Diptacus symplocos, Wang, Guo-Quan, Wei, Sui-Gai & Yang, Ding, 2009

Wang, Guo-Quan, Wei, Sui-Gai & Yang, Ding, 2009, Three new species and a new name in Diptilomiopinae from China (Acari: Diptilomiopidae), Zootaxa 2015, pp. 55-61 : 59

Diptacus symplocos sp. nov.

( Fig. 3 )

Female (n = 10). Body spindleform, light yellow, 243 (218–269), 71 (56–81) wide, 81 (68–90) thick. Gnathosoma— 48 (45–50), curved abruptly downward; dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 13 (13–15), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 12 (12–13), pedipalp tarsal ventral setae (v) 4 (4–5); cheliceral stylets 58 (56–62). Prodorsal shield— With frontal lobe; 38 (32–43), 49 (45–58) wide, admedian lines incomplete, median and submedian line absent. Scapular tubercles set ahead of rear shield margin, 24 (22–28) apart, scapular setae (sc) 10 (9–10), directed forward. Coxae— Coxae І separated, with short lines, coxae ІІ with granules; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 22 (20–25), 14 (12–18) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 36 (28–40), 10 (9–13) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 48 (45–50), 33 (28–37) apart. Cox–genital annuli fine, 12. Legs— Segments normal. Legs І 47 (46–50), femur 14 (14–15), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 8 (7–8), antaxial genual setae (l'') 36 (35–38); tibia 13 (13–14), paraxial tibial setae (l ʹ) located at center, 10 (10–11); tarsus 9 (9–10), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 24 (23–25), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 26 (26–27), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 6 (5–7); tarsal empodium 6 (6–7), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (7–8), knobbed. Legs ІІ 41 (39–42), femur 13 (12–13), basiventral femoral setae (bv) absent; genu 6 (5–7), antaxial genual setae (l'') 16 (14–20); tibia 11 (11–12); tarsus 8 (8–9), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 9 (8–9), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 28 (25–30), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 5 (5–6); tarsal empodium 7 (7–8), divided, each branch 5-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (7–8), knobbed. Opisthosoma— Dorsum bears wax, a slight dorsal median ridge present; dorsal annuli 48, with scattered, minute rounded microtubercles on posterior margin; ventral annuli 78, with rounded microtubercles; setae c2 32 (30–33), on ventral annulus 14; setae d 62 (60–65), 48 (46–50) apart, on ventral annulus 34; setae e 18 (15–20), 28 (26–31) apart, on ventral annulus 50; setae f 32 (30–35), 22 (21–23) apart, on 8th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 absent, setae h2 102 (90–110). Female genitalia— Coverflap with 16 (15–16) longitudinal ridges, 21 (19–22), 30 (29–32) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum ІІІ (3a) 15 (14–15), 20 (18–21) apart.

Male. Not seen.

Type data. Holotype, female, Fengyangshan National Nature Reserve (27°53´N, 119°11´E, altitude 1850m), Longquan City, Zhejiang Province, China, 27–Jul.–2007, from Symplocos paniculata (Thunb.) Miq. ( Symplocaceae ), collected by Guoquan Wang. Paratypes, 9 females mounted on 9 slides, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. The mites are vagrant on the undersurfaces of the leaves, no visible damage.

Etymology. The specific designation is derived from the generic name of the type host plant.

Notes. This new species is similar to Diptacus flocculentus Keifer 1959 , but can be differentiated by the dorsal annuli with well rounded laterally with scattered, minute rounded microtubercles on posterior margin, the tarsal empodium with each branch 5-rayed and the female genital coverflap with longitudinal ridges. In D. flocculentus , the dorsal annuli laterally with microtubercles, the tarsal empodium with each branch 7-rayed and the female genital coverflap smooth ( Keifer, 1959).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Diptacus symplocos sp. nov. AD—Antero-dorsal view of female; CGF—coxigenital area of female; E—empodium (enlarged); IG—internal genitalia, female; L—Lateral view of female; L 1 — Legs І; L 2 — Legs І (Scale bar: AD— 54; CGF— 44; E— 19; L— 90; L 1, L 2 — 49).