Amblyseiulella heveae (Oudemans)

Bhowmik, Sagarika & Karmakar, Krishna, 2021, Five new species and re-description of eight species belonging to the family Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from West Bengal, India, Zootaxa 4975 (3), pp. 401-450 : 410-413

Amblyseiulella heveae (Oudemans)

Typhlodromus heveae Oudemans, 1930: 97 .

Typhlodromus (Amblyseius) heveae Chant, 1959: 5 .

Amblyseius (Asperoseius) heveae Pritchard & Baker, 1962 . 205.

Amblyseiulella heveae Moraes et al., 1986: 5 .

( Figs 15 –21, 87–88)

Female (n = 10).

Dorsum ( Figs 15 ). Dorsal shield 338 (335–343) long, 174 (170–180) wide with a incision at the level of seta s4 and with six pairs of solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd5, gd6, gd8 and gd9); 14 pairs of dorsal setae and two pairs of setae on the unsclerotised cuticle: j1 32 (32–33), j3 74 (72–75), j4 6 (6–7), j5 6 (6–7), j6 11 (11–12), J5 4 (4–5), z2 22 (20–23), z4 37 (37–38), z5 6 (6–7), Z1 10 (10–11), Z4 75 (73–76), Z5 83 (80–85), s4 92 (90–93), S2 47 (45–48), r3 67 (65–68), R 1 49 (48–50). All setae are serrated except j4, j5, z2, z5, Z1, j6 and J5 which are minute and smooth, setae j3, s4, Z4 and Z5 are long while setae j1, z2, z4, S2, and R 1 are short to medium in length.

Peritreme ( Fig. 15 ). Extending forward beyond the bases of j1.

Venter (Fig. 16). All shields smooth, sternal shield 68 (66–70) long and 79 (78–80) wide at level of setae ST1– ST3 and ST3–ST3 respectively, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; one pair of setae (ST4) on the metasternal plates; posterior margin of sternal shield is concave and wavy. Distances between ST2–ST2 65 (65–66), ST5–ST5 82 (80–83). One pair of metapodal shields 30 (30–31) long. Ventrianal shield pentagonal in shape, widest at the anterior region with lateral indentation. Ventrianal shield 119 (117–120) long, 77 (75–78) wide at level of ZV2 setae and 59 (58–60) wide at level of anus; with three pairs of pre-anal setae, JV1, JV2 and ZV2, one pair of pre-anal pores on the ventrianal shield above the line of anal opening. Membrane surrounding ventrianal shield with four pairs of setae: ZVl, ZV3, JV4 and JV5; the latter 65 (60–70) long, serrated.

Chelicera (Fig. 17). Fixed digit 29 (28–30) long, with six teeth and prominent pilus dentilis, movable digit 31 (29–32) long, with three teeth.

Spermatheca (Fig. 18). Calyx short, poculiform, atrium nodular 3 (3–4) long adjacent to the vesicle, major and minor ducts conspicuous.

Legs (Fig. 19). Legs IV with three smooth macrosetae with knobbed tips and of the following lengths: SgeIV 50 (48–52), StiIV 44 (43–45), StIV 72 (68–75). Chaetotactic formula of genu II: 2 2/0, 2/0 1; genu III: 2 2/1, 2/0 0. Length of leg I: 333 (330–335), leg II: 269 (263–275), leg III: 265 (260–270), leg IV: 402 (388–415).

Male (n = 2). A lightly sclerotised mite with 16 pairs of dorsal setae. Idiosomal setal pattern: 10A: 6D/ JV –3,4: ZV –1,3.

Dorsum. Dorsal shield (258–268) long and (140–150) wide with six pairs of solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd5, gd6, gd8 and gd9); 16 pairs of dorsal setae: j1 (23–25), j3 (43–45), j4 (4–5), j5 (4–5), j6 (9–10), J5 3, z2 (16–17), z4 (28–29), z5 (4–5), Z1 (7–8), Z4 (43–45), Z5 (47–48), s4 (56–60), S2 (21–23), r3 (28–34), R1 (16–18). All setae are serrated except j4, j5, z2, z5, Z1, j6 and J5 which are minute and smooth, setae j3, s4, Z4 and Z5 are long while setae j1, z2, z4, S2, and R1 are short to medium in length.

Peritreme. Extending beyond level of j1.

Venter (Fig. 20). Sternogenital shield smooth with a few lateral lines, five pairs of setae and three pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures. Ventrianal shield (102–107) long, (103–110) wide at the level of ZV2 setae, (65–67) wide at the level of anus, with three pairs of pre-anal setae, JV1, JV2, and ZV2, one pair of pores and a pair of distinguishable lyrifissures. Unsclerotised membrane surrounding ventrianal shield with one pair of setae, JV5, at level below anal opening.

Legs. Leg IV with three smooth macrosetae of following lengths; genu (28–31), tibia (25–28), basitarsus (42– 43). Chaetotactic formula of leg IV is identical to that of female. Length of leg I (255–275), leg II (210–238), leg III (208–220), leg IV (290–313).

Chelicera (Fig. 21). Spermatodactyl with an elongated shaft (14–15) long, terminating with a wide toe (7–8) long.

Specimens examined. Two female specimens (Acar.lab/ BCKV /5329/2015), collected from Wild bhindi, Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae) , at Kalyani: 22° 58’ 59” N, 88° 28’ 58” E, 8.75 m above mean sea level, Nadia, West Bengal on 30 September 2015. Voucher slides of these two female specimens with same collection data have been deposited in the National Zoological Collection (NZC), Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Five female specimens (Acar.lab/ BCKV /5379, 5385–5386, 5431/2015) with same collection data as above mentioned specimen on 17 December 2015. Four female specimens (Acar.lab/ BCKV /5432/2015) collected from Brinjal, Solanum melongena (Solanaceae) with same collection data as above mentioned specimen on 28 November 2015. One male specimen (Acar.lab/ BCKV /5329/2015) and one male specimen (Acar.lab/ BCKV /5379/2015) collected from Wild bhindi, Abelmoschus moschatus (Malvaceae) , at Kalyani: 22° 58’ 56” N, 88° 28’ 58” E, 8.75 m above mean sea level, Nadia, West Bengal on 30 September 2015 and 17 December 2015 respectively. Voucher slides of these two male specimens have been deposited in the National Zoological Collection (NZC), Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata with same collection data.

Distribution. Asia: China: Hainan ( Wu & Ou, 2002); Jiangxi ( Zhu & Chen, 1983); Wuling Mountain Region ( Wu & Lan, 1992); Xizang ( Wu, 1987); India: Arunachal Pradesh (Gupta, 1986); Indonesia ( Oudemans, 1930).

Remarks. We have compared the measurements of our specimens with the species reported from Thailand by Ehara & Bhandhufalck (1977) and with the one previously reported from India ( Table 3 ). The comparison shows that our measurements are similar to previous ones except the setal values of r3 and R1, which are slightly longer in our species than the other two species.

Ecological notes. This species is found to be restricted in the new alluvial zone of West Bengal, and those plants with leaves having profuse hairiness like Solanum melongena , Clerodendron sp. and Ficus racemosa are preferred as a suitable habitat. It has been found to feed on tetranychid, tarsonemid and eriophyid mite species.

Figures

FIGURES 15–21. Amblyseiulella heveae. 15. Female, dorsal idiosoma; 16. Female, ventral idiosoma; 17. Female, chelicera; 18. Female, spermatheca; 19. Female, genu, tibia and basitarsus IV; 20. Female, ventral idiosoma; 21. Spermatodactyl.