Abacarus paniceus, Ou & Wang & Wei, 2014

Ou, Shan-Sheng, Wang, Guo-Quan & Wei, Sui-Gai, 2014, Five new species of Phyllocoptinae (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Eriophyidae) from China, Zoological Systematics 39 (4), pp. 496-506 : 499

Abacarus paniceus sp. nov. ( Figs 7–12 )

Description. Female (n =15). Body fusiform, whitish, 148 (119–157), 42 (40–47) wide.

Gnathosoma. Curved obliquely downward, 17 (16–18); dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 6 (5–7), pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 4 (3–5), cheliceral stylets 15 (14–20).

Prodorsal shield. 40 (37–43), 40 (34–40)wide, frontal lobe 8 (8–10), median line discontinuous, and submedian lines incomplete, admedian lines complete; sides of shield with scorings; scapular tubercles near rear shield margin, 30 (28–32) apart, scapular setae (sc) 15 (15–16), directed backward and divergently.

Coxae. Prosternal apodeme present, coxal area with short lines; anterolateral setae on coxisternum І (1b) 4 (3–6), 7 (6–7) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum І (1a) 15 (10–16), 5 (4–6) apart; proximal setae on coxisternum ІІ (2a) 18 (17–18), 18 (16–18) apart. Coxi-genital annuli 4–5.

Legs. Segments normal. Leg I 29 (26–31), femur 9 (8–9), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 8 (7–11); genu 5 (4–5), antaxial genual setae (l'') 28 (25–30); tibia 6 (6–7), paraxial tibial setae (l') located at center, 6 (6–7); tarsus 7 (6–8), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 20 (19–23), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 21 (18–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (3–4); tarsal empodium 10 (9–10), 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion 9 (8–9), tapered. Leg II 24 (24–28), femur 8 (8–9), basiventral femoral setae (bv) 7 (7–10); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual setae (l'') 13 (7–13); tibia 5 (5–6); tarsus 5 (5–6), paraxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft') 8 (5–8), antaxial fastigial tarsal setae (ft'') 25 (22–25), paraxial unguinal tarsal setae (u') 4 (3–4); tarsal empodium 9 (9–10), 8-rayed, tarsal solenidion 10 (9–10), tapered.

Opisthosoma. Dorsum with a median ridge and lateral ridges, median ridge shorter than submedian ridges, dorsal annuli 41 (40–43), dorsal aspect smooth, dorsal annuli at lateral parts with rounded microtubercles; ventral annuli 63 (61–64), with rounded microtubercles; setae c2 40 (35–45), on ventral annulus 12th; setae d 53 (45–60), 28 (25–31) apart, on ventral annulus 28th; setae e 12 (11–14), 12 (10–15) apart, on ventral annulus 41th; setae f 25 (20–35), 15 (15–16) apart, on 6th ventral annulus from rear; setae h1 absent, setae h2 52 (45–65).

Female genitalia. Coverflap with 12–14 longitudinal ridges, 15 (13–15), 22 (20–22) wide, setae 3a 10 (9–10), 15 (13–16) apart.

Male (n =1). Body fusiform, 107, 30 wide, male genitalia 12 wide, setae (3a) 9, 6 apart.

Material examined. Holotype female, Xincheng County (24°0′N, 108°36′E), Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, 20 May 2011, from Panicum notatum Retz. (Poaceae) , coll. Shan-Sheng Ou and Sui-Gai Wei. Paratypes 14 females and 1 male, mounted on individual slide, same data as holotype .

Biology. The mites are free-living on the undersurface of leaves, no conspicuous damage was observed.

Etymology. This species is named after the generic name of the type host plant.

Remarks. This new species is similar to A. arunis Chen, Wei & Qin, 2004 , but can be diagnosed by: opisthosoma dorsal aspect smooth, dorsal annuli at lateral parts with rounded microtubercles; ventral annuli with rounded microtubercles; tarsal empodium 8-rayed. In A. arunis , the opisthosoma with a little fan-shaped design on the dorsal median ridge of 1–22 annuli, each dorsal annulus with 3–4 short lines on lateral ridges; tarsal empodium 7-rayed (Chen, Wei & Qin, 2004).

Figures

Figs 7–12. Abacarus paniceus sp. nov. 7. Dorsal aspect of female. 8. Anterior lateral view of female. 9. Lateral view of annuli (enlarged). 10. Coxigenital area of female. 11. Empodium. 12. Legs I–II. Scale bars: 7–8, 10, 12=20μm; 11=10 μm.