Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) religiosus Ueckermann & Loots

Ueckermann, Edward A., Zannou, Ignace D., De Moraes, Gilberto J., Oliveira, Anibal R., Hanna, Rachid & Yaninek, John S., 2008, Phytoseiid mites of the tribe Typhlodromini (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from sub-Saharan Africa, Zootaxa 1901 (1), pp. 1-122 : 89-91

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) religiosus Ueckermann & Loots

( Fig. 44 )

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) religiosus Ueckermann & Loots, 1988: 41 ; Moraes et al., 2004: 345; Chant & McMurtry, 2007: 155.

Amblydromella (Amblydromella) religiosa, Denmark & Welbourn, 2002: 307 .

FEMALE. ( Specimens measured— South Africa: holotype and 2 paratypes). Idiosomal setal pattern 12A:8A/ JV:ZV .

Dorsum. Dorsal shield 397 (391–401) [391] long and 278 (267–289) [267] wide; reticulate, broadly oval. With 5 pairs of solenostomes. Setae j1 18 (17–19) [17], j3 16 (14–18) [18], j4 10 (10–11) [10], j5 11 (10–12) [12], j6 13 (12–14) [12], J2 18 (16–19) [16], J5 12 (12–13) [12], z2 13 (12–14) [12], z3 16 (14–18) [14], z4 18 (15–19) [15], z5 12 (12–13) [12], Z4 28 (26–29) [26], Z5 33 (32–34) [34], s4 18 (14–20) [14], s6 23 (20–26) [20], S2 25 (22–27) [22], S4 26 (24–28) [24], S5 17 (16–18) [16], r3 17 (17–18) [17], R1 14 (13–15) [13]. Setae smooth, stout and blunt; except Z4 and Z5, spatulate; S4 blunt or spatulate.

Peritreme. Extending to level of j1.

Venter. Sternal shield smooth, with 3 pairs of setae; posterior margin with a median lobe (posterior margin became faint since original description); distances between ST1–ST3 57 (54–59) [54], ST2–ST2 56 (54–59) [54]. Genital shield smooth; distance between ST5–ST5 70 (67–76) [67]. Ventrianal shield reticulate, quadrate, with anterior margin straight, 128 (126–129) [126] long, 100 (98–104) [98] wide at level of ZV2, 120 (116–124) [116] wide at level of anus, with 3 or 4 pairs of pre-anal setae (seta JV3 present, seta JV1 on or off shield); round pre-anal pores posteromesad of JV2. With 2 pairs of metapodal shields. Caudoventral setae smooth and sharp-tipped.

Chelicera. Movable digit 26 long; position of chelicerae renders examination impossible.

Spermatheca. Calyx very small, bell-shaped, 7 (6–8) [8] long; atrium small, incorporated in calyx.

Legs. Without macrosetae. Chaetotaxy: genu II: 2-2/0, 2/0-1; genu III: 1-2/1, 2/0-1.

Specimens examined. South Africa: Holotype female and 2 paratype females, Limpopo Province, Moria near Polokwane, on Clerodendrum glabrum , 8-V-1981, M.K.P. Smith Meyer.

Remarks. Corniculus of this species is long and slender, reaching about middle of palp genu. This species belongs to the religiosus species group ( Chant & McMurtry, 1994), because the dorsal shield is very large, extended ventrally, with setae r3 and R1 on the shield, dorsal shield heavily sculptured, all dorsal setae short, with Z5 and/or Z4 and/or S4 with knobbed or spatulate tips.

World distribution. South Africa.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) religiosus Ueckermann & Loots (female): A. Dorsal shield; B. Ventral surface; C. Spermatheca; D. Leg IV.