Neoseiulella prunus (Denmark & Rather, 1984)

Kanouh, M., Kreiter, S., Douin, M. & Tixier, M. - S., 2012, Revision Of The Genus Neoseiulella Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Re-Description Of Species, Synonymy Assessment, Biogeography, Plant Supports And Key To Adult Females, Acarologia 52 (3), pp. 259-348 : 286-288

Neoseiulella prunus ( Denmark and Rather)

( Figure 11 )

Typhloctonus prunus Denmark and Rather 1984: 172- 173 ; Moraes et al. 1986: 233. Neoseiulella prunus ( Denmark and Rather) Moraes et al. 2004: 298; Chant and McMurtry 2007: 147.

Adult female ( Figure 11a – e )

Dorsal shield ( Figure 11a ) — Dorsal shield heavily reticulated: length 339; width 183 (at level of s4) and 169 (at level of Z1). Three pairs of solenostomes on the dorsal shield: gd2, gd8, and gd9. One pair of poroids. Sub-lateral setae (r3 and R1) on the lateral margin. Dorsal shield bearing 19 pairs of setae, all smooth except Z4 and Z5 slightly serrated; Z5 knobbed: j1 16; j3 25; j4 17; j5 19; j6 19; J2 24; J5 9; z2 19; z3 24; z4 22; z5 19; Z1 25; Z4 28; Z5 44; s4 25; s6 27; S2 30; S4 32; S5 25; sub-lateral setae r3 25 and R1 22. Peritreme extending anteriorly to the level of j1.

Ventral shields ( Figure 11b ) — Sternal shield 73 long and 68 wide (at level of ST2), smooth with three pairs of setae (ST1, ST2 and ST3) and two pairs of poroids. A pair of metasternal setae (ST4) on separate platelets accompanied by a pair of small poroids. Genital shield 100 long and 64 wide (at level of ST5), smooth. Elongate platelets or genital sigilla separating genital and ventrianal shields folded under the genital shield. One pair of poroids close to the genital shield (ST 5) and 2 pairs of poroids around the genital shield. Ventrianal shield much longer than wide, with a distinct waist, 100 long and 67 wide (at level of ZV2), smooth, with four pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2, JV3 and ZV2), and a pair of small circular solenostomes gv3 posteromediad to JV2. Four pairs of caudoventral setae (ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5) on the integument surrounding the ventrianal shield. JV5 40 long, smooth. Primary metapodal plate or inguinal sigillum 22 long and 3 wide.

Spermatheca ( Figure 11c ) — Cervix 16 long, cupshaped.

Chelicera ( Figure 11d ) — Two teeth, a ridge of six denticles and a pilus dentilis on the fixed digit. Movable digit 22 long, bidentate.

Legs ( Figure 11e ) — Measurements of legs: leg I 267; leg II 238; leg III 238; leg IV 298. Seven setae (2- 2/0, 2/0-1) on the genu II. Three knobbed macrosetae, 19, 18 and 32 long, on genu, tibia and basitarsus IV, respectively.

Material examined — A female paratype deposited in the collection of the Department of Zoology , University of Kashmir, Srinagar .

Adult male: The male of this species is unknown.

Previous reports — N. prunus is only known from the Oriental area, from Jammu and Kashmir ( India), on Prunus armeniaca L. ( Rosaceae ).

No difference in all the morphological characters considered was found between N. transitans and N. prunus . Consequently, we consider that N. prunus is a junior synonym of N. transitans . Denmark (personal comm. 2010) confirmed this conclusion. As we were not able to borrow the type materials of N. vollsella , an attentive examination of the original description of this latter species was conducted. No morphological difference was observed between N. vollsella , N. transitans and N. prunus . Moreover, the geographical distributions of these three species are very close. Thus, we support the suggestion of Chant and Yoshida-Shaul (1989) concerning the synonymy of these three species.

Figures

FIGURE 11: Neoseiulella prunus (Denmark and Rather). Female (paratype): a – dorsal shield; b – ventral shields; c – spermatheca; d – chelicera; e – leg IV.