Amphialycus (Amphialycus) acaciae, Uusitalo & Ueckermann & Theron, 2020

Uusitalo, Matti, Ueckermann, Edward A. & Theron, Pieter D., 2020, A review of the family Alycidae (Acari, Acariformes) from South Africa, Zootaxa 4858 (3), pp. 301-340 : 311-315

Amphialycus (Amphialycus) acaciae sp. nov.

( Figs. 29–47 )

Description. Dorsum ( Figs. 29–31 ). Length 480 μm; dorsal setal pattern holotrichous, additional setae of smaller size on ventral side; parallel ridges contiguous on soft integument; sclerotic crista from naso to sensillar area, distance between counterparts of setae vi twice as large than the distance between sensilla ve or setae in, microplates of setae vi inseparably linked to crista, striated naso tapering to blunt end, setae exp very small, sparsely barbed, medial to anterior pair of lateral eye spots.

Venter ( Figs. 32, 33 ). Genital valves each with 21–22 genital setae; 8–9 anal setae per valve.

Gnathosoma ( Figs. 34–36 ). Pair of smooth cheliceral setae almost dorsally, seta placed slightly abaxially as in Fig. 29 ; 2 pairs of adoral setae; four microtrichous palpal eupathids, separate from each other.

Legs ( Figs. 37–42 ). Solenidial formula for tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora on legs I, II, III and IV, respectively: 2-1-0-0, 2-2-2-0, 3-2-2-1, 2-0-0-0, solenidion ω2 at the adaxial end of lyrifissure, famuli I and II ventrodistally.

Larva (n=5, Figs. 46, 47 )

Dorsum. Length 180 μm; holotrichous dorsum; sensillae slender.

Venter. Genital valves absent; 4 anal setae per valve.

Gnathosoma . Subcapitulum with 2 pairs of setae.

Legs. Solenidial formula for tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora on legs I, II and III, respectively: 1-1-0, 2-2-2, 3- 2-2, 1-0-0.

Other life stages:

Protonymph (n=6, Fig. 45 ), 1 genital seta per valve.

Deutonymph (n=3, Fig. 44 ), 5–7 genital setae per valve.

Tritonymph (n=6, Fig. 43 ), 13–14 genital setae per valve.

Adult female (n=6, Figs. 32, 33 ), 21–22 genital setae per valve, one pair of eugenital setae.

Type material. Holotype female, 5 paratype females, 6 paratype tritonymphs, 3 paratype deutonymphs, 6 paratype protonymphs and 5 paratype larvae, from Acacia karroo, Potchefstroom, NORTH-WEST PROVINCE, 6 February to March 1969, P.D. Theron. Deposited at ARC-Plant Health and Protection, Pretoria, South Africa.

Additional material. 16 females, 12 tritonymphs, 7 protonymphs and 2 larvae from Acacia karroo, Potchefstroom, NORTH-WEST PROVINCE, 6 February to March 1969, P.D. Theron.

Differential diagnosis. This species can easily be differentiated from another holotrichous species, A. mayteni , and from the neotrichous species of the genus by having a cone-like, striated naso ( Figs. 30, 31 ), two pairs of welldeveloped adoral setae ( Fig. 36 ) and solenidial formula.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the previous genus of the dominant tree at the collection site, namely, Acacia .

Figures

FIGURES 29−35. Amphialycus (Amphialycus) acaciae sp. nov. 29—Prodorsum, sclerotized crista, setae vi wide apart from each other; 30—Nasal area in lateral view; 31—Dorsal habitus, holotrichy; 32—Ventral habitus, 22 genital setae per valve, 8–9 anal setae per valve on PA (cf. Fig. 31); 33—Genital valve of female, 21 genital setae, 1 pair of eugenital setae; 34—Chelicera, smooth cheliceral seta more abaxially than the figure suggests; 35—Palp tarsus with 2 pairs of pseudacanthoid eupathids.

FIGURES 36−42. Amphialycus (Amphialycus) acaciae sp. nov. 36—Subcapitulum, rutellum with broad shaft and ventrodistal lobes, 2 pairs of adorals; 37—2 claws and multisetulate, claw-like empodium (cf. oligosetulate in Fig. 13); 38—Tarsus I (2 solenidia), famulus I (arrow); 39—Tibia I (2 solenidia), Genu I (3 solenidia), Femur I (2 solenidia); 40—Tarsus II (1 solenidion), famulus II (arrow), Tibia II (2 solenidia), Genu II (2 solenidia); 41—Tarsus III (no solenidia), Tibia III (2 solenidia), Genu III (2 solenidia); 42—Leg IV, Genu IV (1 solenidion).

FIGURES 43−47. Amphialycus (Amphialycus) acaciae sp. nov. 43—Tritonymph, venter, 13–14 genital setae per valve; 44— Deutonymph, venter, 5–7 genital setae per valve; 45—Protonymph, venter, genital setae 1 per valve; 46—Larva, venter, genital valves absent; 47—Larva, dorsal habitus, holotrichy, non-swollen sensilla (cf. Fig. 27). 29−47 from RSA, near Potchefstroom.

FIGURES 1−5. Alycus augrabiensis sp. nov. 1—Prodorsum, integument mostly soft on crista, i.e. the area from naso to sensilla (from vi to ve), exp subequal in size with sce; 2—Dorsal habitus; 3—Integument and setal microplates; 4—Ventral habitus, 18–19 genital setae per valve, 2 eugenitals (female), 5 anal setae per valve on PA (cf. Fig. 2); 5—Genital valve of female, 19 genital setae, 1 pair of eugenital setae.