Eriophyes urmiae Lotfollahi & Mohammad-Doustaresharaf, 2023

Mohammad-Doustaresharaf, Mojtaba, Lotfollahi, Parisa & Bagheri, Mohammad, 2023, Eriophyes urmiae sp. nov. (Acari: Eriophyidae) from spurge in Iran, Persian Journal of Acarology 12 (1), pp. 81-89 : 82-85

Eriophyes urmiae Lotfollahi & Mohammad-Doustaresharaf sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4FDDA65C-B924-47F0-B816-BEA74BD672A6

Description

Female ( Fig. 1 ) (measured specimens n = 7) – Body vermiform, 192 (192–234, excluding gnathosoma), 64 (58–65) thick, 61 (61–65) wide. Gnathosoma projecting obliquely downwards, cheliceral stylets 29 (29–32), palp 26 (23–29), palp coxal setae ep 4 (no variation), dorsal palp genual setae d 11 (11–13), unbranched. Suboral plate rounded anteriorly, with some dashes in lateral sides. Prodorsal shield 37 (37–41) including frontal lobe, 35 (32–39) wide, semicircular; with a short triangular flexible frontal lobe, 6 (5–7), over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern distinct, consisting of short median line on posterior third of prodorsal shield, complete admedian and inner submedian lines, short outer submedian and lateral lines, many dashes on shield lateral sides; median, admedian and first submedian lines composed of connected dashes on their base and lateral lines made by connected dashes. Tubercles of scapular setae sc 7 (7–9) ahead of rear shield margin, 22 (22–25) apart, setae sc 25 (25–28), directed forward. Legs with all usual segments and setae. Leg I 39 (35– 40), trochanter 5 (4–6), femur 10 (9–10), genu 7 (5–7), tibia 9 (7–10), tarsus 9 (8–9), tarsal solenidion ω 10 (10–12), curved down, distally rounded, empodium simple, 9 (8–10), 7-rayed (in few specimens asymmetric 6/7-rayed); femoral setae bv 15 (14–17), genual setae l" 27 (26–30), paraxial tibial setae l' 10 (10–13), located in basal third of tibia, paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft ' 22 (20–25), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft" 30 (28–33), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 5 (5–6). Leg II 34 (31–35), trochanter 5 (5–7), femur 9 (8–10), genu 6 (5–6), tibia 7 (6–8), tarsus 9 (8–9), tarsal solenidion ω 10 (9–11), curved down, distally rounded, empodium simple, 9 (9–11), 7-rayed (in few specimens asymmetric 6/7-rayed); femoral setae bv 18 (15–19), genual setae l" 12 (12–16), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae ft' 9 (8–10), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae ft " 29 (27–34), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae u' 6 (5–6). Coxisternal region. Prosternal apodeme 7 (6–8), slightly divided anteriorly, anterior setae on coxisternum I 1b 13 (10–14), 15 (14–16) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum I 1a 42* (40–43), 10 (10–11) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum II 2a 53* (50–55), 25 (24–28) apart; 5 (4–6) microtuberculate semiannuli between coxae and genital coverflap plus 3 (2–3) transversal rows of lined granules at the base of the coverflap. Coxae with coarse dashes. External genitalia 13 (11–14), 22 (20–23) wide, coverflap with 10 (8–12) longitudinal striae; setae 3a 52 (52–57), 20 (18–20) apart. Internal genitalia: spermathecae circular, oriented posterolaterad; spermathecal tubes relatively short about third of spermathecae diameter; transverse genital apodeme trapezoidal, distally folded. Opisthosoma dorsally evenly rounded, with 66 (65–78) dorsal semiannuli, 64 (62–69) ventral semiannuli. Microtubercles: triangular with slight circular bumping at base, on posterior margin of dorsal and ventral semiannuli; circular with spine, on lateral sides of annuli; elongated and linear on last 5 (5–6) ventral semiannuli. Setae c2 53 (48–57) on ventral semiannulus 11 (10–12), setae d 88 (85–90) on ventral semiannulus 22 (22–26); setae e 50 (50–56) on ventral semiannulus 39 (37–40); setae f 47 (40–47) on ventral semiannulus 59 (57–64); 5 (5–6) annuli posterior to setae f. Setae h2 111* (108–115) apically very fine, h1 2 (2–3).

Male ( Fig. 1 - GM) (measured specimens n = 3) – Similar in shape and prodorsal shield arrangement to female. Body smaller than female, 169–180, 53–62 wide, 53–62 thick; palp genual setae d 10–12; prodorsal shield 32–33, 30–34 wide; setae sc 22–27, 21–25 apart. Opisthosoma with 59–64 dorsal semiannuli and 54–63 ventral semiannuli; 4–5 semiannuli between coxae and genitalia, with microtubercles similar to that of female. Setae: 1b 12–13, 1a 24–32, 2a 33–40, c2 40–42, d 74– 75, e 50–55, f 40–43, h1 2–3, h2 119–124. Male genitalia 17–20 wide, setae 3a 24–32, 16–19 apart.

Nymph ( Fig. 2 ) (measured specimen n= 1) – Body vermiform, 186 (excluding gnathosoma), 63 wide; palp genual setae d 7. Prodorsal shield 29 including frontal lobe, 31 wide, semicircular with a very short circular frontal lobe, 2, over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern distinct, consisting of short median, admedian and inner submedian lines respective to female. Tubercles of sc setae 7 ahead of rear shield margin, 21 apart, setae sc 22, directed forward. Opisthosoma with 57 dorsal semiannuli and 51 ventral semiannuli with microtubercles similar to female. Setae: 1b 9, 1a 19, 2a 28, c2 24, d 35, e 23, f 31, h2 38, h1 2. Setae 3a 28, 9 apart on semiannulus 4 after coxal region.

Type host plant Euphorbia sp. (Euphorbiaceae) , spurge.

Type locality

Qaleh Sardar , Nazluchay Rural District, Urmia County, West Azerbaijan, Iran (37° 41' 08'' N, 44° 55' 21'' E), 1,463 m above sea level, coll. M. Mohammad-Doustaresharaf, 27 August 2021 .

Type material

Holotype: single female on a microscope slide (Esp-IWA-UA21D-1). Paratypes: 14 females, 3 males and 1 nymph mounted singly on separate microscope slides (Esp-IWA-UA21D-2 – 19).

Other material

Mites preserved in a vial (Esp-IWA-UA21D) of Oudemans' fluid ( Walter and Krantz 2009) as extracted from the same sample as the type specimens.

Relation to the host plant Vagrant on leaves; no apparent damage was observed.

Distribution

This new species is at present recorded only from Urmia region. However, spurges are widely distributed in Iran so future surveys could reveal a wider distribution for this new mite species.

Etymology This species is named after the region where it was collected.

Differential diagnosis

The new species is not morphologically the same as other Eriophyes spp. from Iran as well as the species found on spurges worldwide. The new species was compared to the closer species E. antiquorum Amrine & Stasny, 1994 and E. septemlineatus Petanović, 1991 and it was also compared to E. euphorbiae ( Nalepa, 1890) , the only Eriophyes species associated with Euphorbia plants in Iran: Eriophyes antiquorum Amrine & Stasny, 1994 (syn: Eriophyes euphorbiae Mohanasundaram, 1983 ) - The new species has short median line ( Fig. 1 -AD) while E. antiquorum has complete median line ( Fig. 3-A ). Coxae of E. antiquorum ornamented by several distinct granules, but the new species has scarce dots and short lines on its coxae. In addition, the new species has distinctly longer setae c2, d, e, f and 3a and more empodium rays than them in E. antiquorum ( Table 1). The new species found as vagrant species on foliage of Euphorbia sp. , while E. antiquorum found inducing rust on tender foliage of Euphorbia antiquorum L.

Eriophyes septemlineatus Petanović, 1991 - The new species has short median line ( Fig. 1 - AD) while E. septemlineatus has complete median line ( Fig. 3-B ). Coxae of E. septemlineatus are smooth, but the new species has scarce dots and short lines on its coxae. The new species has distinctly longer setae c2, d, e, f and 3a than them in E. septemlineatus ( Table 1). Eriophyes septemlineatus lives in terminal growth points and in inflorescence producing deformations and drying of Euphorbia nicaeensis All. ssp. glareosa (Pall. ex M.Bieb.) Radcl. -Sm, while the new species is vagrant and no apparent damage was observed on the host plant.

Eriophyes euphorbiae ( Nalepa, 1890) - The prodorsal shield of new species ornamented by lines ( Fig. 1 - AD), whereas the prodorsal shield of E. euphorbiae is reticulated ( Fig. 3-C ). Coxae of E. euphorbiae ornamented by distinct dense granules, while the new species has scarce dots and short lines on its coxae. Empodium rays number of E. euphorbiae is less than that in the new species. Eriophyes euphorbiae has shorter setae sc, d, e, f and 3a than them in the new species ( Table 1). Eriophyes euphorbiae makes leaf and shoot tip deformation in Euphorbia cyparissias L., while no apparent damage was observed on the host plant of the new species.

Figures

Figure 1. Schematic drawings of Eriophyes urmiae Lotfollahi & Mohammad-Doustaresharaf sp. nov. – AD. Prodorsal shield; AL. Lateral view of anterior body region; CG. Female coxigenital region; DO. Dorsal view of annuli; em. Empodium; GM. Male genital region; IG. Internal female genitalia; L1. Leg I; PD. Dorsal view of posterior opisthosoma; PV. Ventral view of posterior opisthosoma; VO. Ventral view of annuli. Scale bar: 10 µm for AD, AL, CG, DO, GM, IG, pg, PD, PV, VO; 5 µm for L1; 2.5 µm for em.

Figure 2. Schematic drawings of Eriophyes urmiae Lotfollahi & Mohammad-Doustaresharaf sp. nov. nymph prodorsal shield. Scale bar: 10 µm.

Figure 3. Schematic drawings of the prodorsal shields of: A. Eriophyes antiquorum Amrine & Stasny, 1994 (from Mohanasundaram 1983); B. Eriophyes septemlineatus Petanović, 1991 (from Petanović 1991); C. Eriophyes euphorbiae (Nalepa, 1890) (from Lotfollahi et al. 2020a).