Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) grewiae Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira, 2008

Kreiter, Serge, Payet, Rose-My, Abo-Shnaf, Reham & Douin, Martial, 2021, New Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) of Mascareignes and Comoros Archipelagos (Indian Ocean): one new record, three new species groups and description of six new species and of six unknown males, Acarologia 61 (4), pp. 845-889 : 880-882

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) grewiae Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira

Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) grewiae Zannou, Moraes & Oliveira in Ueckermann et al. 2008: 48 .

Diagnosis. The male of this species has five solenostomes (gd2, gd4, gd6, gd8 and gd9) similar to adult female, all dorsal setae lanceolate, strongly serrate and inserted on tubercules, except for J5 smooth, setiform and sharp-tipped, peritreme extending to level of j1, three setae on the ventrianal shield with small punctiform pre-anal solenostomes, three thick macrosetae strongly knobbed. This is a unique combination of characters which make specimens of this species very different from all other species within the genus Typhlodromus , subgenus Anthoseius .

Description of adult male (n = 4, Figs. 14 a-d)

Dorsum ( Fig. 14a ) – Dorsal shield strongly ornamented, 231 (220–240) long and 136 (130–150) wide, with five solenostome well visible (gd2, gd4, gd6, gd8 and gd9), only two pairs of poroids visible (probably because of the strong ornamentation), 20 pairs of dorsal setae (r3 and R1 on dorsal shield): j1 13 (12–14), j3 13 (11–15), j4 12 (11–13), j5 13 (11–14), j6 15 (14–15), J2 17 (15–20), J5 8 (8–9), z2 12 (10–12), z3 12 (9–13), z4 15 (13–18), z5 14 (13–15), Z4 21 (19–23), Z5 26 (24–29), s4 14 (14–15), s6 17 (15–18), S2 18 (18–19), S4 19 (18–20), S5 16 (14–18), r3 14 (13–15), R1 12 (12–13). All setae lanceolate, plumose, strongly serrate and inserted on tubercules with presence of these tubercules starting back to a line constituted of setae r3, s4 and z5 until the posterior part of the dorsum. Seta J5 is the only seta smooth, setiform and sharp-tipped.

Peritreme and peritremal plate ( Fig. 14a ) – Extending to level of j1 ; peritremal plate fused with dorsal shield at level of j3.

Venter ( Fig. 14b ) – Sternogenital shield smooth with few anterior and posterior striae, with five pairs of setae (st1-st5) and three pairs of poroids (iv1-iv3); distances st1-st1 37 (35–38), st2-st2 52 (50–54), st3-st3 50 (49–50), st1-st5 95 (93–98), st4-st4 36 (34–38), st5-st5 28 (25–30). Ventrianal shield 88 (83–93) long, 111 (105–115) wide at level of anterior corners, and 56 (50–63) wide at level of para-anal setae. Ventrianal shield with few striae, with three pairs of pre-anal setae (JV1, JV2 and ZV2), and a pair of small punctiform gv3 mesad JV2, 19 (18–20) apart. Unsclerotized cuticle around ventrianal shield with a pair of setae (JV5). Seta JV5 lanceolate and strongly serrate, 15 long.

Chelicera ( Fig. 14c ) – Fixed digit 16 (15–17) long, with no teeth visible; and movable digit 18 (17–19) long, with one tooth visible. Spermatodactyl shaft straight, shaft 18 (17–18) long, branch 3.

Legs ( Fig. 14d ) – One macroseta only on leg IV: St IV 15 (13–15), blunt and knobbed. Genua II and III both with seven setae. Chaetotactic formula of genu II: 2-2/0, 2/0-1 ; genu III: 1-2/1, 2/0-1.

Specimens examined. Four ♂♂ collected during this study, measured and deposited as complementary voucher material. MAYOTTE ISLAND: Combani, gîte du Mont-Combani (437 m aasl, 12°48′23″ S, 45°9′17″ E), 1 ♂ on Cananga odorata (Lamark) Hooker & Thomson (Annonaceae) or Ylang-Ylang, 25/XI/2018. MOHELI ISLAND: Bangoma, top of the village (42 m aasl, 12°17′15″ S, 43°43′40″ E), 3 ♂♂ (and 1 ♀ on the same slide) on Dendrocnide moroides (Weddel) Chew (Urticaceae) , 4/XII/2018.

Voucher material. Four males on two slides (one with one female) are deposited in Institut Agro (Montpellier SupAgro) – INRAE Acarology collection, Montpellier, France.

Remarks. Characters of males are very similar to that of females, except of course for length of setae and few other characters. Ventrianal shield of the male is slightly striate and the ventrianal shield of the female is entirely smooth. Morphological characteristics of this species are so unique within the genus Typhlodromus , subgenus Anthoseius that is possible to identify the species based on a single male alone.

Figures

Figure 14 Paratype male of Typhlodromus(Anthoseius) grewiaeZannou, Moraes & Oliveira – a. Dorsal shield, b. Ventral shields, c. Spermatodactyl, d. Genu, tibia and basitarsus of leg IV.