Neoseiulella splendida Ferragut and Peaea-Estevez

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 : 332-334

Neoseiulella splendida Ferragut and Peaea-Estevez

( Figure 39 )

Neoseiulella splendida Ferragut and Peaea-Estevez 2003: 161-164 ; Moraes et al. 2004: 295; Moraza and Peaea-Estevez 2006: 58; Chant and McMurtry 2007: 147.

Adult female ( Figure 39a – e )

Dorsal shield ( Figure 39a ) — Dorsal shield heavily reticulated: length 361 (352 – 369); width 189 (181 – 196) (at level of s4) and 195 (193 – 197) (at level of Z1). Seven pairs of solenostomes on the dorsal shield: gd1, gd2, gd4, gd5, gd6, gd8, and gd9. Ferragut and Peaea-Estevez (2003) noted the presence of only six pairs of solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd5, gd6, gd8, and gd9). However, on their drawings a pair of solenostomes corresponding to the position of gd4 (according Athias-Henriot [1975] and Swirski et al. [1998]) is present. One pair of poroids. Sublateral setae (r3 and R1) on the lateral margin. Dorsal shield bearing 19 pairs of setae, all smooth except Z5 slightly serrated: j1 26 (23 – 28); j3 34 (32 – 35); j4 16; j5 16 (15 – 16); j6 18 (17 – 19); J2 19 (18 – 20); J5 17; z2 17 (16 – 17); z3 34 (33 – 35); z4 24; z5 16 (15 – 17); Z1 20 (19 – 20); Z4 62 (61 – 62); Z5 78; s4 34 (32 – 35); s6 40 (37 – 43); S2 41 (37 – 45); S4 27 (26 – 28); S5 26 (24 – 28); sub-lateral setae r3 30 (29 – 30) and R1 27 (25 – 29). Peritreme extending anteriorly to the level between j1-j3 .

Ventral shields ( Figure 39b ) — Sternal shield 69 (68 – 70) long and 69 (68 – 70) wide (at level of ST2), smooth with two pairs of setae (ST1 and ST2) and two pairs of poroids. ST3 and ST4 on separate platelets and a pair of small poroids accompanying ST4. Genital shield 125 long, 68 wide (at level of ST5), smooth. Four elongate platelets or genital sigilla (folded in the specimen examined) between genital shield and ventrianal shields. One pair of poroids close to the genital shield (ST 5) and 1 pair of poroids around the genital shield. Ventrianal shield elongated with conspicuous waist, much longer than wide, 134 (124 – 143) long and 86 (82 – 89) wide (at level of ZV2), faintly striate, with four pairs of preanal setae (JV1, JV2 JV3 and ZV2) and with a pair of circular solenostomes gv3. Four pairs of caudoventral setae (ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5) on the integument surrounding the ventrianal shield. JV5 50 (44 – 56) long, smooth. Primary metapodal plate or inguinal sigillum 31 (26 – 35) long and 6 (5 – 7) wide.

Spermatheca ( Figure 39c ) — Cervix 4 (3 – 4) long, U-shaped.

Chelicera ( Figure 39d ) — Two teeth and a pilus dentilis on the fixed digit. Movable digit 36 (34 – 38) long, unidentate.

Legs ( Figure 39e ) — Measurements of legs: leg I 332 (331 – 333); leg II 286 (279 – 292); leg III 284 (276 – 292); leg IV 392 (383 – 401). Seven setae (2- 2/0, 2/0-1) on the genu II. One pointed macroseta, 47 (46 – 48) long, on the basitarsus IV.

Material examined — Four female paratypes deposited in the Department of Agroforestal Ecosystems , Universidad PolitØcnica de Valencia, Spain .

Adult male ( Figure 39f, g )

Dorsal shield — dorsal shield similar to but smaller than the female. Sub-lateral seta R1 inserted on the dorsal shield (different from the female, on which R1 inserted on lateral margin). Ventrianal shield 140 long and 135 wide, distinctly reticulated, bearing seven pairs of preanal setae with a pair of poroids ( Figure 39 f ). Spermatodactyl Lshaped ( Figure 39 g ). This description is based on a paratype specimen.

Previous reports — N. splendida is only known from Canary Islands. Plants on which this species was reported are: Argyranthemum lidii Humphries , A. escarrei (Svent.) Humphries , Cynara cardunculus , Nauplius stenophyllus (Link) Webb and Berth. , Schizogyne glaberrima DC. , Sonchus brachylobus Webb and Berthel (Asteraceae) ; Hypericum reflexum L.f. ( Hypericaceae ); Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. (Poaceae) ; Suaeda vera J.F.Gmel. , S. vermiculata Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel. (Chenopodiaceae) .

Remarks — N. splendida is similar to N. litoralis . However these two species differ by the following characters: gd4 presence/ absence (present on N. splendida ; absent on N. litoralis ); j3, z3, Z4, Z5, s4, and s6 lengths; the length of the peritreme (extending between j1-j3 on N. splendida ; extending between z2-j3 on N. litoralis ). Moreover, the males of these two species differ in the number of setae on the ventrianal shield (seven pairs on N. splendida , six on N. litoralis ). These two species seem thus to be separate entities. However, further experiments would be useful in order to conclude on the reliability of these morphological characters in species identification.

Figures

FIGURE 39: Neoseiulella splendida Ferragut and Peaea-Estevez. Female (paratype): a – dorsal shield; b – ventral shields; c – spermatheca; d – chelicera; e – leg IV. Male (paratype): f – ventrianal shield; g – spermatodactyl.