Aculus vignaus, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2009, Six new species of Aculus Keifer from Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae: Phyllocoptinae), Zootaxa 2305, pp. 1-23 : 4-7

Aculus vignaus sp. nov.

( Figs 1 & 2 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 14) Body fusiform, 200 (192–205), 60 (60–63) wide, 70 (65–70) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 25 (25–27), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 3 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 8 (6–8), cheliceral stylets 23 (23–25). Prodorsal shield subtriangular, 41 (37–41), 50 (48–50) wide; prodorsal shield with lobe rounded; shield design with incomplete median and admedian lines, complete submedian lines; admedian lines sinuous at basal 1/3, submedian lines bifurcated at 1/2 of the shield, admedian lines connected with submedian lines at 1/3 from anterior. Scapular tubercles on shield rear margin, 28 (28–30) apart, scapular setae (sc) 10 (9–10) projecting posteriorly. Coxal plates with short lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 10 (10–11), 10 (9–10) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 23 (23–25), 8 (8–9) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 30 (30–33), 21 (21–22) apart. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 40 (38–40), femur 11 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (9–10); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 22 (20–22); tibia 8 (7–8), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 6 (5–7), located 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 6 (6–7); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 20 (18–20), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 18 (15–18), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 9 (9–10), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (7–8), rod-like. Leg II 38 (36–38), femur 11 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 12 (10–12); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 7 (6–7); tibia 5 (5–6); tarsus 6 (5–6); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 7 (7–8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 17 (15–18), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 9 (9–10), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (7–8), rod-like. Opisthosoma dorsally with 33 (30–33) annuli, with filament microtubercles on annular rear margins; ventrally with 72 (68–72) annuli, with round microtubercles on annuli. Setae c2 20 (15–23) on ventral annulus 10 (10–12); setae d 35 (30–40) on ventral annulus 26 (26–28), 28 (26–28) apart; setae e 18 (15–18) on ventral annulus 43 (43–47), 16 (15–16) apart; setae f 20 (16–20) on 5th ventral annulus from rear, 20 (20–21) apart. Setae h1 3 (3–4), setae h2 44 (40–50). Female genital coverflap 8 (7–8), 18 (18–19) wide, with 10–12 longitudinal ridges, setae 3a 50 (42–50), 14 (13–14) apart.

MALE: (n = 7) Body fusiform, 190 (174–190), 52 (52–60) wide, light yellow. Gnathosoma 24 (22–24), projecting downwards, pedipalp coxal seta (ep) 3 (3–4), dorsal pedipalp genual seta (d) 6 (6–7), cheliceral stylets 22 (20–22). Prodorsal shield subtriangular, 38 (35–38), 50 (47–50) wide; prodorsal shield with lobe rounded. Scapular tubercles on shield rear margin, 23 (23–25) apart, scapular setae (sc) 10 (10–12) projecting posteriorly. Coxal plates with short lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 10 (10–12), 11 (10–11) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 15 (13–15), 8 (7–8) apart, proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 40 (38–40), 20 (19–20) apart. Prosternal apodeme present. Legs with usual series of setae. Leg I 38 (36–38), femur 10 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 8 (8–10); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 20 (18–21); tibia 7 (6–7), paraxial tibial seta (l ʹ) 5 (5–6), located 1/3 from dorsal base; tarsus 6 (6–7); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 20 (18–20), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 18 (15–18), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 8 (7–8), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 8 (7–8), rod-like. Leg II 35 (35–37), femur 9 (8–9), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (8–10); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l ʺ) 6 (6–7); tibia 4 (4–5); tarsus 6 (5–6); paraxial fastigial tarsal seta (ft ʹ) 7 (7–8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft ʺ) 17 (15–18), paraxial unguinal tarsal seta (u ʹ) 5 (4–5); tarsal empodium 8 (7–8), simple, 7-rayed, tarsal solenidion 7 (7–8), rod-like.

Opisthosoma dorsally with 31 (29–31) annuli, smooth; ventrally with 69 (69–71) annuli, with round microtubercles. Setae c2 25 (23–26) on ventral annulus 13 (13–15); setae d 32 (30–45) on ventral annulus 27 (27–29), 27 (27–28) apart; setae e 16 (16–18) on ventral annulus 42 (42–46), 16 (15–16) apart; setae f 20 (17– 20) on 5th ventral annulus from rear, 21 (20–21) apart. Setae h1 4 (3–4), setae h2 40 (40–45). Male genitalia 16 (15–17) wide, setae 3a 23 (20–23), 15 (15–16) apart.

Type material. Holotype, female (slide No. NJAUAcariEri933, marked holotype), from Vigna vexillata (L.) Rich. ( Fabaceae ), Pai town, Nyingchi (Linzhi) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, P. R. China, 15 August, 2007, coll. Zi-Wei Song, Xiao-Feng Xue & Zhen Wang. Paratypes, 13 females and 7 males (slides No. NJAUAcariEri933) with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Vagrant on leaf undersurface. No damage to the host was observed.

Etymology. The specific designation vignaus is from the host genus name “ Vigna ”.

Differential diagnosis. This species is similar to A. eupteleae Xue, Song & Hong, 2008 , but can be differentiated by the tarsal empodium 7-rayed (tarsal empodium 5-rayed in A. eupteleae ); prodorsal shield with incomplete median and admedian lines, complete submedian lines, without granules on the shield (prodorsal shield with submedian line absent, with granules on the shield in A. eupteleae ); female genital coverflap without transverse line at base (female genital coverflap with 3 transverse lines at base in A. eupteleae ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aculus vignaus sp. nov. D, dorsal view of female; em, empodium; CG, coxae and genitalia of female; L 1, leg I; L 2, leg II.

FIGURE 2. Aculus vignaus sp. nov. L, lateral view of female; CGM, coxae and genitalia of male; LO, enlarged lateral view of opisthosoma.