Tarsonemus conduru Lofego & Cavalcante, 2022

Demite, Peterson R., Cavalcante, Ana C. C., Lofego, Antonio C., Rodrigues, Ricardo R. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2022, Tarsonemid mites (Acari: Tarsonemidae) on myrtaceous plants of the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, with description of a new species of Tarsonemus Canestrini & Fanzago, Zootaxa 5094 (1), pp. 153-168 : 159-164

Tarsonemus conduru Lofego & Cavalcante sp. nov.

( Figures 2–8 )

Diagnosis: Female—Gnatosomal capsule wider than long; pharynx fusiform. Median lobes on the posterior margin of the prodorsal shield, setae v1, sc2 and c2 with similar length, varying between 10–16 μm; short setae on shields C, D, EF and H (less than 12 μm). Prosternal apodeme conspicuous, almost reaching sejugal apodeme but nor fused with it. Sejugal apodeme arched, conspicuous in most of its extension but diffuse in the middle. Poststernal apodeme conspicuous bifurcated anteriorly.

Specimens examined: Holotype ♀: Serra do Conduru , Uruçuca, Bahia state, Brazil (14°29’S; 39°08’W), on Marlierea obversa D. Legrand (Myrtaceae) , 5 May 2012, deposited at Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista ( UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil. Paratypes: 1 ♀: same locality and date as holotype, on Myrciaria sp. (Myrtaceae) , deposited at Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil; 1 ♀: same locality as holotype, on Myrciaria floribunda (H.West ex Willd.)O.Berg( Myrtaceae ), 16 March2013, deposited at Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ), Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, São Paulo state, Brazil. All specimens collected by P.R. Demite.

Description of female: three specimens measured

Gnathosoma ( Figure 3 ): subquadrangular in dorsal view, length 22 23 (22–25); maximum width 28 29 (28–30), dorsal apodeme distinct. Setae dgs 10 10 and vgs 5 5 (5–6) smooth; seta pp not observed. Palpus short, with one visible small subterminal setae and a terminal cone-shaped structure. Pharynx fusiform, 13 12 (12–13) long and 6 5 (5–6) wide at widest region.

Idiosoma ( Figures 3 and 4 ): length 145 148 (145–150), width at level of c1 98 101 (98–106); prodorsal shield covering at least three quarters of the gnathosoma. Stigma on lateral of prodorsal shield, prominent, posterolaterad of v1. Posteromedian margin of prodorsal shield with five subcircular lobes. Lengths of the setae: v1 15 14 (12–16), sc1 12 12 (11–12), sc2 12 12 (10–13), c1 5 5, c2 12 12 (11–14), d 7 7 (7–8), e 7 9 (9–10), f 10 11 (10–12), h 9 10 (9–11). Setae v1, sc2, c1, c2, d, e; f and h serrate; all these setiform; sc1 capitate and with tiny spines. Distances between dorsal setae: v1–v1 27 26 (23–28), sc1–sc1 37 38 (37–40); sc2–sc2 49 49 (47–51), v1–sc2 20 20 (20–21), c1–c1 44 44 (42–45), c2–c2 76 78 (76–81), c1–c2 29 30 (29–31), d–d 32 30 (26–33), f–f 18 16 (13–18), e–f 16 18 (16–20), h–h 18 20 (18–23). Seta sc1 inserted at same level or slightly posteriad of sc2.

Coxisternal seta 1a 3 4 (3–4), near the middle of apodeme 1 (ap1); 2a 7 6 (5–7), adjacent to the middle of apodeme 2 (ap2); 3a 5 5 (4–5), adjacent to the anterior end of apodeme 3 (ap3); 3b 4 5 (4–5), by distal end of apodeme IV. Seta ps 2 2. Prosternal apodeme (appr) conspicuous, almost reaching sejugal apodeme but nor fused with it. Apodeme 1 conspicuous, fused to anterior end of prosternal apodeme, extending diagonally to base of anterior margin of trochanter I. Apodeme 2 almost reaching prosternal apodeme. Sejugal apodeme (apsej) arched, conspicuous in most of its extension but diffuse in the middle. Apodeme 3 extending diagonally from proximity of insertion of seta 3a to anterior margin of trochanter III; apodeme 4 (ap4) extending diagonally from the middle of anterior half of the poststernal apodeme (appo) to insertion of seta 3b. Proximal half of apodeme 4 diffused while the distal half conspicuous. Poststernal apodeme conspicuous, bifurcated anteriorly. Ventral plates slightly punctate. Tegula rounded, 4 4 (3–5) long and 9 9 (8–9) wide. All ventral setae smooth.

Legs ( Figures 5–8 ): lengths (femur to tarsus): leg I 37 38 (37–38), leg II 42 40 (37–42), leg III 40 41 (39–44), leg IV 25 26 (25–27). Number of setae (solenidia in parentheses) on femur, genu, tibia and tarsus, respectively: leg I: 4-4-6(2)+8(1), leg II: 3-3-4-6(1), leg III: 1+3-4-4. Tarsal solenidion ω of tibiotarsus I 5 6 (5–7), stout, slightly narrower near base. Sensory cluster of tibia I complete, solenidion φ1 2 2, capitate; φ2 2 2, clavate; famulus k 3 3 (3–4), all those inserted at approximately the same level. Seta d of tibia I 30 35 (30–40), slightly serrate. Solenidion ω of tarsus II proximal, 4 4 (4–5), stout, narrower basally; seta pl´´3 3 (3–4), spine-like. Seta d of tibia II 7 7 (7–8), smooth. Femorogenu IV 18 20 (18–21); tibiotarsus IV 6 6. Length of leg IV setae: v´F 5 6 (5–6), v´G 7 7, v´Ti 17 20 (17–22) and tc´´19 21 (19–23); setae v´F, v´G and tc´´smooth; v´Ti serrate.

Differential diagnosis: The new species resembles Tarsonemus stammeri Schaarschmidt in having median lobes on the posterior margin of the prodorsal shield and short setae on shields C, D, EF and H (less than 20 µm). However, that species differs from the new species here described by the elongate pharynx, sejugal apodeme well sclerotized throughout, prosternal apodema sclerotized only anteriad of apodeme 2, and dorsal seta d about 20 μm long.

Remarks: Nothing is known about the biology or ecology of this new species.

Larva and Male: Unknown

Etymology: The specific designation refers to the type locality “Serra do Conduru” (Conduru ridge).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Differential interference contrast microscopy photos of Tarsonemus conduru sp. nov. A—Dorsal surface. B— Ventral surface.

FIGURE 3. Tarsonemus conduru sp. nov. (♀). Dorsal surface. 3a, gnathossoma.

FIGURE 4. Tarsonemus conduru sp. nov. (♀). Vental surface.

FIGURES 5–8. Tarsonemus conduru sp. nov. (♀). 5, leg I; 5’, sensorial cluster; 6, leg II; 7, leg III; 8. Leg IV.