Aceria xeranthemis, Lotfollahi, Parisa, Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Khanjani, Mohamad, Moghadam, Mohamad & Lillo, Enrico De, 2013

Lotfollahi, Parisa, Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Khanjani, Mohamad, Moghadam, Mohamad & Lillo, Enrico De, 2013, Eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyidae) associated with Compositae in Iran, Zootaxa 3664 (3), pp. 349-360 : 354-356

Aceria xeranthemis n. sp.

( Fig. 3 )

Description. FEMALE (n=7). Body wormlike, 192 (162–230), 49 (45–58) thick, 49 (47–49) wide. Gnathosoma 23 (21–25) projecting obliquely downwards, chelicerae 20 (19–22), setae d 5 (5–6), unbranched. Prodorsal shield 31 (31–36) including anteromedian lobe, 37 (35–37) wide, sub-triangular with a long, relatively large-based and pointed anteromedian lobe 6 (5–7) over gnathosomal base. Shield pattern is distinct and composed of complete median and admedian lines among tubercles sc; first submedian lines beginning slightly ahead of tubercles sc and extending to anterior part of prodorsal shield; second submedian lines very short, on anterior quarter of prodorsal shield with many dashes on lateral margins and among admedian lines and tubercles, sc. Tubercles sc on rear shield margin 19 (18–19) apart, setae sc 36 (31–37), directed backwards. Leg I 35 (31–36), femur 7 (7–10), genu 5 (4–5), tibia 5 (5–7), tarsus 8 (7–9), ω 6 (6–9) knobbed, empodium simple, 7 (6–7), 6-rayed; setae bv 9 (7–10), setae l ΄΄ 25 (21–26), setae l ΄ 9 (7–10), setae ft ΄ 14 (10–14), setae ft ΄΄ 25 (20–25). Leg II 26 (26–32), femur 8 (8–10), genu 4, tibia 5 (5–6), tarsus 9 (7–9), ω 8 (8–10) knobbed, empodium simple, 7 (6–7), 6-rayed; setae bv 8 (8–10), setae l ΄΄ 13 (10–13), setae ft ΄ 9 (5-9), setae ft ΄΄ 23 (21–27). Coxae with distinct granules and dashes; setae 1b 11 (10–13), tubercles 1b 11 apart, setae 1a 21 (18–28), tubercles 1a 9 (8–9) apart, setae 2a 36 (32–40), tubercles 2a 23 (20–23) apart. Prosternal apodeme 9 (8–9). Opisthosoma dorsally rounded, with 90 (80–97) narrow dorsal semiannuli; 92 (80–98) narrow ventral semiannuli (counted from first annulus after coxae II) and 9 semiannuli between coxae and coverflap; 3 transversal rows of lined granules at base of coverflap. Microtubercles circular, placed on posterior area of dorsal and ventral semiannuli. Setae c2 25 (24–27) on ventral semiannulus 18 (13–18), setae d 42 (42–55) on ventral semiannulus 34 (29–35); setae e 10 (10–20) on ventral semiannulus 55 (48–57); setae f 20 (17–25) on ventral semiannulus 86 (75–92). With 5–6 annuli before anal lobe; last 4 (3–4) annuli with elongated, linear tubercles. Setae h2 78 (71–80) very fine at tip, h1 7. Female coverflap 17 (14–19), 29 (22–29) wide, with 13–14 striae; setae 3a 20 (16–20) apart, 19 (19–20).

MALE (n=3). Similar to female, 167–168. Prodorsal shield 29–30; setae sc 30–31, 17–18 apart. Opisthosoma with 67–70 dorsal semiannuli and 68–74 ventral semiannuli; genitalia width, 17.

Type host plant. Xeranthemum squarrosum Boiss. (Compositae) .

Relation to the host plant. Vagrant on leaves; no apparent damage was observed.

Type locality. Tabriz countryside, Iran, 38°01'13''N, 46°25'09''E, 1,665 m above sea level; 29 August 2011, coll. P. Lotfollahi.

Type material. Holotype: single female on a microscope slide (XS-IEA-TZ11L-1); paratypes: 6 females, 3 males and 2 nymphs on 11 microscope slides, each with a single mounted mite.

Other material. Mites also preserved in Oudemans’ fluid as extracted from the same sample above.

Etymology. The specific epithet is the genitive case of the genus name of the type host plant, Xeranthemum . Remarks. This is the first record of an eriophyoid mite species on the host plant genus Xeranthemum . Differential diagnosis. The new species described herein bears some similarities to Aceria scariolae Kamali and Amrine 2005 as described from Lactuca orientalis Boiss. in Khorasan State, Iran. Aceria xeranthemis n. sp. is provided with an anteromedian lobe while A. scariolae is missing this morphological character. In addition, the first submedian lines of A. xeranthemis are longer than those of A. scariolae ; A. xeranthemis also has much shorter setae 1a, 3a, d and e than A. scariolae and, finally, the number of semiannuli between the coxae and the genital area is about 9 in A. xeranthemis contrasting with 4 in A. scariolae .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Schematic drawings of Aceria xeranthemis n. sp. AD. Prodorsal shield; AL. Lateral view of anterior body region; CG. Female coxigenital region; em. Empodium; IG. Internal female genitalia; LO. Lateral view of annuli; L 1. Leg I; PM. Lateral view of posterior opisthosoma. Scale bar: 10 μm for AD, AL, CG, IG, PM; 5 μm for LO, L 1; 2. 5 μm for em.