Neoseiulus umbraticus ( Chant, 1956 )

Tixier, Marie-Stephane, Auger, Philippe, Migeon, Alain, Douin, Martial, Fossoud, Amandine, Navajas, Maria & Arabuli, Tea, 2021, Integrated taxonomy supports the identification of some species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Georgia, Acarologia 61 (4), pp. 824-844 : 832

Neoseiulus umbraticus ( Chant, 1956)

Typhlodromus umbraticus Chant 1956: 26 .

Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) umbraticus, Beglyarov 1958: 107 .

Amblyseius umbraticus, Athias-Henriot 1959: 138 .

Typhlodromus (Amblyseius) umbraticus, Chant 1959: 75 .

Amblyseius (Typhlodromopsis) umbraticus, Muma 1961: 287 .

Amblyseius (Amblyseius) umbraticus, Wainstein & Vartapetov 1973: 103 .

Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) umbraticus, Karg 1991: 23 .

Specimens examined. At Telavi (5 kms West from Telavi) (41.9283° N, 45.4241° E): 8

♀♀ and 4 ♂♂ on Salvia verticillata L. ( Lamiaceae ), at Gurjaani (Velistsikhe) (41.8545° N, 45.8035° E): 3 ♀♀ on Populus alba L. ( Salicaceae ).

Previous records. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Azores Island, Belarus, Caucasus Region, Denmark, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Madeira Islands ( Kreiter et al. 2021), Morocco, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, USA.

Measurements of females (6 specimens)

Dorsum. Dorsal shield 316 (295–325) long and 140 (132–152) wide, slightly reticulated posteriorly, with five solenostomes (gd1, gd2, gd6, gd8 and gd9), 17 pairs of dorsal setae and two pairs of sub-lateral setae: j1 19 (15–22), j3 37 (35–40), j4 25, J5 19 (17–20), j6 22 (17–25),

J2 21 (20–22), J5 7, z232 (30–32), Z1 26 (22–27), z4 41 (37–45), z5 17 (15–20), Z4 54 (52–60),

Z5 62 (60–65), s4 56 (52–60), S2 45 (42–50), S4 27 (25–30), S5 24 (22–27), r3 35 (32–40) and

R1 23 (22–25) in length. All setae smooth except Z5 slightly barbed.

Peritreme. Extending forwards to the bases of the setae j3.

Venter. Sternal shield with three pairs of setae and two pairs of poroids; one pair of sternal setae (st4) on small metasternal platelet; posterior margin straight. Distances between st1–st3 62 (60–65), st2–st2 63 (60–65), st5–st5 65 (62–67). Two pairs of metapodal plates, the largest one 20 (15–25) long and 4 (2–5) wide, the smallest one 13 (10–15) long and 2 wide. Ventrianal shield with three pairs of pre-anal setae JV1, JV2, ZV2 and pre-anal pores (gv3) present, posterior-paraxial to setae JV2. Integument surrounding ventrianal shield with four pairs of setae ZV1, ZV3, JV4 and JV5 ; ventrianal shield 106 (100–115) long, 78 (75–80) wide at level of anterior corners, and 68 (62–72) wide at level of anus. JV5 35 (32–37) long.

Legs. Legs IV with three macrosetae: on the genu 33 (30–37), tibia 20 (20–22) and basitarsus 45 (42–47). Genu II with eight setae (2–2/0, 2/1–1), Genu III with eight setae (2–2/0,

2/1–1).

Chelicera. Fixed digit 29 (27–30), movable digit 26 (23–30). Dentition not visible because the chelicerae are closed.

Spermatheca. Calyx cup-shaped 11 long and 11 in width, with an atrium well differentiated at the basis of the calyx.

Measurements on a male specimen are provided in the Table 2.

Remarks. This species was first described in England Rubus on fructicosus L. ( Rosaceae ) and then recorded mainly in the West Palearctic zone. It was reported from Georgia by Wainstein and Vartapetov (1973) on Rubus sp. , Alnus sp. (Betulaceae) , Ficus carica L. ( Moraceae ) and herbs. The measurements of specimens from Georgia fit with those provided by Tixier et al. (2016) for specimens collected from Morocco and with those of the original description ( Table 2). The molecular distances range from 0 to 0.3 % between the four CytB mtDNA sequences and are null between the three COI mtDNA sequences. Only one 12S rRNA sequence was obtained. The eight DNA sequences for the three molecular fragments are now included in the Genbank database and will serve as references for further molecular identification of this species. Very few studies refer to the biology of N. umbraticus . This species seems able to feed on T. urticae and Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) (Sengonca and Dresher 2001, Kazak et al. 2002). Wainstein and Vartapetov (1973) reported that this species feeds on P. citri and T. urticae , and that it tends to prefer humid areas.