Epicecidophyes meliosmanis, Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008

Song, Zi-Wei, Xue, Xiao-Feng & Hong, Xiao-Yue, 2008, Eriophyoid mite fauna (Acari: Eriophyoidea) of Gansu Province, northwestern China with descriptions of twelve new species, Zootaxa 1756, pp. 1-48 : 9-10

Epicecidophyes meliosmanis sp. nov.

( Figs 1 & 2 )

Description. FEMALE: (n = 13) Body fusiform, 185 (175–185), 61 (53–65) wide, 47 (47–50) thick; light yellow. Gnathosoma 17 (15–20), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 5 (4–5), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 12 (11–12), chelicerae 13 (12–13). Prodorsal shield 40 (40–45), 57 (55–57) wide; with bent down frontal lobe overhanging gnathosoma; prodorsal shield smooth. Scapular tubercles lightly ahead of rear margin, 23 (23–26) apart, scapular setae (sc) 10 (7–11) projecting centrad. Coxal area smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 7 (7–8), proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 25 (22–26), proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 43 (41–43). Prosternal apodeme present. Legs: Leg I 37 (36–37), femur 10 (10–11), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (9–10); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 22 (20–22); tibia 7 (6–7), paraxial tibial seta (l') 5 (4–5), seta located 1/2 from dorsal base; tarsus 6 (5–6), tarsal seta (u') 5 (5–6), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 34 (32–34), femur 10 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 9 (8–9); genu 3 (3–4), antaxial genual seta (l'') absent; tibia 5 (4–5); tarsus 6 (6–7), tarsal seta (u') 5 (5–6), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 23 (18–23) annuli, evenly rounded, from 5 to 16 dorsal annulus with longitudinal fissures; ventrally with 60 (57–61) annuli, lateral opisthosoma smooth and ventral annuli with elliptical microtubercles. Setae c2 24 (24–25) on ventral annulus 9 (7–9); setae d 40 (35–43) on ventral annulus 19 (17–20); setae e 13 (12–15) on ventral annulus 34 (30–35); setae f 23 (22–25) on 5th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 1 (1–2). Female genitalia 15 (15–17), 25 (21–25) wide, female genitalia appressed to coxae, coverflap smooth, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 17 (13–17).

MALE: (n = 5) Body fusiform, 158 (155–160), 47 (45–50) wide, light yellow. Gnathosoma 13 (13–14), projecting obliquely down, pedipalp coxal setae (ep) 5 (4–5), dorsal pedipalp genual setae (d) 13 (10–15), chelicerae 10 (10–11). Prodorsal shield 30 (30–32), 35 (35–38) wide. Scapular tubercles ahead of rear margin, 18 (18–19) apart, scapular setae (sc) 13 (10–13) projecting centrad. Coxal area smooth; anterolateral setae on coxisternum I (1b) 10 (10–11), proximal setae on coxisternum I (1a) 23 (22–25), proximal setae on coxisternum II (2a) 40 (40–43). Prosternal apodeme present. Legs: Leg I 34 (33–34), femur 9 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (9–10); genu 4 (4–5), antaxial genual seta (l'') 20 (20–21); tibia 6 (6–7), paraxial tibial seta (l') 5 (4–5), seta located 1/2 from dorsal base; tarsus 5 (5–6), tarsal seta (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Leg II 30 (30–32), femur 9 (9–10), basiventral femoral seta (bv) 10 (9–10); genu 3 (3–4), antaxial genual seta (l'') absent; tibia 4 (4–5); tarsus 5 (5–6), tarsal seta (u') 4 (4–5), tarsal empodium simple, 4-rayed, tarsal solenidion knobbed. Opisthosoma: dorsal opisthosoma with 18 (18–20) annuli, evenly rounded, some dorsal annuli with longitudinal fissures; ventrally with 54 (50–55) annuli, with elliptical microtubercles. Setae c2 20 (20–23) on ventral annulus 7 (7–8); setae d 45 (45–47) on ventral annulus 15 (15–18); setae e 15 (13–15) on ventral annulus 30 (30–32); setae f 20 (20–22) on 5th ventral annulus from rear. Setae h1 2 (1–2). Male genitalia 3 (2–3), 16 (15–16) wide, proximal setae on coxisternum III (3a) 8 (7–8).

Types. Holotype, female, from Meliosma sp. ( Sabiaceae ), Guan’e Gou, Dangchang County, Gansu Province, China, 33°57'39N, 104°19'45E, September 12, 2005, collected by Zi-Wei Song and Xiao-Feng Xue. Paratypes, 12 females and 5 males, with the same data as holotype.

Relation to host. Mites are vagrant on the undersurface of leaves, causing no apparent damage. Etymology. The specific designation meliosmanis is from the generic name of the host plant, Meliosma . Remarks. This species is similar to Epicecidophyes clerodendris Mondal & Chakrabarti, 1981 , but can be differentiated by female genital coverflap smooth (female genital coverflap with 10–12 longitudinal ridges in E. clerodendris ), coxal area smooth (coxal area with short lines in E. clerodendris ), dorsal annuli with fissures (dorsal annuli smooth in E. clerodendris ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Epicecidophyes meliosmanis sp. nov. A, dorsal view of female; B, coxae and female genitalia; C, legs I and II.

FIGURE 2. Epicecidophyes meliosmanis sp. nov. D, lateral aspect of female; E, tarsal empodium; F, male genitalia.