Bdellodes edentata, Halliday, R. B., 2005

Halliday, R. B., 2005, Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae), Zootaxa 1079, pp. 11-64 : 22-25

Bdellodes edentata sp. nov. ( Figs 2–9 )

Specimens examined

Holotype female, South Africa, Port Elizabeth, Marine Protea Hotel, 18.viii.1994, T. K. Qin coll., clover and capeweed, site 30–16 (= 94­16). Paratypes, 3 females, same data as holotype.

Description (Female)

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Length 693–890 µm, width at widest point 315–651 µm (n=4). Surface with fine striate ornamentation throughout, striations irregular, not in any distinct pattern ( Fig. 8 ); with two pairs of eyes. Sensillae oo, po fine, similar in length (ca. 100 µm); anterior setae mps, hi, he long (ca. 80 µm), posterior setae becoming progressively shorter, lateral propodosomal setae lps absent, anus terminal.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Surface smooth or with very weak irregular striation, except for distinct transverse striation anterior to coxae I ( Fig. 9 ); genital plates large, crescentshaped (ca. 130 x 50 µm), each bearing eight genital setae and flanked by three pairs of paragenital setae; anus flanked by two pairs of para­anal setae; coxae with distinct transverse striation.

Gnathosoma . Hypostome ( Fig. 4 ) with 8 pairs of hypostomal setae 50–60 µm long and two pairs of short adoral setae; surface smooth except for transverse striation basally. Palp ( Fig. 5 ) femur 240 µm long, 6 setae; genu 39 µm long, 1 seta; tibia 66 µm long, 4 setae; tarsus 240 µm long, 16 setae, all segments with fine transverse striation throughout.

Chelicera ( Fig. 6 ) length 275 µm, height at base 25 µm, with two setae 30–40 µm long; with a polygonal pattern of ridges basally, smooth distally; fixed digit edentate, truncate; movable digit edentate, distally pointed.

Legs. Leg I: coxa 2 setae; trochanter 21 µm long, 1 seta; basifemur 139 µm long, 12 setae; telofemur 55 µm long, 7 setae; genu 50 µm long, 7 setae; tibia 84 µm long, 6 setae + one dorsal trichobothrium; tarsus 184 µm long, 30 setae, of which 11 distal setae pilose for most of their length ( Fig. 7 ). Leg II: coxa 3 setae; trochanter 32 µm long, 1 seta; basifemur 137 µm long, 11 setae; telofemur 58 µm long, 6 setae; genu 60 µm long, 7 setae; tibia 71 µm long, 8 setae + one dorsal trichobothrium; tarsus 171 µm long, 32 setae, of which 12 distal setae pilose for most of their length. Leg III: coxa 4 setae; trochanter 26 µm long, 1 seta; basifemur 168 µm long, 10 setae; telofemur 52 µm long, 6 setae; genu 52 µm long, 8 setae; tibia 105 µm long, 13 setae; tarsus 189 µm long, 30 setae of which 14 distal setae pilose for most of their length. Leg IV: coxa 3–4 setae; trochanter 105 µm long, 1 seta; basifemur 168 µm long, 3 setae; telofemur 66 µm long, 5 setae; genu 84 µm long, 7 setae; tibia 132 µm long, 13 setae + one trichobothrium; tarsus 224 µm long, 32 setae + one basal trichobothrium, 12 distal setae pilose for most of their length.

Remarks

The known fauna of Bdellodes in southern Africa now includes 5 species— B. edentata , B. hessei , B. lapidaria , B. meridionalis , and B. exilicornis (Berlese) ( Meyer & Ryke, 1959a and present observations). B. edentata may be distinguished from the other species as follows: fixed digit of chelicera with two teeth in B. hessei , edentate in B. edentata ; posterior sensillum reduced in B. lapidaria , normal in B. edentata ; two cheliceral setae placed close together in B. meridionalis , widely separated in B. edentata ; idiosoma length 2600 µm in B. exilicornis , less than 1000 µm in B. edentata .

B. edentata is represented in the present survey collection by four specimens from a single locality at Port Elizabeth, which is outside the geographic range of H. destructor ( Qin & Halliday, 1996; Qin 1997). This rare and localised species would appear to have no relevance as a potential biological control agent.

Etymology

The name of this species alludes to the edentate cheliceral digits.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Bdellodes edentata sp. nov., female, dorsal integument. oo = anterior sensillum; po = posterior sensillum; mps = median propodosomal seta. Scale bar = 100 µm.

FIGURE 9. Bdellodes edentata sp. nov., female, coxa I and integument between coxa I and base of gnathosoma. cx 1 = coxa I. Scale bar = 100 µm.

FIGURES 2 – 7. Bdellodes edentata, sp. nov., female. 2, dorsal idiosoma. 3, ventral idiosoma and coxae. 4, hypostome. 5, palp. 6, chelicera. 7, tibia and tarsus I, dorsal aspect. Scale bar = 100 µm.