (a) paralectotype; (b–e) Finland specimens (slide lot #16, Table 1); (f) South Korea specimens (slide lot #17). [n.b. 8a, c, e present both left and right gd4 of individual males, at different depths, while 8b, d, f present only left gd4; green arrows indicate the point where the gland duct leads deeper into the body. Poroids id5, id2, idm1–6, and idx shown in 5 are based on observations on male from slide lots #15– 17; poroid idm5 is not shown here in 5, being near the posterior edge of the shield, which is curved on the specimen illustrated; poroids ivo, ivp and sigillae in 6 are mostly based on observations on males from slide lots #16 and 17.]